If this is your vision, get your eyes checked.
It was widely speculated that at the Beijing auto show, Mercedes’ ultra-luxury sub-marque Mercedes-Maybach would take the opportunity to unveil a concept that would ultimately preview the next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLS. However, images leaked online by the manufacturer ahead of the concept cars’ debut has proved that not only is it not a handsome off-roader, it’s the total opposite.
Dubbed the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, the concept car takes the form of a rather tragic-looking thing, like a saloon car was given a lift kit and had chrome body-cladding fitted in place of the traditional black plastic. Sure, the large, chrome waterfall grille is imposing, and the slim three-cube headlights are swish, but the profile of the thing is nothing short of shocking and the rear is jaw-dropping in all the wrong ways.
In perhaps the biggest departure so far from a traditional SUV, the Ultimate Luxury has a bootlid rather than a liftback, which we can only assume complicates the banal activity of loading and unloading cargo. The tri-cube headlight graphics are replicated at the rear, where the whole thing kind of comes off like a Toyota Century on steroids. At least the split-window is unique.
Thankfully, inside, things are far less nauseating. The sight inside is of a seemingly endless expanse of leather and veneers, peppered with touches of chrome and rose gold that actually don’t look that bad. The rose gold elements are no doubt a way to pander to the Chinese market, an emphasis heightened by the presence of a tea set built into the rear centre console.
Under the skin you’ll find an all-electric powertrain, which is perhaps the most significant aspect of this concept car. An 80kWh battery powers all four wheels, producing a reported 560kW of power. Fully-charged, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury should be able to do about 322km according to an EPA-rated range. But should you run out of charge, you’ll be happy to know that a 350kW DC fast-charger can add almost 100km of range in just 5-minutes, which is reassuring.
While we were hopeful that we’d get a peek at the new-generation Mercedes GLS, we have to admit that we’re very, very glad that this isn’t a peek at a new-generation GLS. It’s understandable that Mercedes (and Mercedes-Maybach) may be looking for a new niche to fill given the popularity of SUVs in recent years. But while SUV coupes are pretty infantile as they are, this is just a new-level of pointless. Please don’t make it.
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