Two years ago, Mercedes confirmed yet another sub-brand that nobody asked for. Slotted above Maybach, the Mythos Series has been confirmed to drop in 2025. The sub-brand first car will be derived from the SL, but as opposed to the canvas-topped roadster, the Mythos SL features two nacelles.
Otherwise put, Mercedes is following in the footsteps of Porsche with a Speedster-bodied SL. That's not all, though, because the folks at Maybach are also working on a supremely luxurious version of the SL.
Come 2025, the R232 generation will be sold by three sub-brands: AMG, Maybach, and Mythos. AMG and Maybach need no introduction, but Mythos is a very poor name for what is supposed to be Maybach's even more luxurious counterpart. If you ask me, the first thing that comes to mind is the Greek lager produced by Carlsberg-owned Olympic Brewery. Also if you ask me, Charma lager and Mamos pilsner are much tastier and more refreshing.
That being said, let's talk about the SL again. Whereas the AMG comes with four- and eight-cylinder lumps, the Maybach and Mythos will pack eight cylinders at the very least. One could only wish for a massive V12 under the SL's hood, but still, bear in mind that Mercedes-Benz AG offers two V12-engined vehicles as of February 2024.
Those are the Maybach S 680 and the pricier Benz S 680 Guard. Both of them use the somewhat antiquated M279 twin-turbo V12, which features three valves per cylinder.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
The M177 twin-turbo V8 of the SL, on the other hand, sports the industry-standard four valves per cylinder. Very similar to the M178 of the first-generation AMG GT, the M177 offers either 469 or 577 horsepower in the AMG SL. The upcoming Maybach SL won't deserve its badge if Mercedes-Benz AG doesn't offer it with the 577-hp tune as standard.
At the very top of the range, the R232 can be had with a hybrid-assisted V8. The obnoxiously named 63 S E PERFORMANCE in all uppercase letters is a plug-in hybrid with 805 horsepower to its name. Being a performance-oriented roadster, the all-electric range is – rather unsurprisingly – bad. In the EU, the WLTP range is 13 kilometers (8 miles).
With the Mythos SL being more special and rarer than the Maybach SL, it would be crazy for Mercedes to offer anything other than the plug-in setup of the AMG SL 63 S E PERFORMANCE or a modernized version of the aforementioned V12.
On that note, how much will the Mythos SL cost? Your guess is as good as mine, but given that AMG wants nearly 200,000 euros for the 63 back home in Germany, the Mythos could easily start at well over €300,000 ($325,000 at current exchange rates).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News