The Most Exciting Car Mercedes Showed in Detroit Is a Maybach

It’s the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600, the V12 sedan that pairs Mercedes’ supreme technology with Maybach’s elite exclusivity.

You might think a car of this size—8 inches longer than the already-lengthy S Class—is all about who’s riding in the back. And it does have a lot for the passenger (I’ll get to that in a moment), but Mercedes has made sure this car has plenty to offer the driver, too.

Start with the 5.9-liter V12 engine. It gets 523 horsepower and 612 pounds-feet of torque at 1,900rpms. It’ll hit 60mph in 5 seconds and go 155mph at top speed. The seven-speed automatic transmission is as smooth as silk and silent like the night. Mercedes claims this is the quietest car in the world.

There are myriad crash-avoidance technologies and easy-adjust head restraints; the "Chauffeur Package” includes a gas-pedal footrest for longer trips on the road.

In the rear, exotic woods, chrome and hand-stitched, quilted nappa leather line everything. The panoramic sunroof retracts automatically, of course, as do the dark blinds and reclining seats and foot rests. There are worktable consoles, large-screen televisions, and even a hidden refrigerator complete with German-made champagne flutes. The lambswool floor mats are nearly 2-inches thick and as soft as your favorite cashmere sweater. Go ahead and cocoon yourself in the opulence of it all—it’s clearly what it’s been designed for.

There’s also something called the Air Balance System, which filters, humidifies, and scents the air inside the cabin. The particular fragrance in the flood model was called Agarwood, and it’s supposed to evoke the golden warmth of resin. Nice.

So yeah. I saw a lot of new cars in Detroit, but this one is my favorite. How could it not be? It’s smooth, handsome, and worth a lot of money. Just like Jay.

(bloomberg.com)