According to its makers, the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 is the car that lays to rest the ghost of the failed stand-alone Maybach project and arrives as the most luxurious, comprehensively equipped and refined S-Class ever.
For all the qualities of the standard S-Class, though, it needs to be as good as they claim in order to persuade buyers to forgo the likes of the Bentley Flying Spur and Rolls-Royce Ghost.
As such, it has been substantially re-engineered and is longer, taller and more spacious than even the long-wheelbase S-Class, gaining 207mm in length (allowing 159mm more knee-room) and 2mm in height. Despite that modest latter figure, headroom increases by 12mm thanks to the way the new layout plays out. The cabin can also be trimmed in a wide variety of leathers, woods, roofliners and stitch arrangements, and all without pushing up the list price.
The list of luxuries is long and - inevitably - focused on enhancing passenger comfort while the chauffeur (who is one of the few items not available as standard but will almost inevitably be installed post-delivery) focuses on getting from A to B.
The standard equipment list includes a chrome twin exhaust system, LED headlights, a sliding panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and go, run-flat tyres, tinted rear windows and a 360-degree camera sytem on the outside.
Inside there is velour floor mats, Mercedes' Air Balance fragance system, ventilated front and rear seats, electric sunblinds, electrically adjustable and massaging seats, a glass cabinet, four-zone climate control, reclining rear seats, and heated armrests and steering wheel.
On the entertainment front there is Mercedes-Benz 12.3in Comand infotainment system complete with sat nav, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, DAB radio, Wi-fi hotspot and a TV tuner, alongside a rear entertainment package which includes 10in screens, a DVD player and wireless headphones.
There is also the so-called First Class Cabin option. Other than more opulent paint colours, this is the only other cost option available, at £7200, and swaps the three-seat rear bench for two individual seats, which can recline to 43.5deg. Alongside these seats is a central armrest with inset tables, temperature-controlled cupholders, silver-plated champagne flutes and a refrigerated compartment.
