Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 - official!

And there's a huge V12 underneath that bonnet, right? Not exactly...

If ever a concept car could sum up Monterey car week, this Vision 6 Mercedes-Maybach could well be it. Just look at it! 5.7 metres long, 2.1 metres wide and just 1.3 metres tall, it appears the 21st century version of a car the very, very bad guys would drive in an old gangster movie.

You thought the outside was bold...

Which is the look Mercedes was going for, sort of. Officially described as "a reinterpretation of classic, aesthetic principles", specifically the "aero coupes of days gone by", it really is like nothing else we've seen recently. It could be argued the Maybach should be more about the super luxury vehicles rather than tarting up S-Classes, so hopefully this points to a more distinctive direction for the brand.

The shape serves a purpose too, the airflow apparently uninterrupted across nearly the whole body and no aero addenda required for downforce. There remain familiar Merc design cues as well, namely the front grille - "inspired by a pinstripe suit", no less - the rear lights with a hint of S-Class coupe too them and 24-inch (!) wheels drawing on the design of last year's IAA concept. Plus, finally, there are gullwing doors, because what's a special Mercedes without those?

There is more to mention with the design - look at those flashes of chrome that run the whole length of the car - but there other highlights as well. The Vision 6 concept is an EV, powered by an 80kWh battery and driving through four permanent magnet synchronous motors. Power is rated at 750hp, meaning 0-62mph in less than four seconds. Using the NEDC cycle, Mercedes is also claiming it's capable of more than 300 miles on a charge. On top of that, a quick charge facility (allowing a charging capacity of up to 350kW) opens up the possibility of 62 miles of additional range in just five minutes. There's even talk of wireless charging...

Yes, they are 24-inch wheels

The interior of the Vision 6 concept is described as a "fusion of analogue and digital experience", so there are conventional displays ahead of the steering wheel (and what a delightfully traditional wheel it is too) but also digital information incorporated into the glass panel that swoops around the dash. There's elm wood and rose gold on the one hand, then 'body sensor displays' in the seats that monitor your vital functions and adapt the comfort features to suit on the other. Which sounds pretty cool. Or hot, depending on the situation. Furthermore, the EV powertrain not only frees up the front end for a tailored luggage set, it also means the transmission tunnel can now be used to show passengers the flow of electricity through the car.

Naturally there's no word on the production viability of the Maybach Vision 6 yet. While Mercedes has a reputation for showing near-production cars on big wheels as 'concepts' (see Concept S-Class Coupe and Concept SUV), the Vision part of this car's name suggests it's a way off yet. Still, if enough wealthy Monterey-goers want it built then they have to, don't they?

Watch the video here