Mercedes-Maybach is about to get its first SUV, though the model isn’t based on the GLS as had been expected but rather the legendary G-Class.
The mystery G-Class initially thought to be a Mercedes-AMG pickup has turned out to be a new open-top model for the growing Maybach family. A teaser shot released yesterday provided a glimpse but new video from automailru reveals the vehicle in full and confirms it’s a Maybach.
The vehicle is called a G650 Landaulet and is due for its world debut next month at the 2017 Geneva auto show. A Landaulet is typically a sedan where part of the roof can be folded away to provide an open-air experience for those riding in the back. Some readers will recall that Maybach, back when it was a standalone brand, unveiled a Landaulet version of its 62 sedan.
The open-top option is currently unique to the G650 Landaulet, though there have been similar open-top versions of the G-Class before. The G650 Landaulet also features the running gear of the G500 4×4², complete with pumped fenders and high-riding portal axles.
No specs have been released but we know power comes from Mercedes’ familiar twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12, rated here at 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers match what the engine delivers in the G65 from AMG.
Pricing also hasn’t been released but will almost certainly exceed the $225,925 starting price of the G500 4×4², the most expensive G-Class currently on offer.
With a redesigned G-Class just around the corner, the G650 Landaulet likely serves as a final salute to the original icon which has been with us—in civilian form—since 1979.
The Geneva auto show starts March 7. For more coverage, head to our dedicated hub.
