2021 Maybach GLS Spied on the Streets of Germany
Motor Authority scopes a first look at Maybach’s answer to ultra-luxury SUVs from Bentley, Rolls-Royce & Aston Martin.
It seems like every luxury automaker wants an ultra-luxury SUV for those who want a more commanding presence than presented by sedans. Mercedes-Benz, for their part, has had plans for one since 2014, specifically for their recently retooled Mercedes-Maybach sub-brand.
That SUV, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS, was caught by Motor Authority testing a few things near its Stuttgart, Germany home.
The new GLS is based on the upcoming redesign for the main brand’s luxury SUV, which is expected to bow for the first time at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2020 model. Both the Benz and Maybach GLSs will be built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the current GLS is assembled. The Maybach GLS will only be the second SUV for the sub-brand, the first being the ultra-exclusive Mercedes-AMG G650 Landaulet.
The brand-new GLS will differ slightly from the parent SUV, featuring a unique grill, badging, the possibility of two-tone paint, and an extra-roomy four-seat option. Powertrain options may include a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 standard, as well as a plug-in hybrid option. Both SUVs will be underpinned by a stretched version of MB’s MHA SUV platform, which is the foundation for SUVs from the GLC up, minus the beloved G-Class.
Speaking of previews, the GLS may take its appearance cues from the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, which arrived at Auto China 2018 in Beijing last spring. The 2021 version, of course, should be a big hit in China, as well as in Russia and the United States, as the revival of Maybach as a sub-brand is a huge success in the aforementioned markets (one of every 10 Mercedes S-Class sold in 2017 was a Mercedes-Maybach).
To see more of this mysterious Mercedes, visit Motor Authority.
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