That parking space of yours? It isn't big enough. You need another one, possibly two, preferably adjoining, if the ultimate Mercedes saloon is on your shopping list. That garage will need extending. and you'll probably be wanting to employ the services of a driver, too, so start preparing now. Because the Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman is positively gargantuan, and once you've seen or been inside one, you could well end up believing it's the only way to travel, darling.
A little less than a year ago, I travelled to Santa Barbara in California to drive what I thought was an enormous barge of a Mercedes – the “standard” Maybach S600. And as I luxuriated in its palatial rear quarters, I found myself believing that it really couldn’t get much better at any price; that it was a Learjet for the road that offered its fortunate occupants respite from all the nastiness the outside world could throw at you. Yet here, as I ride around familiar roads in Dubai, even that car seems a bit diminutive. The S600 Pullman has arrived.
At that initial drive event in the United States, one of Mercedes’ top brass explained that the newly resurrected Maybach brand was going to see more than one model in its range, and the Pullman’s appearance is no big surprise. An SUV will materialise, too, at some stage, offering fans of the marque the ultimate in luxury and technical wizardry. But the Pullman isn’t your everyday tree-pointed-star offering. It’s a stately limousine with a huge amount of historical significance in its name, and if Mercedes’ people have their way, this new one will eventually take on all the cultural significance of its forebear.
Not that the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Saloon, which was in production between 1963 and 1981, was the last time the company went large – lest we forget, the ample Maybach 62 (it was 6.2 metres long) of 2002, which died an ignominious death in 2013. The Middle East’s thirst for luxury Mercs was slaked by the brand, but practically no other market “got it”, and now the most fabled name in Mercedes’ portfolio is reserved for extraordinarily luxurious versions of its current S-class – something that should have happened all along, because the stand-alone Maybach cost its parent company a reported Dh1.3 million for each model sold in its disastrous 11-year tenure.
Now, though, the Maybach name is in little danger of being sullied, attached as it is to the finest saloon car in the world right now. Mercedes’ current range-topper is a staggeringly good automobile, with one of the finest interiors I’ve ever had the pleasure of spending time in, and the Maybach takes that luxury several notches further. Yet it doesn’t exactly feel expensive when compared to the Rolls-Royce Phantom or Bentley’s Mulsanne – surely the only two cars on the planet it could call natural rivals. The Pullman, though, is really costly – about Dh2m – because each one will be an entirely unique creation that takes nearly a year to piece together.
Don’t think, though, that you’ll find the new Pullman on the forecourts of your nearest dealer soon. The car I’m in is one of just a handful of development prototypes, and I’m apparently the first journalist in the world to experience it. That experience, naturally, takes place entirely in its rear seats – this isn’t a car its owners will ever hanker to pilot themselves. On the contrary, it’s built and designed with the passenger experience in mind, and as I take my seat alongside two accomplices from Mercedes’ development department, I have no desire whatsoever to be up front. It’s time to experience Dubai’s roads while someone else deals with the stress, which is fine with me.
The engine underneath its bonnet is a 6.0L, twin-turbo V12 that puts 530hp down through the rear wheels (that’s quite some torque tube), propelled by 830Nm of twist, which comes in at full force from just 1,900rpm. In itself that’s remarkable, but the numbers that really leave an impression concern the Pullman’s physical dimensions.
At 6,499 millimetres long, the Pullman is a generous 1,046mm longer than the Mercedes-Maybach S-class, which in itself is 207mm longer than the long-wheelbase standard S-class. Seriously, put the Pullman next to what’s already considered a large car and it will dwarf it.
All in the name of interior space, the Pullman’s size has been facilitated by a 1,053mm lengthening of the S-class Maybach’s wheelbase, which here measures a humungous 4,418mm – enough to warrant the inclusion of an extra window to either side. If you want more legroom than this car provides, you’ll need to start hunting for a stretch limo more in keeping with ladies’ night shenanigans than state visits.
Four seats in the rear of the Pullman are arranged “vis-à-vis”, meaning two pairs face each other, the idea being that the owner and a guest are seated in the direction of travel on two executive armchairs, while two other passengers can sit on the fold-down seats that face backwards. You can specify a car without these, but in reality they don’t impede on any sense of space when they’re folded away, so you might as well have them, just in case.
The abundance of leather upholstery within the Pullman is almost overwhelming – seemingly everything is covered by the stuff, which all adds to the feeling of absolute opulence. The seats themselves are marvels of engineering – unlike normal chairs, the backrests and cushions can be adjusted separately, with inclination and horizontal adjustment combined, the maximum backrest angle being 43.5 degrees, while the most upright backrest position of 19 degrees allows for a relaxed executive workspace, should it be required.
There’s 60mm more headroom here than in a Mercedes-Maybach S-class, too, which comes courtesy of some incredible bodyshell engineering, and it affords easy access and egress – essential for dignitaries and celebrities about to emerge onto the red carpet. The two executive seats are situated far back towards the rear of the car’s structure, allowing for increased levels of privacy – the c-pillars hide this portion of the interior, but even if you aren’t satisfied with that, you can always close the curtains, and be fully shielded from any prying eyes.
Indeed, as I’m driven around some of Dubai’s more popular tourist spots, other motorists and their passengers strain to take a look at who might be travelling in such a visually imposing machine. I almost feel guilty that it’s just me, when they’re expecting to see someone of note.
A glass partition window separates the rear quarters from the front, although it can be lowered at the touch of a button, and there’s an intercom system for communicating with the driver. If you want to make sure whoever is up front can’t see what you’re up to in the back, at the touch of another button the glass instantly turns itself opaque white.
Being such an exclusive model supplied in extremely limited quantities, the personalisation possibilities are almost endless, and you could spec one of these to such an extent that you’d consider moving out of your apartment and into the car. If there was a bathroom option in the equipment list, I’d heartily recommend it.
By any normal rationale, the S600 Pullman is not a car. It’s a method of transportation for heads of state, royalty and the entertainment elite. There’s nothing whatsoever crass about it, but whether it will achieve the cult status enjoyed by its predecessor namesake remains to be seen. For now, however, this has to be the world’s ultimate luxury vehicle, and it has been a privilege to ride in its flawless cabin. I’m just glad that parking it will be somebody else’s job.
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