Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6. That’s the name of the concept the three-pointed star took to the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and this year its soft-topped counterpart will make an appearance at the same venue. Its name hasn’t been made official yet, with the automaker referring to it as “the next Vision.”
“Say, how are you so sure this is the convertible take on last year’s Mercedes-Maybach 6?” The answer to that is simple. A closer look at the teaser video reveals a creased hood and sculpted fenders akin to the original concept. The two-spoke steering wheel complemented by paddle shifters and the two analog gauges of the instrument cluster are further shreds of evidence of the newcomer’s origin.
The camera then captures the tapering rear deck of the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet, revealing Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster-inspired details. But in comparison to its venerable predecessor from the 1930s, the 6 Cabriolet doesn’t have the spare wheel built into the rear deck.
In stark comparison to the fixed-head concept presented last year, the 6 Cabriolet steered away from its brother’s wacky wheel design, embracing a set of alloys inspired by the $5,000 20-inch multi-spoke wheels available for the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. And boy, do those rims look like a million bucks!
If it will be an all-electric affair just like its predecessor, the joke’s on the 6 Convertible because no EV needs paddle shifters. But if Mercedes will adapt the concept for production, then expect the paddles to suffer alterations in order to make way for the indicator and windshield wiper stalks. Speaking of the Mercedes-Maybach 6, the all-wheel-drive electro-luxobarge has 750 ponies to brag about and an 80 kWh lithium-ion battery powering the electric motors.
Daimler AG refused to comment on the possibility of the 6 concepts morphing into full-on production models. The closest thing to the 6 Cabriolet currently offered by Mercedes-Maybach is the magnificent S650 Cabriolet, which costs 300,000 euros and relies on the twin-turbo V12 found in Mercedes-AMG 65 models.
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
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