#LAAUTOSHOW: Place YOUR Bets! Will The All-New Mercedes-Maybach S600 Sales Fly HIGH or FLOP?

Now that Mercedes-Benz has debuted the all-new Mercedes-Maybach S600, which we know will also be had in S400 and S500/550 form in other markets, we have to address the elephant in the room.

Will it actually sell?

2014 Los Angeles Auto Show #LAAS

Although we're sure the three-pointed star has conducted plenty of market research and it has established a business case, we're curious what YOU think. As of now, there's two important things to note.

Firstly, we know that the all-new S-Class in its standard form has been nibbling away at über luxury automakers' market share. There's good reason for this. It's that damn good AND it has a boatload of the latest and greatest technology that the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce have not even dreamed of.

Second, the Mercedes-Maybach doesn't appear much more differentiated than your standard S600 in its standard trim. This is a good and bad thing. Good, because we know folks abroad and in emerging markets LOVE subtlety. Bad, because we know that the very important U.S. market wants that bit of panache and flash. The thing is though the American market has been taken down a notch or two in the global economy. We're not the end all, be all anymore.

All that considered, we're interested in hearing from you: will the all-new Mercedes-Maybach S600 sales fly HIGH or FLOP?

At least it appears Mercedes hedged its bet by not going crazy with bespoke trim, panels and what not so it — hopefully — doesn't have such a MASSIVE investment as it did with the original modern Maybach.


**The 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show photo galleries are sponsored by Lexus.


2014 Los Angeles Auto Show #LAAS

TheSteve - 11/26/2014 9:05:23 PM

+1 Boost

Price it close to an S600 and it will sell. Price it $100,000 north, and it won't.

MicrosoftUser - 11/26/2014 10:35:20 PM

+3 Boost

S Class was already a really amazing car and bargain for all is so sales will fly. I went to this LA auto show and everyone who saw and sat in it said it is a very impressive car.

MDarringer - 11/26/2014 10:43:59 PM

-9 Boost

flop like the last "ship" storm clusterfluck the last Maybach was...this will be bigger. Bentley and Rolls Royce are laughing their asses off at this Third Reigh revival of a dumb car brand.

Maybach is racist because of the Third Reich rehtoric

TheSteve - 11/26/2014 11:09:35 PM

+3 Boost

Godwin's Law invoked by the third post. Is this an AutoSpies record?

Agent00R - 11/27/2014 9:02:09 AM

+3 Boost

@Mdarringer

Chill, seriously.

gkearns56 - 11/27/2014 9:33:39 AM

+2 Boost

If you work for any of the auto companies as you claim you do, you must be one duma@@. I agree with your comments regarding the clutter of this car's dash. But there is no need for the latter part of your comment. Are you really that stupid or just have your regular ignorant rhetoric when it comes to postings. The latter portion you posted was hardly needed to express your dislike for the interior of this car.

Ccoxx - 11/27/2014 12:02:15 AM

+3 Boost

This Thanksgiving I'm once again thankful to Autospies for an awesome auto enthusiasts website. I'm puzzled though that MDarringer considers himself an auto enthusiast - I'll be thankful when he seeks mental/psychological support. Judging by his posts, he clearly needs to be institutionalized. The reinvented Mercedes-Maybach will be successful. Congrats to Benz for already selling 100,000 of the new S in just 12 months - the global sales leader.

Agent00R - 11/27/2014 9:05:03 AM

+2 Boost

Thank you for being a reader!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy in good health!

GermanNut - 11/27/2014 12:10:01 AM

0 Boost

If this is priced north of $200K, which I believe it will be, it will be a huge flop. Buyers spending $200K + on a car don't want resemblance to other "flagship" vehicles no matter how good those flagships might be.

Once you enter $200K + you are in Bentley and not too far from Rolls Royce territory where Mercedes-Benz will have to fight against heritage, tradition and craftsmanship that it doesn't have.

Bottom line: The Mercedes-Maybach S600 looks too similar to a regular S600 and if it costs over $200K, buyers will get a Bentley or Rolls-Royce which won't be confused with any Mercedes, BMW or Audi and has heritage that the luxury players can only dream of having.

cidflekken - 11/27/2014 4:35:11 AM

+2 Boost

Oh, Nuttie. Your analysis only works when you discuss the fact that no one wants to buy an Audi because they look too much like VWs. At this point, even the A8 and 7 Series would LOVE to have resemblance to the S-Class because their sales aren't even coming close. You can't face the fact that the S-Class has completely raised the bar in the luxury flagship segment that any previous competitor looks outright pedestrian in comparison. And I'm not saying that because it's my opinion. I'm saying that because that is the consensus opinion of countless automotive experts and reviewers. You want this to be a flop SO BADLY, almost as badly as you wanted the CLA to fall flat on its face. And we see what's happened there haven't we?

Runamukk - 11/27/2014 12:46:21 AM

+4 Boost

I work at a Mercedes dealer in Houston and have sold S600's and S65's. They all seem to be around $230k and we are always sold out and it takes about 6 months to get one. According to the last dealer meeting this will come in at around $260 and the first one we are getting is already sold even with no specs besides the exterior color (ruby black). Considering you would have to spend about $150k more to go upmarket or lateral in terms of high end chauffeur mobiles I suspect this will be a hit. Consider the clientele which is a really really wealthy client who really just wants ultimate luxury while being chauffeured without drawing too much attention to himself since he has nothing to prove and its actually almost a no brainer.

runninglogan1 - 11/27/2014 1:58:02 AM

+3 Boost

There's no doubt the car will sticker for at least $250k considering the S65 already comes in at $230k. I also have no doubt it will be a success this time around.

gkearns56 - 11/27/2014 9:26:43 AM

+1 Boost

Of course it will sell like hotcakes. It's a very posh car. However I could never own one of these. I just don't like the ugly long Buick steering wheel look. With how much these cars cost, they could have come up with a better looking dash/cockpit area design. But people will run in droves to buy this car since it's a MB.

docsout1 - 11/27/2014 10:56:07 AM

+1 Boost

Will be interesting to see if MB solved problem of ticking noise in cabin due to hi pressure fuel pumps, as found in other S Classes.

Benzes1 - 12/1/2014 11:54:37 AM

+2 Boost

What are you talking about? No such problem in any S I've been in.

nguyenvuminh - 11/27/2014 9:50:30 PM

+5 Boost

Personally, I think it's shrewd marketing to refer to this as an S-class model, with the Maybach version (kind of like an AMG version). The S-brand is so strong, and the styling of this version reminds the customer of that. There are enough nuances for those that want their S car to stand a bit apart from other S models. As for MattD comments, I think it's comical. The guy implies he has ownership in VW/Audi/Porsche dealership and the attitude and language he spews is more like a disgruntled salesman. Maybe you did sell your stake in a VW/Audi/Porsche dealer (because of VW's lack of profitability) but maybe you tried to get into the BMW or MB dealership and was rebuffed. Is that why you are so bitter at anything MB does :-) I recall you are now selling Fords, correct?

Benzes1 - 12/1/2014 11:55:31 AM

+2 Boost

Bingo! We have a winning post.

carsnyc - 12/1/2014 1:43:07 PM

+1 Boost

I foresee NYC and London inundated with these so success!