LA show: Mercedes-Maybach outs S650 Cab

THE covers have come off Mercedes-Maybach’s ultra-exclusive S650 Cabriolet ahead of its Los Angeles motor show debut and a handful of the ultra-exclusive drop-tops will end up in the garages of Australia’s elite.

Just 300 examples of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class-based S650 will be built for global consumption and the German car-maker’s Australian arm said in a statement that it expects the local allocation “to not exceed 10 vehicles”.

Benz says it will carry a net pricetag of €300,000 ($A426,656) in Europe, and while pricing has not been confirmed yet for Australia, it is expected to be more expensive than the flagship S65 drop-top that should start from about $520,000.

The S650 will have few rivals, but the likes of the Rolls-Royce Dawn, Bentley Continental GT Convertible and potentially the BMW 6 Series Convertible are all contenders in the ultra-luxury big convertible market.

While maintaining the design of the S-Class Cabriolet on which it is based, the Maybach adds a number of unique flourishes and features to differentiate it from the Benz-badged version.

Changes over the donor car include a new front bumper with a fresh lower section, more chrome highlights, Maybach badges and 20-inch Maybach forged wheels with a bichromatic finish.

The car-maker says that the S650 brings some of the ideas shown on the striking Concept S-Class Coupe from the 2013 Frankfurt motor show, including the waterfall-like upholstery on the hand-crafted seats in the fully leather-trimmed interior.

The S650 Cabriolet is offered with nine colour concepts over and above the S-Class for more personalisation opportunities, while Designo nut brown magnolia is an exclusive interior hue for the drop-top.

A unique fine-wood trim element for the soft-top compartment includes the Maybach logo and can be optioned with flowing lines, which Mercedes says creates a unique yacht ambience inspired by the Mercedes-Benz Style Arrow 460-Granturismo yacht.

More Maybach logos can be found on the steering wheel, embroidered on the front of the seats and embossed in the head restraints.

Chrome-plated lettering showing the build number features on the cupholder and the S650 is offered with deep-pile floor mats.

Gear that is available as an option on the Benz S-Class Cabriolet, such as Aircap, Airscarf and Swarovski headlights, are standard fare in the Maybach.

A Maybach luggage set – including two large travel bags and two “lifestyle” bags are included and are cut from the same hide as the vehicle’s upholstery.

The shape and colour of the bags are determined by the choice of colour in the interior and they also include 1 of 300 lettering to remind owners just how exclusive their luggage is.

An exclusive car cover, made from high-quality fabric in the same colour as the soft-top with diamond quilting and an embroidered Maybach logo is offered with the S650, as is a welcome pack with a Nappa leather keyring in the same colour as the interior and a certificate signed by Daimler chairman and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Dieter Zetsche.

As expected, the S650 is powered by the 463kW/1000Nm 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine, also found in the brutal AMG S65 version.

And as GoAuto predicted, the big Maybach drinks 12.0 litres of petrol per 100km on the combined cycle and can race from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds on to a 250km/h top speed.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic transmission, and the S650 also comes with Airmatic suspension with a variable damping control.

The S650 follows the striking 6 coupe concept that was revealed in August, a six-metre long electric cruiser with a 500km electric driving range.

In Australia, Mercedes sells the Maybach S600 sedan for $448,325.