Mercedes Maybach G650 Landaulet

The Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is a unique blend of luxury and rugged performance. It combines the iconic Geländewagen with the 6.0-litre biturbo V12 engine from the S65, the portal axles from the G 500 4x4², and the plush rear seats of a Maybach S-Class. To top it off, the wheelbase is stretched by over half a metre, and a Landaulet-style soft-top is added, making it a vehicle that stands out in every sense.

It has presence, the G650. And so it should – at 5345mm long and 2235mm tall, the portal axles also give it much ground clearance, like the 4x42. The G650 adds sidesteps that deploy electronically when you open any of the G’s four doors, then retract once you’ve clambered aboard.

The front is typical G-Wagen, albeit beautifully trimmed. Behind the two front seats there’s a glass partition that can be raised, lowered, or made completely opaque with the push of a button. Said button is in the back, as is the button to raise and lower the roof which, interestingly, isn’t fully electric. A motor does the heavy lifting, but first you have to manually unlock it with a couple of fantastically mechanical-feeling handles above the partition screen. Mercedes tells us this is entirely on-purpose, because it’s in-keeping with the nature of the car.

Source: Top Gear