The new Mercedes‑Maybach G650 Landaulet makes your G63 look subtle

The Geneva Motor Show debutant, announced today (February 13^th), is a spectacular coming together of two blasts from the past: the Mercedes G-Wagen in extended-wheelbase form and the Landaulet body, that mostly pre-war style that encloses the driver but puts a vast hood over the rear seats. 

And what a hood the Merc-Maybach G650 Landaulet has – the fabric top is massive and all-electric of course. And what rear seats they are. Floating in acres of space, the twin electric chairs from the top S-class saloon offer all manner of features. Such as that massage function as well as leg rests and a host of luxuries for both business and pleasure. There’s even an electric glass partition, which goes translucent at the press of a button, to shut out the driver (and probably the bodyguard) sitting up front.

G-Wagens have been an off-road law unto themselves since 1979, transcending technology, design and sometimes, good taste, with a heady cocktail of power and extravagance, but also extreme durability and off-road capability. 

The new G650 Landaulet might not be quite as mad or bad as the six-wheeled AMG G63 6x6 – or any number of outrageous aftermarket conversions – but it still promises to go further and faster than almost anything else. 

Its bi-turbo V12 boasts 630bhp and 750lb ft (1000 Nm) of torque, there’s almost half a metre of ground clearance and lots of old-school off-roading hardware – fully lockable diffs, low-ratio transfer case et al. To ensure plenty of space inside, the G’s wheelbase has been extended by 578mm.

And with all that fresh air in the back, it is one of very few convertible 4x4s left in the market.

“The G650 Landaulet demonstrates that the definition of unique luxury can always be taken to a new level,” says Mercedes.

One thing for sure, you are unlikely to see one: just 99 are being built.