2025 Mercedes Maybach SL680 Monogram Edition: High Fashion SL
We take a closer look at the Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Edition
Transcript
00:00I'm Aaron Gold from MotorTrend, and this is the Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Series,
00:14the first modern-day two-seat roadster from Mercedes' Maybach division, which is being
00:19revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, which is why I'm wearing my Pebble Beach Blazer
00:24with the brass buttons.
00:26Now, of course, this is based on the AMG 63 version of the SL roadster. It has the same
00:31power plant, 4.0-liter V8, 577 horsepower, 590 pound-feet of torque, same 9-speed wet-clutch
00:37automatic transmission, but they have made tuning changes for the Maybach version, because
00:41of course the AMG SL is a very aggressive, very racy car, so the Maybach version has
00:46different suspension tuning, and it actually has all-new steering system, designed to make
00:50the car more relaxing to drive, not quite so aggressive when you turn the wheel. Other
00:55mechanicals are the same, but of course the design details differ greatly. Of course,
01:00there are many Maybach-specific details, front fascia gets a different treatment, look at
01:04all these Maybach logos in the lower grille, and then this hood, stand-up hood ornament,
01:08chrome strip going down the center of the car, hood in black paint, with, optionally,
01:13these Maybach logos, 60 million of them in the hood, lest you forget you are driving
01:17a Maybach. In terms of paint colors, you get this beautiful deep glossy red, there's also
01:21a matte white, and if you insist, they will paint the SL a different color. Now, the interior
01:26of this is very, very, very white. It's got white carpets and white floor mats, and I'm
01:31very much worried about soiling. And this is how all of the Maybach SLs are going to
01:35come, you cannot change the interior configuration, you get this bright, bright white leather,
01:40this beautiful brushed chrome here, slightly different switch layout than the AMG cars,
01:46and of course Maybach-specific graphics on the instrument panel. And of course, you have
01:50Maybach logos everywhere, in the hood, you have them here on the fairing, you have them
01:53in the roof, they're actually in the fabric, you have them on the pedals, I mean, there
01:56are so many Maybach logos I was going to count them all, but in third grade they only taught
01:59me to count up to a jillion, and I was never good at math. And of course, the AMG-branded
02:04SL is a four-seater with sort of a vestigial back seat, but the Maybach is a dedicated
02:10two-seater, and they built this beautiful fairing in here, with a glass wind blocker,
02:14that really does a nice job of bringing the interior and the headrest right down into
02:19the bodywork. Out back, you've got the raising wings, same as you would on the AMG models,
02:24but the rear fascia is unique, more body color, less emphasis on the diffuser and the exhaust
02:30tips, whole idea being to remind you that this is not a car for racing around the track,
02:34that would be a two-and-cooth, no, this is a car to be seen in, to cruise in, to relax,
02:39and to look good. How much is this beauty going to cost? Well, we don't know, Mercedes
02:43has announced pricing, but we know it ain't going to be cheap, and if you have to ask,
02:47you probably can't afford a Blazer with brass buttons on the sleeves from Pebble Beach,
02:51but we do know that it is not going to be a limited production model, Mercedes will
02:55build as many of these as people want to buy. For more about the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680
03:02Monogram Series and all things automotive, and with shorter names, please visit us on
03:06the web at MotorTrend.com.