Mercedes-Benz has recently announced the cancellation of its highly anticipated Mercedes-Maybach Vision Ultimate Luxury, citing complexities and high production costs as key reasons. This decision marks the end of a unique concept that aimed to combine the luxury of a sedan with the practicality of an SUV. Despite the cancellation Mercedes-Maybach continues to thrive in markets like India, where its luxury vehicles are well-received.
Mercedes Abandons Vision Ultimate Luxury
Mercedes has decided not to proceed with the production of the Mercedes-Maybach Vision Ultimate Luxury, a unique high-riding sedan that blends elements of a sedan and an SUV. The decision was made due to the car's complexity and high production costs, making it impractical for manufacturing. Initially unveiled in 2018, the Vision Ultimate Luxury was intended to compete with luxury SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Complexity and Cost Concerns
Reportedly, Mercedes admitted that the development of what the brand calls the SUS (Sports Utility Sedan) is on a hiatus because the car is too complex and expensive to build. Merc claims it has plenty of EVs on sale in China to cover all the important segments: “In order to reduce complexity, we have therefore decided not to continue the project of a China-specific additional vehicle based on the EVA2 architecture for the time being.”
Features of the Vision Ultimate Luxury Concept
The Vision Ultimate Luxury concept, which was planned to be a China-specific model, featured a powerful electric drivetrain with four electric motors generating a total of 750hp. It was designed to offer a range of around 500km on a single charge, powered by an 80kWh battery pack. However, Mercedes has decided to halt the development of this model indefinitely.
Mercedes-Maybach's Presence in India
While the Vision Ultimate Luxury won't see production, Mercedes-Maybach continues to offer luxury vehicles in various markets. In India, the brand offers the Maybach variants of the S-Class and the GLS, which have been well-received by buyers. Despite the discontinuation of the Vision Ultimate Luxury Mercedes-Maybach remains committed to providing luxurious and high-quality vehicles to its customers around the world.
Even though it was a bold and ambitious design, the Mercedes-Maybach Vision Ultimate Luxury was eventually unable to go into production due to many issues. But as evidenced by their current portfolio of automobiles which keeps raising the bar for luxury driving, Mercedes-Maybach's dedication to innovation and elegance is still strong.