Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet - new pics!

G-Class growing (really) old disgracefully with portal-axled V12 drop top. Obviously

Rather like a tyrannical dictator throwing extravagant state parties in their last few months, the world is most certainly going to know all about the current Mercedes G-Class's departure from this world. Whether they want to know or not.

And what's the best way to celebrate? Bring everything possible to the party, of course. Everything. So not only is this a Maybach G-Class, and not only is it a V12 G-Class, it's also a squared G-Class. And a cabriolet. What, you expected a bashful and reserved farewell?

The result is the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet, which sounds like the recipe for universal and everlasting oligarch contentment. What more could you need? The car had been teased on Mercedes' Facebook page, before a couple of leaked images emerged on a Russian automotive Instagram account (told you), and now we have some official pics. It's really quite a spectacular thing, the combination of discrete G-Class elements in one car certainly not lacking presence. Note the 450mm raised ground clearance familiar from other squared models but then also the V12 badges, the Maybach badges and, oh yes, the rather incongruous electrically operated roof. With a spare wheel hanging off the back. If you need to off-road but don't want to compromise...

Given this is the first Maybach Landaulet since the 62 of 2007, the interior is quite spectacular. The fully reclinable rear seats from the S-Class offer private jet levels of comfort and spaciousness. A large central business console with thermal cup holders can cool or heat your cups dependant on whether coffee or champagne is your tipple of choice. For the full chauffeur experience the glass partition can be changed from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button and those comfy recliners can offer a hot-stone massage, or at least something like a hot-stone massage.

Power and torque for the G650 sit at 630hp and 737lb ft respectively, with a top speed of 144mph (in a G-Wagen!) and 397g/km of CO2 belched out. As for a price, it will surely be in the many hundreds of thousands. Only 99 will be built and none of them will be (apparently) coming to the UK.