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Those are the controls for the E Active Body Control Suspension. I doesn't seem this has the off road package that the GLS580 offers, as I don't see a button for the locking differential. It's unclear whether the E-ABC will be standard on the Maybach, but it's possible the one in the second video was a preproduction one without it. Although the E-ABC has better off road ability, it was developed for comfort at the end of the day, making the Maybach a perfect application. From what I've read, it has been retuned for the Maybach.
Those are the controls for the E Active Body Control Suspension. I doesn't seem this has the off road package that the GLS580 offers, as I don't see a button for the locking differential.
I think the original poster was correct that these are the controls for the off-road package. Also, I don’t think there is actually a button for the locking differential, in fact i’m not even sure there is an actual “locking differential” in any GLS 2020+ (some reviews say yes, some say no) But of course the new GLS does have a transfer case that can now push up to a 100% torque to rear when the prior GLS could not. Some may argue that is the equivalent of a center locking differential but I’m not sure either way.
Last edited by joejones81; Aug 5, 2020 at 07:12 PM.
@joejones81 you are correct, it was the transfer case and low range gearbox i was thinking of, not the locking differential. I did some further research, and found the difference in buttons between vehicles Just with EABC and those with the off road package, which can be seen as follows.
On the EABC vehicle, the leftmost button adjusts suspension stiffness independent from the drive modes:
Where as on off road package vehicles, that button is replaced with the low range switch:
This leads me to believe that the Maybach in the second video has the basic airmatic suspension (whether that will be the standard suspension or not offered is yet to be seen) and that the Maybach in the first video just has E-ABC, and no off road package.
Last edited by BenjaminKohl; Aug 5, 2020 at 09:16 PM.
BenjaminKohl you are correct it is E-ABC. It would have been insane for them to have the Off-Road package on the Maybach. I didn't realize that only the left button is different between them. Of course if you have neither package then you just get the one giant button.
About the lack of differential lock with off-road from Cnet review:
"There are no differential lockers, however -- instead, the GLS utilizes a multi-plate clutch with torque on demand. This system can send anywhere from 0 to 100 percent of the engine's torque to the front or rear axles. This means you can have almost all the benefits of diff lockers without the punishment of wheel hop or steering wheel kickback while going around tight turns."
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