Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600

There are cars that try to combine sportiness and comfort. Then there are Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600. A SUV that is more about isolating its passengers from the outside world and transporting them through the city in total luxury.

With a starting price far exceeding two million Swedish kronor, the Maybach GLS positions itself in the same league as Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan. But where some competitors try to impress by being extreme, Maybach is rather about creating calm. To let its passengers disconnect from the outside world and travel in total comfort.

I had the opportunity to experience the car for a day in Stockholm. But my first contact with the model happened much earlier. Just days before the world premiere in Guangzhou On 19 November 2019, I was invited to Stuttgart in Germany to photograph the then still-secret Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.

A meeting with the Mercedes-Maybach GLS in Stuttgart

Stepping into Mercedes' internal photo studio was an experience in itself. Countless press photos and campaign images for the brand's models have been created here over the years. The lighting, the environment, and the feeling in the room carried an almost historical weight.

Right in front of me stood the then-secret Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.

It was almost a little comical to stand there photographing the car while the rest of the world didn't even know exactly what it looked like yet.

The enormous chrome grille gave the car an almost monumental expression. Instead of placing the star in the grille, as on a normal GLS, the classic Mercedes star sits atop the bonnet. A detail that clearly signals that this is something more than just the brand's largest SUV.

Being able to photograph the car in that environment, with the same lighting that Mercedes themselves use for their official photos, was powerful. It was a reminder of how much history and prestige is behind the brand.

From GLS to Maybach

The year after the Stuttgart visit, I had the opportunity to borrow a Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d for a photoshoot in Stockholm. At that time, I regularly borrowed cars for my then Instagram account JamesHolmFotograf before the account was later hijacked.

I still remember how well the GLS fitted into the surroundings down by Riddarholmen. The combination of the large SUV, the classic architecture and the cold spring light over Stockholm almost gave the feeling of an official press photo shoot.

The interior of the Mercedes GLS at Riddarholmen

Even then, it was clear that Mercedes had succeeded in creating something special with the GLS platform. The comfort, the feeling of quality, and the car's presence on the road made it almost a given that the model would eventually bear the Maybach emblem as well.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 takes the whole concept several steps further.

Maybach is about being driven

When I later had the opportunity to test drive the car in Stockholm, it quickly became clear what Mercedes had really built.

Yes, you can drive it yourself. And yes, it's impressive even from the driver's seat. But the truth is, a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 really requires a chauffeur.

It is only then that the car comes into its own.

Settling down in the back seat of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS with a glass of bubbly, starting a film on the screens, and just letting the car glide through the city is a special feeling. It’s no longer about transport. It’s about disconnecting from the outside world and arriving at your next meeting feeling refreshed.

To truly illustrate the feeling, I decided to create an image that summarised the whole experience. So, one evening on Kungsgatan in Stockholm, I had to act as both driver and passenger simultaneously.

The rear seats fold down almost completely flat and the comfort is almost absurd. The cabin is so quiet that the Stockholm outside almost disappears.

A masterpiece, even from the driver's seat

But even if the car is primarily built for the person in the back, it doesn't mean the driver has been forgotten.

On the contrary.

I've had the good fortune to drive some of Mercedes' most extreme models over the years. Among others Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series on Nürburgring under Scuderia Hanseat. These are cars built for raw performance and maximum attack.

Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series at the Nürburgring with Scuderia Hanseat

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is the polar opposite.

It's all about comfort here.

When the “Maybach” driving mode is engaged, the car transforms completely. The air suspension works to eliminate bumps, and the entire car almost starts to float along the road. It literally feels like driving on soft clouds.

Despite its size, the car feels impressively stable and easy to drive at the same time. The combination of the V8 engine and the silky smooth automatic transmission means that power is always there without the car ever feeling stressed.

A top-of-the-range sound system

Another thing that really impressed was the sound system from Burmester.

It's one of the best car stereo systems I've experienced.

Playing my own mixes from SoundCloud The car itself became an experience in its own right. The depth of the sound, the clarity, and the feeling in the cabin made you gladly take detours just to keep listening.

The combination of the quiet cabin, acoustic glass and the Burmester system creates an environment more akin to an exclusive lounge than an SUV.

Luxury in a way few other cars can offer

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 isn't just about chrome, exclusive materials, or huge screens. It's about the feeling the car gives its passengers.

It makes everyday life feel less stressful.

And in a world where everything is accelerating faster and faster, perhaps that is precisely what has become the ultimate luxury.