Massive yachts can’t all the time dock within the harbour, and for connoisseur excursions ashore in Monaco, Mykonos or Miami Seashore, there are elegant tenders. The Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 takes inspiration from this concept – a luxurious runabout for temporary forays into actual life.
Maybach is thought for opulent limousines with lengthy wheelbases, privateness curtains, and chauffeur-driven magnificence. However issues are totally different with the Maybach SL 680, essentially the most unique technique to expertise an SL. Chauffeur or not, yacht or in any other case, generally you simply need to seize the wheel your self and let the wind tousle your hair below the solar, gazing on the sea or mountains. Till now, homeowners of luxurious vehicles might need reached for his or her Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabrio, an Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, or a Bentley Continental GTC. The usual Mercedes SL, maybe too commonplace or overtly sporty because of AMG improvement, by no means fairly match the temporary. So when the decision got here for critical motoring, the Maybach title returned, however just for the again seat.
Now, the Maybach SL 680 gives a luxurious plaything for the world’s elite, a sublime “tender” for sunlit drives. Distinct from even the lavish AMG-enhanced SL, it raises the bar with an extravagant luxurious package deal, pushing the bottom worth to no less than €225,850. The Monogram version is unmistakably a part of the Maybach household at first look, with a bonnet coated in MM logos harking back to Louis Vuitton, even extending to the material roof. It’s something however refined.
Maybach logos fill the entrance air intakes, whereas MM particulars grace the edges and rear. Inside, beautiful supplies and opulent seats transport passengers mentally to the Côte d’Azur or Miami Seashore. Wherever it goes, the Maybach SL instructions consideration, particularly when completed in Opalite White with that monogrammed distinction bonnet.
Morning solar glints off Lake Como because the breeze whips previous, and from below the bonnet comes little greater than a low, luxurious murmur, till you open it up. Then it roars to life, delivering a robust and intoxicating drive. One factor is lacking, nonetheless – a V12. Beneath the customized bodywork lies the identical four-litre V8 twin-turbo you’ll recognise from AMG, producing 430 kW / 585 PS and 800 Nm of torque.
It’s a powerhouse in any setting, even when the Maybach badge deserves a dozen cylinders. 0–100 km/h takes simply 4.1 seconds, and high pace is capped at 260 km/h, a deliberate transfer to set it aside from the usual AMG SL.
Nonetheless, for a roadster of this luxurious, we are able to’t assist however dream of a flagship V12 , an engine nonetheless accessible elsewhere in Mercedes’ lineup and one that will be the best match for this ultra-exclusive toy. Why the identical 585 PS tune as lesser AMG variations was used stays Affalterbach’s secret – however let’s be sincere: Maybach SL drivers have extra essential issues to give attention to. Like their environment. Or their villa. Or their yacht.
There’s no baggage onboard, not due to the modest 240-litre boot or the 13.6 l/100 km gas consumption, however as a result of the utmost payload is simply 145 kilograms. Sufficient, maybe, for a slim companion and a lighter picnic basket.
