Meet the Million-dollar Mercedes-Maybachs

Singapore

BORED with Benz? Then make it a Maybach. The poshest sub-brand within the Mercedes family is mounting a fresh assault on the deep pockets of wealthy buyers here, re-entering Singapore with new models that give would-be Bentley buyers something to mull over.

The Mercedes-Maybachs go on sale at a slightly awkward time, given that luxury car taxes aimed directly at its target customers were introduced on Budget Day. Yet, the tax hike hasn't deterred customers who have kicked the cars' tyres, according to Claudius Steinhoff, president & CEO of Daimler South East Asia.

"We will monitor this very closely, but so far we are not concerned," he told The Business Times. "We are rather very encouraged by the super high interest we have seen from our customers and prospects after the launch of the two Maybach models."

The enormous GLS 600, the brand's first sport utility vehicle (SUV), has reclining rear seats, a fridge with room for 3 bottles of bubbly and running boards that pop out to let passengers climb aboard or step out with grace. It starts at S$894,888 (including certificate of entitlement), but various equipment packs that include Maybach's signature two-tone paint scheme take the price to S$971,888 and up.

Maybach's refined versions of Mercedes' long wheelbase S-Class take a more traditional approach to luxury. The S 580L and S 680L are limousines stretched by 18 centimetres to give occupants enough room to lean back and stretch out. The rear doors move electrically, while massage chairs and special fragrances unique to Maybach create a soothing ride. They're yours from S$879,888 for the S 580L, or S$1,085,888 and up for the S 680L, which is powered by what could be Mercedes' final 12-cylinder engine.

The Maybach label is a nod to Wilhelm Maybach, a renowned engineer who worked for the founder of the company now known as Mercedes-Benz.

"He was Gottlieb Daimler's wingman," Steinhoff said.

Yet, Maybach failed to establish itself at the peak of the luxury car world after launching 2 limousines in 2002. Aimed squarely at Rolls-Royce, they never reached the sales volume needed to justify their development cost.

This time around, the brand leans more heavily on its parent company's technology. Recast as Mercedes-Maybach instead of a standalone label, the division prices its cars at a lower rung than before.

"We have two fantastic products which are very clearly differentiated from the normal Mercedes-Benz models, but on the other hand they also have all the latest technology we are offering on our Mercedes-Benz cars," Steinhoff told BT. "On top of that, you have the outstanding quality and the exclusiveness that comes with Mercedes-Maybach."

Ultra-premium brands enjoyed record sales in Singapore last year, in line with a global post-pandemic luxury boom. Budget Day tax hike notwithstanding, it might be that the market has come to Mercedes-Maybach as much as the other way round.