cars news 10: 2017 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet Officially Debuts

Another G-Wagen stunner from Stuttgart has officially arrived. The 2017 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet has been unveiled ahead of its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show and after breaking cover last week in a leaked video.

The open-air off-roader follows the dramatic debut of the Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet last fall and is the first off-roader — and second royal ragtop — from the swanky sub-brand.

A limited run of only 99 G650 Landaulets will be built and are expected to reach affluent owners by the fall. Since 2015, over 15,000 Mercedes-Maybachs have been made.

Under the hood, the Maybach G-Wagen gets a Mercedes-AMG V-12 twin-turbo engine that delivers 630 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.

“With the Mercedes-Maybach G Class Landaulet, we are now extending the Mercedes-Maybach portfolio to include the world’s most iconic and prestigious off-roader,” Dr. Jens Thiemer, Mercedes-Benz marketing head said in a statement.

“With the fifth model after the S Class Saloon, Pullman and Cabriolet as well as the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 show car, we are underlining the importance of the Mercedes-Maybach sub-brand for the Mercedes brand family.”

Outside, the G650 gets plenty of chrome, including the radiator grille and front and rear underside guards. Wheel-arch flares are tastefully treated in carbon fiber and the spare wheel is mounted around back on the right side of the four-seater. With half the rear end chopped off, the third brake light has to hover above the spare tire.

Mercedes states that the wheelbase is 135 inches long, while the overall length is 210.4 inches and height is 88 inches. The all-terrain vehicle rolls on 22-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels and features an electric fabric top and portal axles similar to the ones found on the AMG G63 6×6 and G500 4×4².

Mercedes says the portal axles provide a ground clearance of nearly 18 inches. The Landaulet also features 100-percent differential locks, which can be engaged while moving.

Inside, the driver and front passenger get a hardtop while rear passengers can go topless at the push of a button. There’s also an electric glass partition that separates the front and rear sections of the vehicle similar to ones you would find in a limousine. The glass can be changed from transparent to opaque as well.

Thanks to the extended-by-22.75-inches wheelbase, the rear seats can be set to a fully reclined position. Rear passengers also get a business console with thermal cup holders between the individual seats.

Massaging seats all around get two-tone designo upholstery with diamond stitching and are available in four trim colors. There are three matching colors for the fabric top, and four designo paint options.

Source: Mercedes-Benz