Even after his untimely passing, Virgil Abloh’s legacy lives on. Mercedes-Benz recently unveiled the iconic designer’s latest and perhaps last work in the form of a bespoke Maybach S-Class. And with custom components, new paintwork and a limited run, the Maybach S-Class is no less than a piece of art. Here’s why.
Top-notch exteriors
To outline the basic design concept, Abloh partnered with Gorden Wagener, Mercedes-Benz Chief Design Officer, back in 2021 before Abloh’s unfortunate demise in November. The project was then later materialised by the company’s customization and craftsmanship team at Mercedes-Benz Manufaktur in Sindelfingen.
As a result, the exterior of the Virgil Abloh x Maybach S-Class is a sight to behold. It comes dripping in a unique two-tone colour scheme, with an obsidian black roof, hood, bonnet and pillars contrasted by the use of beige on the rest of the bodywork.
The specially forged 20-inch rims which are painted in a sand hue may seem like a strange idea at first but really comes together with the look of the four-door luxury limousine. This is the same paint scheme that we saw on Project Maybach a few months ago, which was also created by Abloh.
…And interiors
The same luxury treatment has been given to the cabin as well, with an identical two-tone colour scheme continuing here. To enhance its monolithic appeal, its four-seat configuration, doors, ceiling and steering wheel are all covered in black and sand-coloured napa leather. While the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo is now inscribed on the centre console, head restraints, rear cushions, and door sill panel.
With polished bells and whistles
According to Mercedes, the limited-edition S-Class will have a bespoke user interface, which is supposed to be an even more luxurious variation of the Maybach MBUX suite. There are a few handpicked visual elements here as well, including a home button with a coloured border.
It gets all the features from the “regular” S-Class, which includes two 11.6-inch displays on the back of the front seats. They can be controlled via a touchscreen placed on the armrest, which also lets you open/close the panoramic sunroof and the rear blinds.
Same specifications
Powering the S680 will be the same V12 motor seen on the standard model. It makes 628PS of power and 900Nm of torque, mated to an all-wheel-drive system. Mercedes claims this is enough to propel the car from a standstill to 100kmph in 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of 250kmph (electronically limited).
Limited Run
Customers of the limited-edition S-Class will be given a special custom-made box, covered in sand-coloured napa leather, with Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logos embossed on it. It’ll contain two sets of keys, a carabiner hook and a 1/18 scale replica of the limited-edition car. Additionally, a special car cover with Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo will be given to the customers.
The German carmaker collaborated with Abloh on three different projects, the latest of which is based on the 2023 Maybach S-Class S 680. The model will have a limited run of just 150 units, with 39 of those being allotted to the United States. Mercedes claims the pricing will be available on request, but considering the standard S-Class’s hefty Rs 3.20 crore price tag, it’s safe to say that this model will be pricier by at least Rs 50-60 lakh. However, it is yet unclear whether Mercedes India will even bring the limited-edition S-Class to our shores.
