New Mercedez-Maybach S600 speeds up growth

Interest in the new the Mercedes-Maybach S600, with a local price tag of 294 million won ($262,000), is heating up among corporate executives.

According to Mercedes-Benz Korea, the sub-brand of its premium product line S-Class neared its yearly target of 200 units in June, just three months since its April launch.

“We introduced the two trims of S-Class cars with Maybach badges -- the Mercedes-Maybach S500 and S600. The combined sales of the two models reached 192 units by the end of June, and about 150 customers are waiting for the delivery of their dream car,” a company official said.

China has led global sales of the renewed Maybach for the past year since the premium automobile brand was relaunched under the Daimler group in 2014. Now, Korea is adding fuel to its growth.

The success of the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach cars had been expected, based on the prestigious image of the Maybach brand.

For many Koreans, Maybach has known for its nickname as the “chairman’s car” since Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, the nation’s richest man, favored the brand.

The Mercedes-Maybach S600, armed with “ultimate” luxury and exclusivity, has never disappointed ultraluxury car brand buyers.

The car boasts a longer exterior than other long-wheelbase S-Class cars, with a wheelbase that reaches 3.365 meters.

Despite the longer cabin, the Maybach’s rear doors are actually shorter than on the S-Class, because the triangular vent window in the trailing edge of the S-Class’s rear door is part of the C pillar on the Maybach. As a result, the rear seats are situated beyond the door cutout, which creates a feeling of privacy and exclusivity.

The same strengths are applied to the car’s interior, which is designed to offer passengers the comfort of a first-class flight cabin.

The car is designed to be chauffeur-driven, so the real sense of spaciousness is found in the rear.

Like an aircraft seat, the center console is available with two tables that can be easily folded in or out with one hand.

For the rear-seat passenger, the “chauffeur” package also includes a footrest, which extends from under the front passenger seat. This allows a reclined position that sets new standards in the automotive sector with respect to sleeping and resting comfort.

For safety, like the S-Class vehicles, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class cars offer numerous new assistance systems, including intelligent drive systems.

In terms of driving performance, the bulky luxury cars are at the top of their class as well. Powered by the familiar 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12 engine, the reborn Maybach reaches 523 horsepower.

(jyseo@heraldcorp.com)