Large yachts can’t always dock in the harbour, and for gourmet excursions ashore in Monaco, Mykonos or Miami Beach, there are elegant tenders. The Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 takes inspiration from this idea – a luxury runabout for brief forays into real life.
Maybach is known for opulent limousines with long wheelbases, privacy curtains, and chauffeur-driven elegance. But things are different with the Maybach SL 680, the most exclusive way to experience an SL. Chauffeur or not, yacht or otherwise, sometimes you just want to grab the wheel yourself and let the wind tousle your hair under the sun, gazing at the sea or mountains. Until now, owners of luxury cars might have reached for their Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabrio, an Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, or a Bentley Continental GTC. The standard Mercedes SL, perhaps too commonplace or overtly sporty thanks to AMG development, never quite fit the brief. So when the call came for serious motoring, the Maybach name returned, but only for the back seat.
Now, the Maybach SL 680 offers a luxury plaything for the world’s elite, an elegant “tender” for sunlit drives. Distinct from even the lavish AMG-enhanced SL, it raises the bar with an extravagant luxury package, pushing the base price to at least €225,850. The Monogram edition is unmistakably part of the Maybach family at first glance, with a bonnet covered in MM logos reminiscent of Louis Vuitton, even extending to the fabric roof. It’s anything but subtle.
Maybach logos fill the front air intakes, while MM details grace the sides and rear. Inside, exquisite materials and sumptuous seats transport passengers mentally to the Côte d’Azur or Miami Beach. Wherever it goes, the Maybach SL commands attention, especially when finished in Opalite White with that monogrammed contrast bonnet.
Morning sun glints off Lake Como as the breeze whips past, and from under the bonnet comes little more than a low, luxurious murmur, until you open it up. Then it roars to life, delivering a powerful and intoxicating drive. One thing is missing, however – a V12. Beneath the custom bodywork lies the same four-litre V8 twin-turbo you’ll recognise from AMG, producing 430 kW / 585 PS and 800 Nm of torque.
It’s a powerhouse in any setting, even if the Maybach badge deserves a dozen cylinders. 0–100 km/h takes just 4.1 seconds, and top speed is capped at 260 km/h, a deliberate move to set it apart from the standard AMG SL.
Still, for a roadster of this luxury, we can’t help but dream of a flagship V12 , an engine still available elsewhere in Mercedes’ lineup and one that would be the ideal fit for this ultra-exclusive toy. Why the same 585 PS tune as lesser AMG versions was used remains Affalterbach’s secret – but let’s be honest: Maybach SL drivers have more important things to focus on. Like their surroundings. Or their villa. Or their yacht.
There’s no luggage onboard, not because of the modest 240-litre boot or the 13.6 l/100 km fuel consumption, but because the maximum payload is just 145 kilograms. Enough, perhaps, for a slim companion and a lighter picnic basket.
