The flagship Maybach just lost its V12, and almost nobody will notice
The most extensive Maybach S-Class update yet brings MB.OS, a fourth-gen MBUX and a first-ever leather-free cabin. But the real shock is under the hood, where an electrified V8 now matches the old V12.
Mercedes is calling this the most extensive overhaul of the Maybach S-Class in the model's history — and this time, the words match the metal. The flagship sedan gains a new MB.OS digital architecture, a fourth-generation MBUX and a redesigned exterior with a far more expressive lighting signature. The update touches almost everything — from the radiator grille to what's hiding under the hood.
Outside, your eye goes straight to the radiator grille — it's grown 20% larger and now glows along its contour. In select markets, the Maybach emblem on the C-pillar and the Mercedes-Benz star on the hood light up at night. Add to that new forged wheels, an expanded MANUFAKTUR range and the Made to Measure program — with an almost limitless choice of colors, finishes and bespoke touches.
Inside, the focus lands on three things: silence, materials and digital comfort. The new MBUX Superscreen unites the central and passenger displays under a single pane of glass, while rear passengers get two 33.3 cm screens. And here's the surprise nobody saw coming from Maybach: for the first time, the sedan can be ordered entirely without leather. The Stormy Grey option pairs ARTICO man-made leather with Mirville fabric — a blend of linen and recycled polyester.
And here's the real intrigue. The engine lineup has been reworked — and the changes run deeper than they look. In Europe and a number of other markets, the flagship Mercedes-Maybach S 680 has changed what lives under its hood: in place of the familiar V12 sits an eight-cylinder M 177 Evo making 450 kW plus 17 kW from a mild-hybrid system. Mercedes insists the new engine gives away nothing in muscle to the twelve-cylinder. The V12 hasn't been retired for good — it stays on for select markets. The S 580 delivers 395 kW plus 17 kW, while the S 580e plug-in hybrid promises around 100 km on electric power alone.
Earlier, it was reported that Mercedes-Benz had changed the ordering terms for an option on the electric GLC EQ.