The 2026 Maybach S-Class brings a significantly upgraded 4.0-litre V8 engine, while the V12 is reserved for select markets such as the US and UAE.
The cabin and technology package sees its most thorough overhaul yet, with an AI-powered virtual assistant, a new Superscreen dashboard, and an expanded Manufaktur personalization program.
Two months after Mercedes-Benz introduced the refreshed S-Class, the Stuttgart-based marque has now unveiled its longer, grander sibling, the 2026 Maybach S-Class. It receives the same visual and technology overhaul as the standard S-Class, but layers on significantly more personalization options and one crucial powertrain change. The result is the most thoroughly evolved Maybach S-Class in recent memory.
A Grander Face with Signature Maybach Flourishes
On the outside, the grille is 20 per cent larger than before and is framed by LED illumination, with an illuminated Mercedes star sitting on the bonnet above it. Unlike the standard S-Class, the Maybach uses its signature vertical slats within the grille, and an illuminated Maybach wordmark sits above them. The headlamps are the new, larger units carrying the latest iteration of Mercedes' Digital Light technology, though here they forego the standard car's blue accents in favour of rose gold embellishments bearing the Maybach logo.
The side sills feature a light projector that casts the Maybach name onto the ground when a passenger steps in or out. Wheel options include new 20- and 21-inch forged alloy designs made using a manufacturing technique that enables intricate multi-spoke patterns, with a counterweighted Mercedes logo at the centre that remains upright as the wheels turn.
The Maybach badge on the D-pillar is illuminated, and the Night Series variant presents darkened paint options, dark chrome trim, and a distinct set of aero-efficient black wheels adorned with Maybach logos throughout.
A Cabin That Pushes Personalisation Further Than Ever
Step inside and the sense of occasion only deepens. Ambient lighting has been updated, featuring ten colour themes, 199 LEDs, and 64 individually selectable colours, including Rose Gold and Amethyst Glow shades that are exclusive to Maybach.
Buyers can now specify an even greater degree of extended leather upholstery, extending further into the cabin, including the footwell area, and new shades are available for the hide.
In a Maybach first, a leather-free vegan upholstery option with its own distinct design is also now on offer. Through the Manufaktur customization platform, buyers can select from more than 150 exterior shades and over 400 interior colours, with personalization extending to leather options and decorative stitching.
Technology That Redefines What a Luxury Saloon Can Do
The dashboard has been replaced with a Superscreen glass panel, presented here in a unique Maybach graphical theme with rose gold colouring across all screens. The fourth-generation MBUX infotainment system features an integrated 14.4-inch central touchscreen, a 12.3-inch passenger display, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen mounted in an upright position.
An AI-driven conversational assistant combining ChatGPT, Bing and Gemini is available, and the entire car is governed by a new electrical and electronics architecture comprising four supercomputers, overseeing everything from the displays to safety features and driving dynamics.
In the rear, the seats recline to 43 degrees and are heated, ventilated, and massaging. Each rear passenger now receives an individual smartphone-style remote to control cabin functions, replacing the tablet controller from before.
Two Engines, One Flagship, What Reaches Which Market
V8 Gets More Power, V12 Stays for the Select Few
Under the bonnet, the standard S 580 carries an upgraded M177 Evo 4.0-litre V8 that uses a flat-plane crank and produces 537hp and 750 Nm of torque. A plug-in hybrid variant, the S 580e, pairs a 3.0-litre inline-six with a 163hp electric motor and a 22kWh battery, delivering a total system output of 585hp and 750Nm, with an electric-only range of 98km.
The top-specification S 680 is where things get market-dependent. Markets such as the US and UAE are expected to retain the 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 making 630hp and 900Nm, while most other markets, including India, will likely receive a 612hp, 850Nm version of the same 4.0-litre V8.
India Arrival Expected in Early 2027
The Maybach S-Class facelift is expected to follow the standard S-Class into India sometime in early 2027. The Maybach S 580 is anticipated to continue being assembled locally, though the extensive technology additions are likely to push pricing beyond the Rs 3 crore mark.
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