Skip advert
Advertisement

New 2020 Mercedes-Maybach GLS luxury SUV launched

The ultra-luxury Mercedes-Maybach SUV will arrive in 2020 to rival the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan

This is the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS. It’s a luxury-focused version of the German brand’s largest SUV, which is designed to compete with the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan. It will go on sale in the second half of 2020.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS shares its platform and body-in-white with the standard GLS SUV. Styling revisions include a redesigned front bumper, an updated radiator grille and a reworked rear bumper. It’s also fitted with Mercedes’ Multibeam LED headlights and 22-inch alloy wheels as standard – although 23-inch alloys are available as an optional extra.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Best SUVs on sale now

Elsewhere, the Maybach GLS comes with a pair of active running boards, which are hidden behind the SUV’s side skirts. When one of the car’s doors are opened, a side step automatically deploys and the air suspension system lowers by 25mm, to make access to the SUV that little bit easier.

The cabin of the Maybach GLS is similar to that of the standard SUV, albeit with improved materials and additional technology. Buyers can also specify the option of a four-seat model that comes with a pair of reclining rear chairs and a fixed rear console, which houses a rear-seat climate control panel, two folding tables, an optional champagne cooler and a pair of silver champagne flutes.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Other stand-out interior features include a 64-colour customisable ambient lighting system, a pair of touchscreen displays for rear seat passengers, unique Maybach graphics for the SUV’s digital instrument binnacle and infotainment system, as well as four heated, cooled and massaging seats. Buyers also get a tilting and sliding panoramic glass sunroof and a 27-speaker Burmester premium stereo system.

Under the skin, the Maybach GLS is fitted with an upgraded version of the standard SUV’s air suspension system, which Mercedes says can better cushion road imperfections. Buyers can also spec Mercedes’s E-Active Body Control system as an optional extra, adding a function which actively leans the SUV into corners like a motorcycle, at angles up to three degrees, to the benefit of passenger comfort.

Mercedes has also fitted its flagship GLS with a new “Maybach Dynamic Select” drive programme, which is focussed on refinement and comfort. The drive setting limits the SUV’s body movements, smoothes out the engine’s torque curve, disengages the start/stop system and adopts a modified shift pattern for the automatic gearbox, with fewer gear changes for smoother driving.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Maybach GLS is powered by a reworked version of the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine found in the AMG GT supercar, which develops 550bhp and 730Nm of torque. The engine sends its power to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox, which gives the Maybach GLS a 0–62mph time of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The V8 engine is supported by a 48-volt electrical system, which features an energy recovery function and Mercedes’s EQ Boost technology. The EQ Boost system is comprised of a compact battery pack and an integrated starter/alternator, which is capable of delivering an extra 22bhp and 250Nm of torque on demand.

The SUV’s combustion engine comes with a cylinder deactivation system, which shuts down half of the V8’s cylinders under light load. Mercedes claims the Maybach GLS can return 24.1mpg.

Mercedes-Maybach is yet to confirm pricing information for its new flagship SUV. However, given that the Maybach S 600 carries a £100,000 premium over the standard S-Class, we expect the same structure will be applied to the Maybach GLS, with prices starting at around £180,000.

What do you make of the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS? Let us know in the comments section below… 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Luxury Mercedes ‘leather’ made from old tyres is great news for the planet, and cows
‘Labfiber Biotech Leather Alternative’ - tyre and leather

Luxury Mercedes ‘leather’ made from old tyres is great news for the planet, and cows

The new material was first seen in the radical AMG GT XX concept, but will be used in the brand’s road cars
News
26 Jun 2025
New Mercedes-AMG super-saloon looks ready to pounce on the Lotus Emeya
Mercedes-AMG electric super-saloon - front 3/4 static

New Mercedes-AMG super-saloon looks ready to pounce on the Lotus Emeya

AMG’s new technological flagship will be revealed in full next year, after being previewed by the radical AMG GT XX concept
News
26 Jun 2025
Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond
New cars coming soon header image

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond

These are the most important new cars headed our way, from brands including Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more
Best cars & vans
23 Jun 2025
Best electric car deals: today's top discounts and incentives on new EVs
Best electric car deals - header image

Best electric car deals: today's top discounts and incentives on new EVs

Making the switch to an EV? These car brands have an offer (or two) for you
Best cars & vans
29 May 2025

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
BMW M5 Touring - front action

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal

The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It’s our Deal of the Day for 29 June
News
29 Jun 2025
Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019
Opinion - Kia EV9 GT

Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019

From poor electric car sales to crashes in F1, Mike Rutherford thinks its been a crazy few weeks in the automotive world
Opinion
29 Jun 2025
New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand’s hot-SUV onslaught
Skoda Epiq vRS exclusive image

New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand’s hot-SUV onslaught

Every future Skoda will get the go-faster treatment, with the brand also working on making cars sharper and more engaging
News
27 Jun 2025