Mercedes-Benz has been committed to building many of its vehicles in North America for some time, and has bestowed an important and ultra expensive new version of the GLS upon its plant in Alabama. At around $200,000, it will be the most expensive passenger vehicle produced in the United States. It’s an on-trend holiday gift for your spouse in The Current Year!
Mercedes is currently building its first mass-produced Maybach-branded SUV (that G-Wagen doesn’t count), and wants a supply on dealer lots for the holiday shopping season. A pinnacle trim on the GLS, it transforms the luxurious family SUV into an ultra-luxurious family SUV and supplements its Mercedes badges with Maybach ones. This is a key difference to the pure Maybach models of the early and mid-2000s, as those sedans were not considered Mercedes models, and did not wear any Mercedes badging. With this new Maybach trim, Mercedes is aiming a little lower while still aiming out of reach of most consumers. Think CEO instead of sheik.
The plant assigned to build the new GLS is Mercedes’ Vance, Alabama facility, which presently builds both versions of the GLE and the standard GLS. The Maybach GLS has technically been in production since September but experienced some delays to market earlier in the year as the plant shut down entirely due to COVID-19.
Base price on the GLS Maybach is $161,550, but the one you want with all the options ends up just shy of $200,000. As you’d expect, there’s special paint, an interior of heightened vulgarity, and more impracticality for which you will pay extra. Buyers can order the third row of seats removed, and have the space instead function as a partition between the second-row captain’s chairs and a reduced cargo area. Wheels and grilles with hundreds of spokes and a two-tone paint job are also present. A 4.0-liter biturbo engine is standard, which makes 550 horsepower and rockets the GLS to 60 in 4.8 seconds.
It’s speeding to your local Mercedes-Benz showroom in December, so plan your finance accordingly.
[Images: Mercedes-Benz]
I dont care for the color on the outside but love the interior. At that price even if I were worth north of 50 billion I cant see spending that much on an automobile. (says the guy that would spend 3 mill on a boat)
Interior looks amazing… it is sort of a train wreck on the outside. Money can’t buy good taste. Exhibit A: This Mercedes Maybach GLS, not sure if they are all that homely.
” … an interior of heightened vulgarity, and more impracticality for which you will pay extra …” LOL!! I presume the author is not a fan
of MB product? I’m wondering if the purchase price includes a dedicated
mechanic.
Incorrect, see the post below this one!
I would argue the Merc/Maybach GLS is a bulbous Mercedes pretender to the Mercedes 560SEC.
Touche!
No wonder the West is about to be won. By non-Westerners…..
Hey, I think I have those rear seats in my van.
I parked next to a Bentayga several months back with this exact paint job. The black cherry fade is stunning in real life. I would guess that is the target of this Merc
Chrysler (Durango) Imperial more than ever. Hellcat and reclining leather seats in back. It’d sell.
From that 560. To this “thing”……. And in just one generation…..
Who is stealing from whom, Mercedes or Lincoln?
Where are the strippers hidden when not in use?
It will be a bargain as a used car in five years or so. Mercedes is betting that somehow those smart enough to amass large amounts of money are stupid enough to spend it on something like this.*
Those even stupider will finance it in order to show how successful they are(‘nt).
*Or lucky enough to inherit it, or pretty enough to talk Sugar Daddy into buying the SUV for her.
Will we be getting that version with a trunk as well?
I think it was called the Mercedes Maybach “Ultimate Luxury.”
One can be assured that those who can afford one of these chariots gives not one damn what any of you under-asseted losers think about it.
Of course, those who can afford a new Rolls Royce Ghost look down on this thing as the tinny cheap and vulgar crossover for the nouveau riche that it undubitably is.
You do British condescension so well!
Sounds like good ol’ American 1%er snobbery to me ;-)
If they don’t offer that interior in magenta crushed velour fabric it would be such a shame.