Traditionally if you want a step up in luxury and class over a Mercedes S Class then the only alternative is to go for a Bentley Flying Spur or Rolls Royce Ghost… or Phantom. The Mercedes Maybach S Class is a glorified S Class, re-bodied and re-marketed as the ultra-luxury alternative. It is and always will be a LWB Mercedes S Class. Which isn’t a bad thing to live with in all honesty. The new Maybach S Class is 7 inches longer than a regular S Class. Although the exterior is redesigned the underlying mechanicals and interior are completely lifted from the standard S Class. But the Maybach is all about being chauffeured and comes with so-called executive seats with massage functions including lateral and height adjustability.

The S Class ultra-luxury derivative is full of neat technology touches. A sensor can detect when you reach for the seat belt which activates a mechanism to extend the seat belt so sir doesn’t have to strain too much to buckle up. The Maybach is designed to offer customers extensive personailsation options. The two-tone exterior paintwork is an optional extra. And Mercedes have copy-pasted Rolls Royce style electrically operated doors.

The Maybach S Class will be initially offered in two states of power, the S580 4MATIC twinturbo 496HP 48-volt V8 mild-hybrid. And the 6.0-litre twin-turbo 621 HP V12 4MATIC. A third powerplant will be available at a later date, the 3.0-litre straight-six, combined with an electric motor will output 503 HP. The last generation Maybach S Class retailed from $180,000 expect the next generation to start from $200,000, which will push it close to the Bentley Flying Spur.

Personally, I would go for the Bentley Flying Spur, it’s classier, way more exclusive and properly luxurious than the Mercedes S Class Maybach. The S Class Maybach is bought by German party princes, dressed head to toe in Gucci and often one brick short of a full load.