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2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 offers the plutocratic life for $189,350*

Mercedes-Benz has officially announced pricing on its ultra-luxurious Maybach S600, and just as we feared, you'll probably need to be a Saudi oil sheikh to afford one. Prices start at $189,350, excluding a paltry $925 destination charge. That princely sum does not, however, make the Maybach version of the latest S-Class the company's most expensive sedan. That honor still goes to the ridiculously powerful and absurdly priced S65 AMG, which starts at $222,000. The new model's price easily surpasses that of the vehicle it's based on, though. Mercedes old flagship sedan, the S600, starts at $166,900. Of course, you do get quite a lot of kit for spending an extra $23,000, besides the C-pillar-mounted Maybach badges and the extra 7.9 inches of wheelbase. Upgrades include a re-engineered interior that should be quieter than even the tomb-silent standard S-Class. Even the seats, which are lined in extremely supple leather, are noise insulated. Speaking of those seats and leather, the Maybach trim should include a fairly extensive range of different woods and leathers, for that personal touch. Beyond that, Maybach-exclusive features include a new fragrance for Mercedes' silly Air-Balance system, as well as a pair of silver-plated champagne flutes. What are your thoughts? Does the Maybach S600's extravagant price tag seem worth it (we're leaning towards yes)? Have your say in Comments. Mercedes-Benz Announces Pricing On All-New 2016MY Mercedes-Maybach S600 Segment-Leading Flagship to Start at $189,350* January 16, 2015 - MONTVALE, NJ The S-Class range has a long established tradition of setting the benchmark in the luxury segment, and the launch of the highly-anticipated new Mercedes-Maybach S600 in April will further assert its leadership position in the U.S. market. Priced from USD $189,350, this exceptional addition to the product lineup offers more than 8 inches in total length when compared to the standard S-Class and features a suite of intelligent safety technologies and exclusive appointments that complete the opulent package. The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class seamlessly melds the perfection of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class with the incredible heritage and prestige of the Maybach nameplate. Mercedes-Maybach is not an equipment line. It is a sub-brand that introduces Mercedes-Benz vehicles in an even more exclusive form.

Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is last year's concept with a soft top

Last year, Mercedes brought an absurd, excessive two-seat coupe to Pebble Beach called the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6. We say absurd and excessive because it was a roughly 19-foot long coupe for just two people. It also packed a 750-horsepower electric powertrain. This year, Mercedes brought pretty much the same car, but now with a soft top and the suffix "Cabriolet." Because the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is basically the same car as the coupe, it's also dripping with unashamed excess. It's still 19 feet long, it still carries only two people, and it still has 750 horsepower from electric motors. Mercedes claims that power will propel the car to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. Also like the coupe, it has a range of 200 miles on a charge, and with the right charger, can supposedly regain about 60 miles in 5 minutes. There are changes to the car, though. For one, it's painted a different color. Instead of the vibrant red of the coupe, the roadster is a navy blue that Mercedes says helps evoke the feeling of a yacht — more so than the size already did. It also has new wheels with a more conventional multi-spoke look. They're also have rose gold-painted accents. The change to a convertible body style alters the appearance of the Mercedes-Maybach 6 more than you'd expect, too. Now that a significant portion of the vehicle is finished in a contrasting color, the car looks a bit shorter, in a good way. It doesn't look cumbersome. The lack of a fastback also helps keep the tail from looking like it's sagging, as it does on the coupe. The interior of the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is mostly the same as the coupe, too. It features the same white leather seats that blend into the doors and dashboard. It also has the wild wraparound display and clear center tunnel with light tubes that show the flow of electricity to the motors. Metal highlights are finished in rose gold hue, as is the stitching. The differences include more prominent shapes that imply air vents, as well as a wood floor with aluminum strips to complete the yacht feeling. Also, the buttons that dot the seats have Mercedes logos on them, and they're backlit. We also get a peak under the hood of the Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet. It opens up like pre-war cars with two panels connected by a center hinge. Because it uses compact electric motors and underfloor batteries, there's storage space under the hood.

U.S. tariff threat hits European automakers' stocks

FRANKFURT, Germany — A U.S. warning that it may introduce tariffs on foreign auto imports hit shares in German carmakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen on Thursday, which together have a more than 90 percent share of North America's premium car market. Washington said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation into whether car and truck imports are a national security issue due to signs they had damaged the U.S. auto industry. That could lead to new U.S. tariffs — up to 25 percent — similar to those imposed on imported steel and aluminum in March. BMW and Daimler shares fell as much as 3.1 percent in early Thursday trading, while Volkswagen's dropped as much as 2.5 percent. "(U.S. President) Donald Trump is obviously not thinking about how to prevent a trade war. Import duties on cars would be a nightmare for the German auto industry and would lead to a massive sales impact," said Thomas Altmann at Frankfurt-based asset manager QC Partners. BMW on Thursday condemned the move to consider tariffs. "The BMW Group is committed to free trade worldwide. Barrier-free access to markets is therefore a key factor not only for our business model, but also for growth welfare and employment throughout the global economy," it said. Daimler, which makes Mercedes-Benz cars, and Volkswagen, which makes upmarket Audis and Porsches, were not immediately available for comment. German carmakers produced 804,000 cars at local factories in the United States and exported 657,000 German-made cars into North America last year, according to German auto industry association VDA. China took pains on Thursday to welcome German firms and investments, with Premier Li Keqiang talking up relations after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. BMW and Mercedes have expanded production capacity in the United States, but BMW, Audi, Volkswagen and Daimler have also invested billions to build new factories in Mexico in the hope of selling locally produced cars into the United States. German carmakers hiked vehicle production in Mexico by 46 percent to 620,000 cars last year, while production levels inside the United States fell by 6 percent to 804,000 cars because of a shift to Mexico, according to the VDA. BMW has its biggest factory worldwide in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is the largest vehicle exporter among all the carmakers in the United States measured by value of goods exported. More than 70 percent of BMW's U.S.-made cars are exported.