Maybach is adding a fourth variant to its line-up in the shape of the newly developed 62 S model.
With "S" standing for "Special", the result is what Maybach calls "a new dimension in travelling comfort, particularly for the passengers in the generously proportioned rear compartment of the new high-end luxury saloon."
And it's quicker too, thanks to a boosted power output. The V12 six-litre engine now develops 612bhp, up from the 62's piffling 550bhp by virtue of a twin turbocharger and a water-type intercooler. The maximum torque of 737lb-ft (electronically limited) is available between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, powering it from zero to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph. The exclusivity of the powerplant is underlined by a model plate on the cover bearing the signature of the Mercedes-AMG technician who assembled it by hand.
The Maybach 62 S is primarily designed to be chauffeur-driven and meets the very highest of standards in terms of spaciousness, smoothness, comfort and dynamism.
Distinguishing features from the 62 model include a modified front end with a redesigned radiator grille as well as new 20-inch wheels and a modified light-cluster design. Like the 57 S model, the new Maybach 62 S has single-tone paintwork in black or silver, both of which are available exclusively for the "S" models. Discreet "62 S" lettering adorns the front wings beneath the A pillars and the boot lid.
Inside, co-ordinated applications of piano lacquer and sporty carbon or anthracite poplar are designed to create an elegant atmosphere both in the rear compartment and in the driver's direct field of vision. Newly designed, high-grade leather upholstery tastefully accentuates this overall impression.
In contrast to the sportier configuration of the 57 S, which features a stiffer and lower chassis, the Maybach engineers have retained the full spring travel for the 62 S in order to achieve an outstanding level of ride comfort.
Maybach said that the 62 S "sets new standards at the high end of the passenger car market and also continues the tradition of the legendary Maybach saloons which represented the elite in German and international carmaking circles in the 1920s and 1930s."
The Maybach 62 S will retail for an astonishing £341,585 and will celebrate its world premiere at the "Auto China 2006" international motor show in Beijing.