The Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV, the ultra-luxury spinoff’s first electric SUV, is coming to Australia.
Revealed at this week’s Shanghai motor show, it’ll arrive in Australia in mid-2024. The ‘regular’ Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, in contrast, is due in the third quarter of this year.
The Maybach is distinguished from the Benz by its unique grille area with a black panel finished with vertical chrome strips, radar discreetly tucked away, and Maybach lettering on a chrome-plated strip between the standard Digital Light headlights.
In classic Maybach fashion, there’s also a bonnet ornament and glitzy wheels – in this case, 21- or 22-inch alloy and forged wheels. Also available are five two-tone colour schemes.
The windows surrounds are finished in chrome, as is the B-pillar. A Maybach emblem is situated on the D-pillar, while an animated projection of the Maybach pattern also shines in all four doors as a greeting.
Illuminated running boards also feature, and are finished in anodised aluminium.
Down back, there are additional chrome elements compared with the regular EQS SUV.
Inside, the enormous MBUX Hyperscreen is standard and incorporates some Maybach-specific graphics including unique start-up screens and rose gold instrument surrounds, plus a dedicated Maybach display mode.
Step into the back and there are dual 11.6-inch screens on the front seat backs, on which you can select and modify navigation destinations. A removable tablet is also standard, as is a 15-speaker Burmester 4D surround sound system with the Dolby Atmos immersive audio experience.
Standard second-row Executive seats, like those up front, feature ventilation, massaging and neck and shoulder heating. An available Chauffeur Package adds a calf massage.
A wood-trimmed centre console can also be specified with two folding tables, a cooling compartment, and silver-plated champagne goblets.
Maybach Exclusive Nappa leather upholstery is standard in Espresso Brown and Balao Brown Pearl, with another two-tone treatment – Macchiato Beige and Bronze Brown – optionally available.
You can also specify Maybach Manufaktur Exclusive Nappa leather in Crystal White/Silver Grey Pearl.
Available wood trim includes brown open-pore birch and walnut wood, though you can also specify piano lacquer black trim. More Maybach logos are also dotted throughout the cabin, and the ambient lighting features 64 selectable colours including Maybach-specific Rose Gold White and Amethyst Glow.
The EQS SUV is the first vehicle from Mercedes-Benz to feature vegetable-tanned leather, with coffee bean shells used as tanning agents. By-products of tanning are also used to create upcycling products like compostable flowerpots and insulating foams.
The company also says it will only use sustainably processed real leather obtained from suppliers that don’t participate in illegal deforestation.
MBUX Interior Assist is standard, which uses cameras to detect body and hand movements and carry out functions. For example, if you move your hand in a certain spot in the cabin, a reading light will be illuminated.
The Maybach model has the most powerful drivetrain in the EQS range, with a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing a total of 484kW of power and 950Nm of torque.
Flat chat, the EQS 680 SUV is said to have a 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds, and an electronically limited top speed of 210km/h.
It can be charged at up to 22kW using AC power and up to 200kW on a DC fast charger.
Mercedes-Maybach quotes a provisional range figure of up to 600km on the WLTP cycle, and provisional energy consumption of between 22.5 and 24.4kWh/100km.
Standard features include air suspension that can provide an extra 35mm of ground clearance, adaptive dampers, and four-wheel steering.
A default Maybach drive mode replaces the standard Comfort mode, and is intended to maximise comfort for those in the rear seats.
There’s also a Maybach-specific driving sound called Aerial Grace, while engineers have worked to further reduce noise, vibration and harshness.
