Daimler has been adamant for some time that it won't do an AMG Maybach. They're two separate pillars atop the Mercedes range, we're told. So how does the German automaker satisfy those demanding customers accustomed to the idea of paying to have their way?
Easy: just slot an AMG engine into a Maybach, and don't call it an AMG. That's what Mercedes did with the G650 Laundaulet and S650 Cabriolet. And just as we expected, now it's slotting that same engine into the sedan as well.
Though not landmark announcement has been made, the manufacturer has quietly released initial specifications for the 2018 Mercedes-Maybach S650 sedan. It's essentially the same as the limousine we've already seen, but instead of a V8 or the “standard” V12, it packs AMG's flagship engine – displacing 6.0 liters across twelve cylinders, with twin turbochargers helping it produce 621 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque.
That's the same engine as you'll find in the aforementioned 650-series Maybachs, as we as 65-series AMGs like the SL65 roadster, G65 sport-ute, and S65 sedan, coupe, and convertible.
Channeled to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission, all that muscle is said to be enough to shuffle the big sedan to 60 in just 4.6 seconds. That's 0.4 seconds slower than the S65 sedan that shares the same engine, platform, and just about everything else, but stretching as it does 215 inches on a 132.5-inch wheelbase, the Maybach is longer by nearly a foot.
And though curb weight has yet to be announced, you can bet the ultra-luxe version is considerably heavier even than the S65's hefty 5,000 pounds.
Also not announced at present is the list price for the US market. But when you consider that the existing Maybach S600 starts at $191,300 and the AMG S65 at $226,900 (a $45k premium over the standard S600 at $170,750), you shouldn't expect much change back from a quarter million.
That'd put it directly in line with the comparable, top-of-the-line Bentley Flying Spur W12 S. That is, unless Daimler's potent new limo turns out to be a limited-production affair like the other 650-series Maybachs, in which case it's liable to charge even more.
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