2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS Maybach 4.0L V8 9AT AWD (558 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Mercedes-Benz didn’t want to waste the Maybach nameplate, and instead of using it for a separate brand, it morphed it into a super-luxurious trim level for selected vehicles, such as the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 600 4Matic.

In a world of super luxurious SUVs, there were just two main contenders: the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, had the reputation of creating one of the most elegant premium SUVs, the GLS. As a result, it took this model as a starting point and then added all the bells and whistles it had in its basket, resulting in the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4Matic. And when it finished the stocks, it developed and added more items to create an SUV that was on par with the other super-luxurious British-branded vehicles.

Any super-luxurious vehicle had to look bold and commanding on the road, and the German automaker tried to achieve that by creating a new front fascia for the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4Matic. The broad grille was adorned by 29 vertical slats flanked by Intelligent Light System LED headlights, which were fitted as standard. In addition, the bumper sported a mesh grille for the wide lower air intake.

From its profile, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS revealed its massive stature emphasized by an optional two-tone paint finish, which customers could personalize according to their tastes. The chromed details on the B-pillars and window surrounding amplified the car’s luxurious status. Mercedes-Benz included the 22” light-alloy wheels in the standard package, while a set of 23” alloys was available at extra cost. On the D-pillar, behind the rearmost side windows, the automaker placed the chromed Maybach logo.

But the most significant upgrade over the regular Mercedes-Benz GLS 600 was inside the cabin. The exclusive leather applied on the dashboard, door, cards, center console, seats, and steering wheel created a luxurious feeling for the brand’s customers. Atop the dashboard was a two-display panel, with the one fronting the driver for the instrument cluster and the additional one for the MBUX infotainment unit. Both of them were standard and were sized at 2×12.3”. But the most essential upgrade was for the rear seats.

While the regular GLS range featured a bench seat, the Maybach version greeted its passengers with reclining individual seats with heating, ventilation, and massaging functions. Furthermore, it wasn’t available with a third-row out back. To ease ingress and egress to the vehicle, the automaker installed power-retractable running boards, which were 2.06 meters (6.8 ft) long and up to 21 cm (0.7 ft) wide.

Under the hood, the automaker installed a 4.0-liter V8 turbocharged powerplant, helped by an integrated starter generator (ISG) unit that added some torque and power for smooth transitions. Power was sent in all corners via a specially-tuned 9G-Tronic, nine-speed automatic transmission.