We’ve seen quite a bit about the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 coupe concept over the past few days. Mercedes-Benz first teased something about it on Facebook, then there were some leaked photos of it. Now, Mercedes-Maybach has finally debuted the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept at Monterey Car Week and it’s even more impressive than we previously thought.
We knew that Maybach was looking to take on Rolls Royce with this new concept. However, we had just assumed it would be after the Wraith, Rolls Royce’s newest coupe. It turns out that Maybach is looking to one up Rolls Royce’s own Vision Concept, which debuted a few months back in London.
Measuring almost six meters long (about 19 feet), the Maybach 6 is massively long. Its styling evokes the sort of elegant sports cars of a long bygone era. Its lines are classic and its shape is timeless. However, Mercedes isn’t claiming it to be a retro design. Instead, it’s a modern interpretation of classic styling. In the press release for the Maybach 6, it says “With its sensual, emotional design (“hot”) and intelligent details (“cool”), the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 represents the ultimate in luxury. The classic aesthetic proportions of the show car – the extremely long bonnet, the low roof line and the rearward positioning of the greenhouse – recall the aero coupés of days gone by. But this is not retro design – this is a reinterpretation of classic, aesthetic principles.” It even has gullwing doors, as a throwback to the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.
Although, its styling is where its classic design ends. Just like the Rolls Royce Vision Concept, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 will be an entirely electric luxury coupe. Using four electric motors that combine for 550 kW (750 hp)electric motor, the Maybach 6 is incredibly powerful and all-wheel drive. Combined with its 80 kWh battery, the Maybach 6 is said to be capable of 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in under four seconds. However, it’s also incredibly efficient, with an EPA-rated 200 mile of range. It also has an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
Despite its impressive power and performance, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is also incredibly efficient. Its battery is said to be capable of 500 km (just over 200 miles) of range. Mercedes also claims that it boasts an impressive 350 kW charging capacity, allowing it to charge about 100 km worth or range in just five minutes. It also has wireless inductive charging capabilities.
Inside the massively long concept car lies a cabin that may be the greatest styling departure from its exterior I’ve ever seen. Whereas the exterior of this Maybach is a “reinterpretation of classic, aesthetic principles”, the interior is straight out of the future. With glass, lights and enough tech to make the Tesla Model S look like an Atari, the Maybach 6 concept is impressive. But Mercedes still wants to keep some of its history in the car and not go completely digital. For instance, the “hyperanalogue” gauges are both analog with digital display built into a continuous glass trim. A digital display wraps around the entire dash and cabin of the car, providing all of the car’s information to all of the occupants. If you’re one of the people who hates Mercedes’ stuck-on style nav screens of today, you’ll love this. Even the windshield serves as a display.
Mercedes-Maybach has even modernized a classic design in the seats. Whereas the buttons in the seatbacks were traditionally covered in leather, these are actually little sensors that scan the body’s vital functions. From there, it can adjust seat temperature, cabin temperature and even the seat massagers if need be. It even can take into account the incoming lighting and color of the occupant’s clothing and adjust interior ambient color to set a mood. Replacing the traditional transmission tunnel or the steering column, Maybach has replaced them with floating transparent tunnels that visualize the electric power of the car. Unlike the Rolls Royce Vision concept, the Mercedes-Maybach 6 allows for both driver control or fully autonomous control, whereas the Rolls only allowed for the latter.
Overall, this Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is a stunning concept car that really intrigues us. Its combination of old-world styling and new-world technology is quite interesting and somehow it seems to pull it off.
