The Mercedes-Maybach GLS is still officially a concept car, but those in the know expect it enter the SUV market in time for 2019.
The luxurious SUV will be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show in April, officially as a concept car, though the production model is then chalked up to be shown off at the Los Angeles motor show in November.
According to our sources, the Mercedes-Maybach will be priced about £120k when sales begin in 2019, which puts it in some fairly exalted company – it’s playing in the same ball park as the Bentley Bentayga.
Of course, this is not the first Maybach we have clapped eyes on, two years ago we were treat to the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, and it is expected that the GLS will use that as a starting point and build on that, but with some high-spec upgrades.
Speaking to autocar.co.uk, a Mercedes spokesman said: “We have been quietly surprised by the sales success of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, which is proving extremely popular in many key markets. The plan now is to extend the exclusivity surrounding the Maybach name into the upper end of the SUV segment. We’re confident this new model will leave little to be desired in terms of luxury.”
The Maybach GLS will be produced exclusively at Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, and insiders are confidently predicting that it could be so high-end that it could eat into some of the market currently occupied by the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.