Maybach may multiply

MERCEDES-BENZ’S latest luxury foray may spawn a whole family of ultra-high-end models if the Mercedes-Maybach finds an audience.

Bound for Australian Benz dealerships in the last quarter of next year, the S-Class-based Maybach S 600 will be a litmus test for a slew of other variants spun off from the present W222 series home architecture, including a Coupe, Convertible, and uber-opulent three-row Pullman that – if the whispers turn out to be true – will be built by Mercedes’ long-time high-performance tuning arm Brabus.

According to one Mercedes-Benz insider, the German luxury marque might even use the platform and under-structure elements from the smaller E-Class/CLS models due in 2016 to take the Mercedes-Maybach brand down from the $600,000 to $800,000 sphere.

Additionally, a variation of the vehicle we currently know as the GL-Class (but soon to be rechristened GLS) is also in the pipeline as an upscale luxury SUV to sit above the Range Rover for wealthy lifestyle-aspiring plutocrats, taking on the upcoming Bentley EXP-9 Concept-derived combatant as well as a (rumoured) Rolls-Royce crossover.

However he added that this may only be for the affluent Chinese market, and that ultimately nothing has been locked in. It is a ‘wait and see’ proposition.

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific has indicated that it will select the Mercedes-Maybach dealers from its existing distribution chain rather than build stand-alone centres.

With only 13 of the previous bespoke Maybach 57 and 62 models sold in Australia during almost a decade from 2003, it is clear the company does not want to over-capitalise on the venture.