Ultra-luxury vehicles are often tasked with riding a very fine line between elegance and spectacle. On one hand, a primary mission of the breed is to stand out as a cut above garden-variety posh. But doing so without looking garish can be a tricky endeavor, and that seems to be a growing concern for designers and product planners in these increasingly enlightened times.

But before our time behind the wheel of one of the market’s latest high-luxe options, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, the company chauffeured us to a private residence in Malibu, California, in the back seat.

Along the way we watched a few videos on the seatback-mounted, not-for-North America touchscreen, after hearing from Mercedes-Benz executive Adam Chamberlain and American designer Virgil Abloh about their perspectives on modern luxury, we were treated to a walkaround of the vehicle by none other than Chris Bridges. You may know him as Ludacris, the rapper and actor whose career highlights in the latter realm include his recurring role in the Fast and Furious movie franchise.

For a moment, Bridges’ glee at elements like the GLS’s 23-inch wheels and the lowrider-like bouncing action of the Off-Road Recovery Mode feature seemed a bit incongruous with the sophisticated luxury philosophies that were outlined in detail by Chamberlain and Abloh moments before. But for Maybach, a sub-brand within an automaker that’s already known for its emphasis on luxury, that dichotomy is an important component of its identity within the ultra-luxe ecosystem.

The lion’s share of hardware in the Maybach GLS 600 is derived from its Mercedes-Benz counterpart, the GLS 580, and that undoubtedly works to the benefit of the flagship SUV. Under the hood is an AMG-developed, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that serves up 550 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, along with EQ Boost, a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that can provide 21 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque to fill in low-RPM areas of the powerband where turbo lag might otherwise intrude.

Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four corners through the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, the GLS 600 hits 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds, on its way to an electronically limited 130-mph top speed. While that’s impressive for a vehicle of this size, here performance ultimately takes a back seat to luxury – by design.

If Mercedes-Benz gives equal emphasis to luxury and performance and Mercedes-AMG leans harder on the performance side, Mercedes-Maybach purposefully swings the pendulum in the opposite direction. Engineers recalibrated the standard GLS’ air suspension for compliance rather than corner-carving, aided by the E-Active Body Control system that’s equipped as standard.

The system allows for spring and damping forces to be individually controlled at each wheel and can scan the road surface to adjust the suspension for upcoming bumps and undulations in order to minimize body movement. In the Curve driving mode, the system can also lean the vehicle’s suspension into a turn by up to 3.0 degrees, much like a motorcycle, to reduce the amount of lateral load and jostling felt by the vehicle occupants.
But let’s not forget that the GLS 600 is indeed a sport-utility vehicle, so along with its 7,700-pound tow rating, there’s also an Off-Road mode that raises the air suspension for more ground clearance and dials in the throttle response and traction control system to maximize stability where the pavement ends. And that “bounce mode” we mentioned earlier? It’s technically supposed to help get the GLS out of deep sand if it gets stuck. In the real world, it’s more for Instagram than Atacama.

Technology is ever-present in the GLS 600’s cabin, from the large head-up display and the wireless phone chargers for both front and rear passengers to the Burmester 3D audio sound system and the MBUX infotainment system, all of which are also standard equipment. That last piece consists of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster alongside a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation that offers an augmented video overlay feature. Rear seat passengers can even interact with the MBUX system by way of an included 7.0-inch tablet.

#Mercedes #Maybach #GLS600

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