Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet conquers land, sky, good taste
You couldn't arrive in a flashier fashion if you came in riding a meteor.
Apparently, at least one person on this planet said, "I would like the most comfortable seats of any car sandwiched into one of the least comfortable vehicles on the planet." That person is going to love the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet.
The G650 Landaulet is a mixture of a G500 4x4^2, a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, a real limousine and, for some reason, a convertible. It starts with a ridiculously capable chassis, adds a set of luxurious S-Class rear seats, then puts the whole rear section of the vehicle underneath an electric fabric top. There's also a glass partition that separates the two rows of seating.
I'm sure Arnold Schwarzenegger already ordered five.
It has almost a foot and a half of ground clearance. The rear seats have a massage function and can be reclined all the way back. A giant center console with hidden folding tables can heat or cool cups in the cup holder. An entertainment system offers two 10-inch, high-resolution displays. And, again, there's that freaking roof.
In case you're unfamiliar with the term, a landaulet refers to a car with a folding hood over the rear seats.
Power comes from a 6.0-liter V12. It produces a wholly unnecessary 630 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. And since it's based on the G500 4x4^2, it'll cover just about any terrain possible, thanks to portal axles, locking differentials and a transfer case with a low range. Whether any of these vehicles will actually touch the dirt (outside of any media drives, of course) remains to be seen.
Then again, you're probably never going to see one of these. Only 99 examples will be built, and while the price has not been mentioned, it wouldn't be surprising to see a starting price pushing toward $300,000. It'll receive its official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
