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Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is the ultimate safari machine

Update: A Mercedes representative has informed us that the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet will not be available in the United States. The text has been updated to reflect this. Vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 and G500 4x42 are all well and good, but they have one key issue: They simply aren't extravagant enough. Now we know that sounds insane because one of those vehicles has six driven wheels and the other is available in tennis-ball green. But they must not be decadent enough because Mercedes went a step further with the new Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet. While the most obvious change here is the soft-top, which will make this perfect for the wealthy to view wildlife on private safaris, we should start under the hood. The previous two monster G-Wagens made do with lowly V8s. This one features a twin-turbocharged V12 making 630 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. Like its predecessors, this G650 uses a four-wheel-drive system with front, center, and rear differential locks, and sends power to solid portal axles front and rear. These axles move the differential and drive axles above the wheel centers for additional ground clearance. Inside, the rear passengers will be in the lap of luxury, even while the driver is navigating particularly harsh terrain. The soft top can be electrically raised or lowered, as can a glass partition to the driver's compartment. The two individual rear seats can be fully reclined, and leg rests deploy from below, taking full advantage of the truck's long wheelbase. This would likely make for an amazing vehicle for stargazing. The passengers also have access to folding tables, 10-inch LCD displays, and heated, cooled, and illuminated cup holders. Only 99 of these G650s will be built. Mercedes will show the SUV at this year's Geneva show, and it will hit the market this fall. Mercedes hasn't announced pricing, but expect it to be exorbitant. Not that matters for American buyers, since a Mercedes representative told us it won't be offered in the States. For buyers in countries where the G650 will be available, they will have the option of four interior color schemes, three soft-top colors, and four paint hues. Related Video:

Bentley courting Maybach celebs with letter-writing campaign

When Daimler let slip that Maybach was on the chopping block, the German automaker reportedly insisted that ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class would replace the doomed marque. We're all for a smattering of low volume, seriously pricey S-Class variants, but will the richest and most influential Maybach buyers feel the same way?
Automotive News reports that Bentley is betting that stars like Jay-Z and Samuel L. Jackson will want more than a gussied-up Benz, and the luxury car make is sending out olive branches in the form of a letter campaign. The premium Volkswagen brand is asking the high-rollers to step into a Bentley Mulsanne or perhaps a top-shelf Continental GT. To help persuade VIPs to switch to Bentley, the automaker is inviting select Maybach owners to tour its Crewe, England home.
Given the fact that many typical soccer moms and dads can afford an ML-Class, we can see why some movie stars and sultans would want to steer clear of the Three-Pointed Star. But is Bentley really going to gain much by wooing the 200 annual Maybach buyers? If a few more rap stars roll in a Bentley in their next music video, then the answer would appear to be yes.

Mercedes-Maybach S600 is not the luxury limo we expected

We should preface the above headline with this: we fully expected Mercedes-Benz to introduce a more luxurious S-Class sedan, complete with a longer wheelbase. We've seen plenty of spy photos of the stretched sedan, and it was frankly a matter of "when" rather than "if" the flagship's flagship would arrive. We simply weren't expecting the new model to be adorned with the somewhat tarnished Maybach name, or to delete old Karl's family name all together in its naming of the Mercedes-Maybach S600.
Considering the questionable history of the Maybach brand since its 2002 revival, it's clear that Mercedes made a strategic decision for its newest sedan, retaining the overall look and, most importantly, the silver arrow of the S-Class, while the Maybach badging is kept to a minimum, with the double-M badge and "MAYBACH" name limited to the C-pillar and rear decklid, respectively. Instead, Mercedes has focused on the interior and stretched body for its high-end S600.
This hulking sedan is 8.1 inches longer than a standard S-Class at 214.6 inches, while its wheelbase has been stretched by 7.9 inches, and is now 132.5 inches long. That means the S600's wheelbase is nearly four inches longer than a Bentley Mulsanne, while the overall car is over six inches lengthier. On the Rolls-Royce side, it's situated between the 212.6/129.7-inch Ghost and the 230/140.6-inch Phantom.