The G-Wagen is now being built in another avatar. While it is still an SUV par excellence, the 4x4², it also takes us half a century back with its landaulet styling. Yes, it is the G650 Landaulet, the one that has a canvas roof that folds back. It is natural then, for Mercedes to hark back to Maybach because it was Maybach who epitomised Landaulet back then. And we are happy that an icon like the G-Wagon is the first ever SUV to get the Maybach badge. So, we take you on a tour of the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet, albeit through a series of pictures.
Making its first plunge into the SUV segment, the G650 Landaulet is Maybach’s fifth vehicle to be produced after the S-Class Saloon, the Pullman and Cabriolet and the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 show car. This G650 Landaulet will be the last hurrah of the current generation G-Class until a new generation arrives.
To make the G650 Landaulet an exclusive car, similar to the S650 Cabriolet Maybach which is limited to 300 units, Mercedes-Maybach will only produce 99 units of the G650 Landaulet. With the G650, Mercedes-Maybach proposes to bring a unique blend of a luxurious chauffeur-driven saloon and an off-roader together in a single vehicle.
In a proper Landaulet fashion, the driver and front passenger are accommodated under a closed roof, while the rear passenger cabin gets a separate electrically retractable soft top. The top can be bought down at the press of a button to allow a lavish open top motoring. The manufacturer calls the passenger space as the “G cockpit”
Inside the G cockpit, the space at the back is tremendous to plonk in the S-Class’ fully-reclining electrically adjustable individual seats. There is an electrically-operated glass partition as well between the rear compartment and driver cabin in a proper limousine fashion; which can be changed from transparent to opaque at the press of a button.
There are massage functions with inflatable air chambers in the seats, including ‘hot-stone’ massage. The calf rest is freely adjustable in length and swivel range. Also available are thermal upholders for the beverages and individual screens for the passengers. There is a retractable table wrapped in leather for the lavishness as well.
The G650 wears Maybach badges where they are customarily found. The radiator grille features double louvres and there are V12 insignias on the side. The car rides on 22-inch alloy wheels with ‘Landaulet’ lettering on the rim flanges. There is an electrically extending running board, which hinges from underneath the doors for the ingress.
Other exclusive exterior design features include front and rear underside guards, large wheel-arch flares finished in carbon fibre as well as, spare wheel mounting with an integral holder for the third brake light on top. High ground clearance of 450mm is facilitated by Portal axles as found on G63 6x6 and the G500 4x4².
Under the hood is the 6.0-litre V12 twin turbo engine pushing out 621bhp and a whopping 1000Nm of torque. All the power is put down via a 7G-TRONIC transmission. There is a 100 per cent differential locks, which can be engaged on the move, as well as a low ratio transfer case to give the Landaulet its competent off-road credentials.
This all-terrain Luxo-barge is carrying forward the traditional Landaulet body style from the Stuttgart-based car maker. The legendary vehicles in this special segment include 1910 Benz 24/45, 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 d Landaulet, 1964 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet and the 2008 Maybach Landaulet.
The G650 Landaulet will be manufactured at the Magna Steyr’s facility in Graz, Austria and will go on sale later this year. We would be able to see the car in all its glory at the forthcoming 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Unlike the G6x6, Mercedes-Maybach may bring the G650 Landaulet to the Indian shore as well.
