Latest news with #MaybachSL
Top Gear
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Mercedes-Maybach SL680 review: the most SL of all modern SLs? Reviews 2025
What in the love of monogrammed bonnets is this? It's a very expensive, unique take on one of Mercedes-Benz's most famous models, its SL roadster. Although we should actually say it's a very expensive, unique take on Mercedes-AMG's SL roadster, because until this Mercedes-Maybach SL680 arrived, Merc's more sporting arm has been responsible for the iconic roadster. Think of this Maybach SL more like a Bentley Continental GTC rival, then. Advertisement - Page continues below Maybach is all about the rear seat experience. This Maybach SL does not appear to have... any rear seats. Well. If you dig deep enough into Maybach's long history you'll find roadsters, so here the rear 'seats' of lesser AMG-badged SLs have been vanquished by a Maybach-emblazoned tonneau cover and cowl. Means the pampered lap dogs of the super-wealthy will need to live up to their name and sit on an actual lap, unless some enterprising person comes up with a cushion for that rear shelf behind the softer-bolstered and bottomed Maybach front seats. Looks comfy. Absolutely. Those seats might not recline to dentist-levels of horizontal like those in the back of a Maybach S-Class, but they've been given more, um, give, in a bid to cosset those nestled within them. Indeed, the Maybach SL might be related to the AMG SL 63 underneath all the badges and chrome - and there is so much of both - but the super-luxury division's goal is to be a gentler proposition all-round, while retaining a quiet authority that demands respect. Yeah, we couldn't help notice all the badges and chrome. We're trying to ignore the many double-M emblems on this car - and hoo boy there are loads. The standard 'Monogram Series' example driven here, available in either red or white, seems to highlight the Maybach SL680's changes in the least flattering light. Spending an extra £10k on the Manufaktur exclusive paint in a darker hue for a subtler look is recommended, though that ups the list price to over £250,000. Overall, the chrome detailing looks good in places, and a touch overdone in others. We'll let you decide where (we like the windscreen surround and slatted grille, but think the framing of the lower air intakes and sills is a touch heavy-handed). We're always happy to see a three-pointed star where it should be, sat like a sight at the leading edge of the bonnet, though. Advertisement - Page continues below You certainly don't get that on yer lesser AMG SLs. That new tonneau cover also changes the SL's profile for the better when it's driven as it should be - with the roof down. Any other changes? The front and rear lights have some Maybach-specific detailing within, while the shape of the rear diffuser and exhaust are now more in keeping with other Maybach models. Not just shaped, either, but tuned, with the exhaust being unique to the Maybach, emitting a more dignified tone from its twin outlets. Similarly, the suspension has been tweaked for greater comfort, and there are softer engine mounts, too. All that, along with the Maybach-specific configurable driving modes and a good deal more sound deadening throughout, combines to create a roadster that does live up to its luxury billing. Does '680' mean a mega V12 like its S680 Maybach relation? Sadly not. The days of Mercedes-Benz brilliantly shoehorning V12s into the bonnet of SLs seem to be behind us, even if it's quietly kept a V12 in its line-up. Still, the hope is there's still a customer base for top-of the line, big-ticket SLs, even if it's powered by the same 4.0-litre, 577bhp bi-turbo V8 as its SL63 sibling. Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Edmunds
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Edmunds
2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL First Drive Review: It's a Vibe
For Merc's SL roadster, the Maybach zhuzhing starts with a few design tweaks to the front and rear fascias, plus a smattering of Maybach logos in the lower grille, on the folding soft top and even painted into the multilayer black hood. I've heard the look described as everything from appealing to appalling; it's like a Louis Vuitton purse. For the moment, two colorways are available — Red Ambience and White Ambience — though Maybach will soon expand the SL's palette to include some 50 hues from Mercedes' Manufaktur personalization department. Right now, all you have to choose is whether or not you want those Maybach logos in the black hood, and if you want to stick with the standard multispoke wheels (you don't) or swap 'em out for big, chunky chrome monoblocks (the correct spec). Every Maybach SL, regardless of exterior color, comes with a white interior so crisp and bright it'll make your dentist proud. Do make sure you wipe off your shoes before they touch the plush white carpeting, and maybe don't wear overdyed denim if you're particularly prone to butt sweat on hot days. Unique quilted stitching adorns the seats, which have more padding and support than the standard SL's. Nestled behind you, there's a sculpted panel that goes over the SL's rear seat compartment, creating a nice cubby for your belongings, which will definitely be tossed around should you decide to attack corners with gusto.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Shifting Focus to the Driver: 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Series Driven
For those of us whose splurges tend to be more outlet mall than oceanfront property, it can be hard to imagine a world where the regular old $188K Mercedes-AMG SL63 isn't a posh-enough droptop to demonstrate one's status. It's got an adjustable center screen, massaging seats, and Airscarf vents in the headrests. What else do you need, rose-gold details and a monogrammed hood? According to Mercedes-Maybach, which operates in a realm where the yachts have yachts and it's superfluous to say "private" before "island," the answer is yes, you need those precise things and more. The latest addition to its fleet of floaty, two-tone VIP carriers is the 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL680, which offers everything we didn't realize was missing from the SL63. Namely, monograms. It's a surprising choice to add a two-seat sports-car option to the long wheelbases and reclining rear seats of the current Maybach lineup, which has S-class, EQS, and GLS versions. Maybach is associated with high-end limousine service and chauffeured transport, making the SL an unexpected model in the lineup. Daniel Lescow, head of Mercedes-Maybach, says the decision to add a car more suited for self-driving (in the old-fashioned sense, not the autonomous one) came directly from customer feedback. The interest is there, Lescow says, and Maybach exists to meet the desires of the hoi oligoi. In this case, Maybach soothed the savage beast of the AMG SL with a softened suspension, more sound deadening, and a dialed-back performance tune while amping up the visual impact with two-tone paint schemes and Maybach-specific design elements. The drivetrain remains physically unchanged from the nonhybrid SL63. It's the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 making 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque backed by a nine-speed automatic, all-wheel drive, and four-wheel steering. The drive modes and chassis tune are unique to Maybach, though, offering a plusher ride with less focus on high-speed lateral action and flag-drop finishes. We've previously described the AMG SL cars as having "tough-guy-in-designer-duds styling." The Maybach SL is still well dressed and well muscled, but now it's less prone to losing its temper. While the overall body of the Maybach SL is not radically different from the SL63's, it gets a different personality through a unique front end and Maybach-specific 21-inch forged wheels, in five-hole monoblock or spoked designs. Where the standard SL has a GT-like shark mouth flanked by wide air inlets, the Maybach fills its maw with delicate slats. Below is an open lower fascia that, on closer inspection, is composed of a mesh of interlocking Maybach logos. The Maybach pattern will be a recurring theme around the car. From the fabric top to the optional printed pattern on the hood, experiencing the Maybach SL is a bit like driving away in a high-end handbag. Even tiny details, like the coppery housings over the LED headlights or the chrome badges along the side, leave no opportunity to mistake this SL for anything but a Maybach. While Maybach buyers will obviously have the chance to customize their SL through Mercedes's Manufaktur bespoke services, the debut SLs come in two ready-made Monogram Series specs, White Ambience and Red Ambience, which sound like opposing queens in an Alice in Wonderland adventure. We recommend not offing anyone's heads, however, since the only interior layout includes Crystal White nappa leather and fluffy white carpets. Truly, is there anything that screams "disposable income" more than white floor mats? You'd need a carpet cleaner on retainer. They can live on one of your yachts. Neither of the Monogram paint schemes is a subtle package, but then again, who buys a convertible (and a Maybach, for that matter) to blend in? Inside, Maybach removed the SL's tiny rear seats in favor of a leather-covered package tray. The front seats remain in the same location, so there's no major increase in legroom, but the change makes the interior less cluttered, so we suppose you could claim that it offers some additional mental space. The remaining front seats are softer than in the Mercedes version, with additional padding in the backrest and the bottom cushion. It's noticeable and appreciated, especially on the roads around Ibiza, Spain, where the only thing more popular than a sick beat was a speed bump. Not that too many of those bumps made their way through the retuned suspension of the SL680. Maybach sacrificed some of the road-hugging sharpness of the SL63 in favor of road-absorbing comfort, with a decrease in camber, revalved dampers, softer springs front and rear, and increased cushioning around the suspension mounting points to soak up vibrations before they reach the cabin. Maybach's drive modes are comfort focused as well, with relaxed steering feel and even some luxury lag in throttle input—but only in Maybach mode. In Sport mode, the adaptive dampers tighten up, the steering quickens, and the throttle offers instant response, although Maybach claims that the SL680's Sport mode is still softer than even the Comfort mode in the SL63. These changes—plus the additional weight of the SL680's sound deadening and rose-gold details—should add close to a second to the 3.0-second 60-mph time we got from the SL63. Since this is your island-only car, there are surely plenty of track monsters in your mainland garage. It may be off-brand to admit it, but there were things we liked better about the softened-up SL. In the user-configurable Individual mode, with Sport's responsive throttle and Maybach's relaxed suspension setup, the SL680 swooshed around corners with none of the jitters or sidestepping of its more athletic competitors. It's almost a forgotten pleasure, to go fast without feeling every pavement imperfection drummed up your spinal column. If this is luxury, we like it. Certainly, it's a delight from the right seat, where a harsh ride feels worse when there's no driving task to distract. Passenger princes and princesses will be suggesting the Maybach for all outings. So what's the downside to Maybaching it up? Well, there's the price, which, while not currently available, is likely to be considerably more than the AMG SL63's $188,300. On that note, should Maybach have done more? While we loved the cushioned ride, are a flashy hood and softer springs enough to differentiate the Maybach SL680 from the AMG SL63? In some ways, the buyer gets less for more—no rear seat, less impressive performance numbers, likely a paltry 15-mpg EPA combined fuel-economy rating—and none of the specialty features of the larger Maybach offerings. With no rear seat or extended cabin, there's no place to showcase a reclining lounge seat or a refrigerated wine cooler. The niceties of the Maybach SL are shared with the Mercedes SL. A warming Airscarf from the headrest, massaging seats, a convertible top that can be raised or lowered in 15 seconds, a center touchscreen that can be tilted to avoid glare—all are fabulous conveniences, but none of them are unique to the Maybach. One wonders whether the Maybach buyer might simply opt for the top-of-the-line SL63 S E Performance plug-in hybrid and consider that enough. 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