Going by last financial year’s sales figures, Mercedes-Benz is the most successful premium carmaker in India. It has completed three decades here and there’s no doubt that it caters quite well to the ever-changing demands of Indian luxury car buyers. So much so, that according to the company, every one of four Mercedes-Benz cars sold here is a ‘TEV’ or ‘top-end vehicle’ — a term used to refer to the most expensive of cars by the brand. Further strengthening its position, two new TEVs have been added to the lineup and we take a brief look at what makes them special — apart from a hefty price tag.
Starting with the latest iteration of an SUV that’s found its place on the drive of A-listers. From successful businesses to celebrities, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 has, since its launch two years ago, become a definite favourite. It’s based on the Mercedes-Benz GLS but the ‘Maybach’ treatment sets it a world apart. Powered by a turbocharged V8 engine which makes 550 bhp and 74.43 kg-m, the GLS 600 now comes with an integrated starter generator which can offer a momentary boost of up to 25.5 kg-m and 21.45 bhp. The resulting 0-100 km/h time of just 4.2 seconds is a shocker, considering with all the bells and whistles, the GLS 600 is no lightweight car.
What bells and whistles, you must wonder. The list of standard features covers nearly everything a luxury car owner would want from their car, but some of the notable inclusions are first-class individual seats, ADAS Level-2 assistance, E-Active body control and Burmester sound system with rear-seat entertainment package, among others. They call it the Maybach of SUVs and the GLS 600 proves its worth not only in the way it looks and feels, but also in how it offers class-leading ride comfort over nearly any surface. It’s really not hard to see why buyers love the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.
While the Maybach GLS will obviously help Mercedes-Benz reach new heights in the luxury segment, it’s the other launch that’s bound to draw car enthusiasts’ attention. It’s the most powerful S-Class made by Mercedes-Benz, it fittingly comes with ‘AMG’ in its name and its claimed figures will, in all likelihood, make you re-read the numbers. The Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance is a plug-in hybrid vehicle, which means it utilises the onboard biturbo V8 and an electric motor to produce a combined output of 791 bhp and a colossal 145.8 kg-m, the latter is about twice of what the GLS 600 offers. It comes with an all-wheel drive and can do 0-100 km/h in a claimed 3.3 seconds, which is roughly around the same time as a Porsche 911 GTS. And that’s a two-door car, the S 63 E Performance is a full-fledged four-door sedan, which can very easily be commissioned for the task of doing office runs and it’ll handle all that flawlessly. The electric impetus comes from an onboard 13.1 kWh battery, which enables the S 63 E Performance to drive up to 33 km (claimed WLTP range) on battery alone. The S 63 is a technological tour-de-force, too. It has everything from adaptive suspension, rear-wheel steering, and all-wheel drive, to an in-cabin experience that’s definitely an S-Class’s forte but in the AMG, it’s said to be heightened even further. For those who want their S 63 to feel more special, there’s the S 63 E Performance Edition 1, too, which will be brought in limited numbers, equipped with a special paint, 21-inch wheels, more AMG badges than you can remember and ‘Edition 1’ engraving.
Prices for the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC start at ₹3.35 crore, without optional extras. The S 63 E Performance isn’t too far off at Rs 3.3 crore, whereas the limited-run AMG Edition 1 is priced at ₹3.8 crore. All prices are ex-showroom.