Every seat is heated, ventilated and equipped with massage functionality. The cupholders can be heated and cooled. It even has a signature fragrance, a mix of white osmanthus blossom, leather and spicy tea. And if you’re willing to upgrade, a refrigerated compartment with accompanying champagne flutes can certainly be added.
Those are just a few of the posh features you’ll find in the upcoming Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC, the first-ever SUV offered by the luxury German sub-brand. While the rolling lounge was announced a year ago, we just got word on the price; according to CNET, it’s now the most expensive car made in America.
That superlative doesn’t tell the entire story, however. Yes, the SUV starts at an eye-watering $160,500, but that’s actually less expensive than the classic Mercedes-Maybach sedans, which currently start at $173,000. Additionally, those cars are made in Germany, while the GLS 600 will be produced in the automaker’s Alabama factory alongside traditional Mercedes-Benz vehicles like the GLS, GLE and GLE Coupe SUVs, and the C-Class Sedan.
As we said, no luxury brand is safe from the popularity of the almighty SUV in the U.S., and by pricing the GLS 600 at $160K, Mercedes-Maybach is putting it in competition with other high-end models. The new Bentley Bentayga starts in the $180K range, the Aston Martin DBX around $177K and the Lamborghini Urus at $218K.
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There is one thing to note about the Maybach offering. While the advent of the Hummer around the turn of the century showed us that just about anything can be a grocery getter, the GLS 600, despite being a made-for-Americans SUV, is decidedly not. A five-seat configuration is available, but the standard setup is four seats, and the two in the back recline. As Car and Driver rightly stated, this is “chauffeur-ready.”
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is set to hit dealerships later this year.
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