BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: Mercedes-Maybach crosses over

Is it a high-riding limousine or a luxury SUV with a boot, or both? Will this left-field crossover limousine reach production? If it does, would anyone buy it?

These are just some of the questions that might rightly be asked when the Mercedes-Maybach Vision Ultimate Luxury concept car makes its world debut at the Beijing motor show next week.

Until then, we can only be sure of one thing: that Mercedes-Maybach’s next show car won’t simply be a more luxurious version of Mercedes-Benz’s next GLS-Class uber-SUV.

Pictured here for the first time following a short teaser campaign, the polarising German crossover apparently broke cover ahead of schedule when a Maybach microsite went live mistakenly before being pulled down a short time later.

But it seems Mercedes wasn’t quick enough, with US website Autoblog.com capturing these images and key details of the mould-breaking sedan on stilts.

According to Autoblog – and unsurprisingly – the Ultimate Luxury show car is all-electric, incorporating a motor for each wheel to generate a total output of 560kW and deliver a top speed of 250km/h.

Its 80kWh battery pack and claimed 320km driving range are less impressive, but the high-riding sedan is said to be rechargeable via wireless inductive technology or via a fast-charge cable, which reportedly provides a 75 per cent charge within five minutes.

Adorning its high-riding body are a number of design cues seen previously on the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 coupe and convertible concepts, as well as the ultra-luxury brand’s upgraded S-Class and long-wheelbase Pullman limousines.

They include a massive chromed grille with multiple vertical slats and Maybach lettering, flanked by a pair of narrow headlights – the three LED lighting elements in which are echoed by the tail-lights.

Apart from the raised ride height, the crossover theme is reinforced by front and rear ‘bash-plate’ inserts and the usual lower body-side and wheel-arch mouldings – this time highlighted with chrome.

Inside, the super-luxury four-seat crossover is lined with pristine white leather, blue mood lighting, part-gold seat backs, half a forest worth of woodgrain trim in the doors and a massive full-length centre console housing – naturally – a tea set.