Mercedes Scraps Peculiar Maybach SUV Sedan

Costly Development Halt on Unusual Vehicle Form

Revealed in 2018, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury has been discontinued. According to German business newspaper Handelsblatt, the high-end car manufacturer has decided to cancel their plans for a vehicle that would have been a blend of a sedan and an SUV. The initial concept aimed to cater to the growing demand in China by fusing the two most sought-after body types and introducing a new category called Sport Utility Sedan (SUS). As the hipsters would say these days, the idea did seem a bit suspect…

According to reports from three undisclosed sources in Handelsblatt, the project has either been scrapped or postponed indefinitely. This decision was made several months ago, indicating that the planned release of the car in China by 2025 will not be happening. Originally, it was intended for the vehicle to be manufactured solely in Beijing on the EVA2 platform, which is also used for the EQE and EQE SUV as well as the EQS and EQS SUV.

Mercedes has released a statement to the German paper, acknowledging that the development of the SUS is currently on hold due to the car’s intricate and costly construction. According to the company, there is no need for further electric cars in China as they already have a wide range of models available to cater to all significant market segments. The statement reads, “To simplify our operations, we have made the decision to temporarily halt the production of a China-specific vehicle based on the EVA2 platform.”

Do you recall the (sighs) Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury? It was a futuristic design powered by electricity and boasted impressive features such as 24-inch wheels resembling turbines,and a split-opening front trunk. The vehicle utilized all-wheel drive, with an impressive 738 horsepower generated by four motors connected to an underfloor battery pack that had a capacity of approximately 80 kilowatt-hours.

According to Mercedes, the vehicle boasts a range of over 200 miles based on EPA standards or more than 500 kilometers according to the overly optimistic NEDC test. The battery also allows for rapid charging at 350 kilowatts, meaning that a mere five minutes is all it takes to recharge enough to go another 62 miles. And when pushed to its limits, this unique combination of an SUV and sedan can reach a top speed of 155 mph, electronically limited.

According to Mercedes chief designer Gorden Wagener, the China-centric concept was designed to be “a totally new archetype of a kind never seen before,” with the unconventional shape being modeled after the S-Class. The car was notably spacious, measuring 207 inches (5,260 millimeters) in length, 83 inches (2,110 mm) in width, and 69 inches (1,764 mm) in height. Five years ago, the individual responsible for its aesthetic stated that:

There have been other Maybach-branded concept cars that will not be put into production, in addition to the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach 6 and the 2017 Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet. However, this doesn’t mean that Mercedes is hesitant to grow its sub-brand. The luxury automaker is currently working on a Maybach SL model to join the high-end S-Class Sedan, GLS, and EQS SUV.

In addition, the upcoming Mythos collection of exclusive cars that surpass Maybach in terms of luxury will make its debut in 2025, featuring a speedster model based on the SL.

Source: Handelsblatt