The automotive world is, by and large, moving toward a wholesale crossover and SUV takeover, but that doesn’t mean there still isn’t room for a few big, beautiful luxury sedans in the marketplace. That’s where a car like the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class comes in. It’s as true a luxury sedan as you’re going to find, and despite changing emissions regulations around the globe, it’s still available with God’s favorite engine: a V12.
While it’s true that the 2027 Maybach S-Class is far from a ground-up redesign, there are still a slew of updates inside and out that aim at keeping the Maybach at the top of its game, just like the normal 2027 S-Class I told you about earlier this year. It’s definitely flashier than the car it replaces, and it’s got a hell of a lot more tech on the inside than it once did. On top of that, it’s even more customizable than before, thanks to Mercedes-Maybach’s Manufaktur program. You can tailor this car exactly the way you want it to be, as should be the case with an ultra-luxury limo you’re meant to float around in in perfect serenity.
Full Disclosure: Mercedes-Benz flew me to Sindelfingen, Germany, put me up in a lovely hotel and fed me all so I could check out the new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and a few other products.
Look at Me-bach
We can debate it all day long, but a big part of luxury cars these days is their ability to capture people’s attention. Mercedes-Maybach clearly knows this, and that’s why this car is far more in-your-face than it once was. Those who love the subtlety of the old Maybach S-Class will probably be a bit disappointed, but it’s hard to argue with the results.
Up front, the big sedan gets a new grille with vertical slats that is 20% larger than it used to be, and it’s even got an illuminated surround, which I love. There are twin stars in each of its bigger headlights, complemented with rose gold accents. Above the grille is the illuminated three-pointed star we first saw on the facelifted S-Class, and its lower fender grilles are now filled to the brim with Maybach logos à la the Maybach SL-Class. Unfortunately (to me, at least), it adds the black grille surround of the regular S-Class and E-Class that I don’t particularly love, but in any case, there’s no denying the 2027 Maybach S-Class is quite a bit more aggressive-looking than its predecessor. Some may miss the demure looks of the old car, but it’s hard to buck design trends.
Mercedes-Maybach
Don’t worry, Maybach isn’t fitting its logo-covered grille to the S-Class… just yet. When I asked a designer about the possibility of that, they said “never say never,” but indicated that it was fairly unlikely.
Along the side, not too much has changed. It still gives off a very dramatic look, with its 133.7-inch wheelbase stretching 7.1 inches longer than the standard S-Class. Still, there are a few tweaks, like two new 20- and 21-inch forged wheel designs, and inside those wheels, keen-eyed observers will notice the fact that the three-pointed star doesn’t rotate anymore. Finally! Just like on Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, Mercedes-Maybach has fitted weighted center caps, meaning the three-pointed star is always facing up. It was always so embarrassing when they’d spin. Just to grab a little more attention, you can select an option for an illuminated Maybach logo on the C-pillar. I love it.
Mercedes-Maybach
The changes out back are certainly the most subtle. The only real difference is slightly reshaped and redesigned taillights — now with three three-pointed stars each. It’s definitely eye-catching if you’re riding behind the car, but there’s not much else to let you know there’s a difference. Another tell could be the new Nautical Blue Metallic paint that’s available, but you’ll have to be a real nerd to notice that one.
Captain’s chairs of industry
Yeah, the Maybach’s driver is important, but we all know the real show happens out back in the rear seats. That’s where a ton of time and attention goes. Maybach says it was aiming for a “cocooning” effect with its updated S-Class, and even though I didn’t get a chance to ride in it, I was able to spend some time sitting in one, and I think Mercedes’ engineers and designers are really onto something with that descriptor. Automatic doors (an option on the V8 and standard on the V12); second-to-none rear seats that can recline, massage and love you; and a refrigerator with silver-plated Robbe & Berking champagne flutes definitely add to that idea.
Mercedes-Maybach
That doesn’t even get into the fact there are twin 13.1-inch remote-controlled rear displays that come as standard. They allow rear passengers to control the climate system, power sunshades, radio and a slew of other features. Hell, if they’re real captains of industry, they can even use the built-in cameras to video conference on the go. Obviously, the screens can also be used as actual entertainment screens, so you can stream whatever it is you want to stream as you’re taken to your big, important meeting.
Occupants in the back are also treated to a handful of wireless charging pads, enough Burmester 3D Audio speakers to start a concert venue and — of course — leather-wrapped pillows.
For the driver
The front occupants of the 2027 Maybach S-Class are treated to a lot of the same updates we saw in the normal S-Class revamp. Namely, engineers and designers redid the dashboard and interior tech to fit the company’s MBUX Superscreen, which is actually made up of three separate displays: a 12.3-inch gauge cluster with rose gold dials, a 14.4-inch horizontal center infotainment system and a 12.3-inch passenger display. While the system is easy to use thanks to the company’s brilliant MB.OS platform, I will admit it’s not exactly as pretty as the old single-center display and digital gauge cluster the previous car had, and the fact that it’s not Mercedes’ latest screen tech (like the seamless Hyperscreen in the new GLC EV) might annoy some buyers. There’s also a slightly redesigned steering wheel that adds back a few toggle switches.
Mercedes-Maybach
In any case, it’s still a hell of a nice place to be for the two front occupants, and it’s elevated with new trim like Natural Grain Brown Amber Wood with a Herringbone pattern. Of course, there’s as much leather and real metal as you could possibly imagine on the inside, and Maybach’s ambient lighting (with 199 individual LEDs and 64 color options) is as top-notch as ever.
Mercedes-Maybach
You can tailor your Maybach S-Class’s interior to be whatever the hell you want it to be, thanks to the automaker’s Manufaktur program. The company will pretty much do whatever you want, taste be damned. There are over 150 exterior paint colors and 400 interior colors to choose from, including new editions like Manufaktur Black sparkling with glass-flake clearcoat and Manufaktur Verde Silver Magno. New interior color combinations include Manfaktur Carmine Red/Black, Lake Green/Black, Corn Yellow/Black and Tobacco Brown/Black. Maybach says that each of these Nappa leathers features the Maybach logo with interlaced circles.
Sensory deprivation drive
When it comes to the Maybach S-Class, there are two engine options you can go with in the U.S, though you’re a total fool if you pick one and not the other. Despite the state of the world, Maybach’s twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 lives on for 2027, and in this application, it puts out a beefy 621 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque through a nine-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. It’s enough oomph to get this 215.9-inch luxury sedan from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds, according to the automaker. Maybach says it’s worked to minimize noise and vibrations even further than they already were, so it’s definitely going to be quite a cruiser.
Sure, the revamped M177 EVO twin-turbocharged mild-hybrid 4.0-liter V8 in the S580 does its 0-60 sprint in the exact same amount of time with just 530 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque on tap, but that V8 — while excellent — isn’t going to do the same thing for your life as the V12 will.
Mercedes-Maybach
Regardless of which engine you go with, the Maybach S-Class is filled with rear steering and air suspension with intelligent damping, meaning it uses car-to-car information from other Mercedes vehicles driving ahead to let your car know what the road is like. The data is sent to the Mercedes-Benz Cloud, and the system can then anticipate the road and automatically adjust the damper setting to make the ride that much more comfortable.
They also come with the automaker’s excellent suite of driver assist systems, including MB.Drive Assist Pro2 with a “City Pro” function. It’s not going to ship at launch, but the system is supposed to enable seamless point-to-point navigation when it becomes available with an over-the-air update.
Mercedes-Maybach
If this all sounds good to you, then get your checkbook out, but don’t start writing just yet. Mercedes-Maybach hasn’t released pricing at the moment, but the current S580 starts at $208,500, including destination, and the S680 starts at a far-heftier $245,750. In any case, order books are expected to open soon, and the Maybach S-Class should be hitting dealers sometime in the second half of 2026.
I, for one, am excited to see these bad boys menacing Park Avenue as I drag my poor ass to the coffee shop, wondering if I should have paid more attention in school.
