Maybach Mercedes-Maybach GLS
2020–present (X167; US sales from MY2021) · Maybach Mercedes-Maybach GLS — Super SUV, V8 Twin-Turbo, designed by Gorden Wagener.
The Story
Maybach’s first SUV arrived in 2020 and immediately made the back-of-envelope math the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga didn’t want you doing. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 takes the full-size GLS, deletes the third row and turns the back into a two-seat first-class lounge — reclining, heated, cooled, massaging executive chairs, a refrigerated console with optional Robbe & Berking silver flutes, rear MBUX touchscreens, a 27-speaker Burmester system, and enough extra insulation that reviewers reach for the word ‘vault’. Power is the AMG 4.0 V8 biturbo with a 48-volt EQ Boost mild-hybrid (550 hp, plus a momentary 21 hp shove).
The party trick is the entrance: walk up and the E-Active Body Control air suspension drops the body, an illuminated running board slides out, and the thing curtsies to greet you. It is theatre, and it sells — Maybach is one of Mercedes’ fastest-growing lines, the GLS up 46% in a recent year, with as many as half of Chinese S-Classes now wearing the double-M. This is the Maybach that broadened the brand from a back seat into a lifestyle.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Super SUV class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Gorden Wagener
German car designer, b. 3 Sept 1968 (Essen); joined Mercedes-Benz 1997, Chief Design Officer since 2016. Author of the ‘Sensual Purity’ philosophy that defines the modern Mercedes-Maybach look. FLAG: reported to step down 31 Jan 2026. Source: Wikipedia Gorden Wagener.
Studio Motors POV
The GLS 600 is the most rational way into ultra-luxury SUV ownership: it does the Cullinan’s job — and arguably the back-seat job better — for Bentayga-and-below money. The theatre is genuine; the depreciation makes a two-year-old example the smart buy.
The Engine
M177
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Mercedes-Maybach GLS
Worth Knowing About the Mercedes-Maybach GLS
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- • It's a separate model, not a trim — Maybach is its own sub-brand ('as AMG is to performance, Maybach is to comfort'), and the GLS 600 deletes the third row for a 4-seat executive layout.
- • The rear has a champagne fridge and optional sterling-silver Robbe & Berking flutes, with outer seats reclining ~43.5 degrees plus heating/cooling/massage.
- • The 'curtsy': on approach, E-Active Body Control drops the body ~25 mm and an illuminated running board extends to welcome you.
5 Fast Facts
- • Maybach's first SUV; rival to the Rolls Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga.
- • 4.0 biturbo V8 + 48V EQ Boost: 550 hp / 538 lb-ft, +21 hp/184 lb-ft on boost.
- • 0–60 in ~4.6 s (MB USA).
- • From ~$180,000 (2026 US).
- • Booming: Maybach-line growth 'driven mainly by Mercedes-Maybach GLS (+46%)'.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
• Ludacris — 2021 GLS 600, posted to Instagram (‘Is there such a thing as having too many cars?’) [Robb Report].
• Meek Mill — satin-black GLS 600 4MATIC [autoevolution].
• YFN Lucci — reported first 2021 Maybach GLS in the US [autoevolution].
• Farhan Akhtar — added a GLS 600 to his collection [Republic World].
• FLAG: entertainment-press / social-post sourced (‘reported / photographed’), not registry records.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The whole point is the rear, so want the Power Executive seats (memory, massage, heat/vent), the refrigerated console with the silver flutes, rear dual MBUX screens and E-Active Body Control. Check the 2024–25 recall (windshield camera/mirror detachment, dealer fix) and early-2021 software quirks. Depreciation is steep (~36–40% in three years) — a lightly-used GLS 600 is the value play (a 2,600-mile 2025 example resold ~$157.6k vs ~$207k new).
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Maybach Mercedes-Maybach GLS
- Class
- Super SUV
- Production years
- 2020–present (X167; US sales from MY2021)
- Units built
- FLAG: not disclosed by Mercedes-Benz
- Variants
- GLS 600 4MATIC
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V8 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- M177
- Displacement
- 4.0 L (3,982 cc)
- Power
- 550 hp
- Torque
- 538 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 4.8 s
- Top speed
- 155 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 199 hp/tonne · 11.1 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 9-speed automatic (9G-TRONIC)
- Drivetrain
- AWD (4MATIC) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 6085 lb
Questions
Mercedes-Maybach GLS FAQ
What engine does the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 use?
The GLS 600 uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 550 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque, supplemented by an EQ Boost mild-hybrid system that adds up to 21 hp and 184 lb-ft on demand.
What is the 0-60 time of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600?
The GLS 600 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds despite weighing over 6,000 pounds, thanks to its 550 hp twin-turbo V8 and 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
How does the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 compare to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan?
The GLS 600 starts around $160,000 versus the Cullinan at $330,000 or more. Both prioritize rear-seat luxury; the Cullinan offers a V12 and traditional opulence, while the GLS 600 delivers comparable comfort at roughly half the price.
When did the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 debut?
Mercedes-Benz unveiled the Maybach GLS 600 in November 2019, with U.S. dealer arrival in late 2020 as a 2021 model — the brand’s first ultra-luxury SUV competing with the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
How much does the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 cost?
The 2021 GLS 600 launched at $160,500 in the US; 2024 models start near $170,000, positioning the Maybach GLS well below the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
The Maybach Lineup
Explore every Maybach
Buy, sell, source or lease this Mercedes-Maybach GLS.
Studio Motors operates outside the dealership model — nationwide and off-market sourcing, custom lease structures, trade-in coordination. Tell us what you’re chasing.
