2018 Mercedes-Maybach S560 4Matic

The Mercedes-Maybach S560 4Matic ultra-luxury sedan is for the affluent buyer who prefers understated elegance to unadulterated ostentation. Whereas the Bentley Flying Spur and the Rolls-Royce Ghost are both equal parts opulent indulgences and style statements, the Maybach pairs its lavish innards with bodywork similar to that of the shorter and more demure Mercedes-Benz S-class.

Like its lesser S-class brethren, the Maybach has undergone an extensive refresh for 2018. All S-class sedans receive new fascias along with LED headlights and taillamps that better align the car’s looks with those of newer Mercedes products. On the Maybach, fresh details include a small Maybach badge housed within the redesigned grille and a Maybach-specific front bumper that includes chrome-outlined lower air intakes.

Even so, the Mercedes-Maybach’s most notable exterior features remain its elongated greenhouse and rear doors. Both are the result of the Maybach’s stretched wheelbase, which, at 132.5 inches, is 7.9 inches longer than that of its Benz counterpart.

Back-Seat Story

The extra length directly benefits rear-seat passengers, as legroom increases from 34.1 inches in the Benz to an even 40.0 inches in the Maybach. The sumptuous rear compartment includes four-way power-adjustable outboard seats with heating and cooling functions, power-operated leg rests, and a built-in massage feature. Those in search of additional splendor can drop $1950 to have the rear bench replaced with a pair of individual seats and a full-length center console with folding tray tables. A refrigerated box in the rear adds another $1100 to the bill, while hand-crafted silver champagne flutes will set customers back $3200. Entertainment screens attached to the front seatbacks are standard and offer rear passengers their own set of infotainment controls as well as individual sets of wireless headphones.

Although the Maybach’s accommodating rear quarters are its proverbial heart and soul, the car is no less enjoyable from the comfort of its 12-way power-adjustable front seats, both of which can heat, cool, and massage those settled in their cozy confines.

As in all S-class models, the Maybach’s dashboard is marked by a pair of 12.3-inch screens. The one mounted directly in front of the driver serves as the instrument cluster but also is able to display other pertinent vehicle information such as the feed from the standard front-mounted infrared night-vision camera. The second screen sits in the center of the dash and covers all infotainment functions. Unlike last year’s model, both screens now rest under a single piece of glass for a sleeker look.

A center-console-mounted rotary knob with a touchpad above it remain the primary means for users to interact with the central screen. Alternately, the driver can interface with both screens by way of touch-sensitive pads located on the reshaped three-spoke steering wheel. The right pad works the center screen, while the left one manages the instrument cluster. The infotainment system also accepts voice commands.

Cruisin’

In place of the previous steering-column-mounted cruise-control stalk, the 2018 S-class moves all cruise-control functions to the steering wheel. Engaging the adaptive cruise-control system reveals myriad changes, including a greater use of navigation data, which allows the Maybach to automatically adjust its speed in preparation for upcoming turns.

We found the semi-autonomous functions to be a few steps short of perfection, with the Maybach slowing down too drastically for turns. Furthermore, the active-steering system had a tendency to ping-pong the car back and forth across the lane on all but the straightest of roads. We did appreciate the upgraded lane-change-assist system, which now allows the Maybach to automatically change lanes with a simple tap of the turn-signal stalk.

Turn off the self-driving features, though, and the Maybach drives with the stoic confidence synonymous with the three-pointed star. As before, the steering is perfectly tuned to the intended mission: it’s light and creamy at low speeds, but quickly and seamlessly adds weight and feedback as speeds climb. Likewise, the cushy air-spring suspension delivers first-class refinement over road imperfections while avoiding excessive body roll through turns or pronounced dive during heavy braking.

Rolling on a set of staggered, 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 Run Flat summer tires, the 5143-pound S560 4Matic circled our skidpad with a Mazda Miata–besting 0.91 g of grip. It also managed to stop from 70 mph in a fade-free 163 feet, and its firm and reassuring brake pedal would feel at home in a sports car.

Armed with a new 463-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine in place of last year’s 449-hp twin-turbo 4.7-liter, the Maybach chalked up modest acceleration gains. It stormed to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 13.1 seconds at 110 mph, whereas a 2017 Mercedes-Maybach S550 4Matic we tested needed 5.0 seconds to hit 60 mph and 13.5 seconds to cross the quarter-mile at 109 mph.

Like the prior engine, the new twin-turbo V-8 is devoid of any noticeable lag, while the standard 4Matic all-wheel-drive system applies torque to each wheel with the finesse of Lionel Messi dribbling a soccer ball. Meanwhile, the nine-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters is utterly unobtrusive, and its quick reactions to accelerator inputs helped send our Selenite Grey test car from 30 to 50 mph in 2.7 seconds and from 50 to 70 mph in 3.5 seconds. Both figures bettered those of the previous model by 0.2 second.

All the Money in the World

Opting for the additional space and splendor of the Mercedes-Maybach S560 4Matic requires a minimum of $169,595, or $65,700 more than Mercedes charges for a mechanically similar—but slightly less opulent—Mercedes-Benz S560 4Matic. Thanks to $5000 worth of 20-inch wheels and $1000 in beige and blue Designo leather, our Maybach wore an as-tested price of $175,595, which is still $16,130 less than an entry-level, eight-cylinder Flying Spur (and $138,805 less than the 12-cylinder Ghost).

Although the Maybach’s familiar styling may not garner the same attention as its British competition, the massive Mercedes provides a similarly cosseting cabin as those found in the pricier Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Be sure to find a good chauffeur, though, because if you’re not going to ride in the Maybach’s opulent rear seat, you may want to stick with the smaller and less-expensive Mercedes-Benz S560 4Matic.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $175,595 (base price: $169,595)

ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 243 cu in, 3982 cc
Power: 463 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 516 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 132.5 in
Length: 215.0 in
Width: 74.8 in Height: 59.0 in
Passenger volume: 113 cu ft
Trunk volume: 12 cu ft
Curb weight: 5143 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 10.9 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 18.8 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.5 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.7 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.1 sec @ 110 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Top speed (governor limited): 131 mph
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.91 g
*stability-control-inhibited

C/D FUEL ECONOMY:
Observed: 18 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY:
Combined/city/highway: 19/16/25 mpg