Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday unveiled a very different kind of EV concept for its Maybach ultra-luxury sub-brand.
The Project Maybach concept is an off-road coupe designed in partnership with the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who died earlier this week at the age of 41. The posthumously revealed concept combines exaggerated coupe proportions with Mad Max-style design elements.
Looking a bit like an evolution of the all-electric Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept the brand showed back in 2016, the Project Maybach coupe is over 19 feet long, but still only a two-seater. Much of that length is taken up by a long transparent hood, under which sit solar panels.
Mercedes-Benz Project Maybach concept
The massive grille is typical luxury-coupe fare, but we're not used to seeing a raised ride height, bolt-on fender flares, and a tubular roof rack and light bar on a car like this. A rugged post-apocalyptic aesthetic is proving popular for luxury EVs, though. Just look at the Tesla Cybertruck and GMC Hummer EV pickups.
Mercedes also isn't the only one playing with long-hood proportions. Audi recently showed its Skysphere electric sports-car concept with a similar long-hooded silhouette. The Skysphere is one of three "sphere" concepts developed by Audi's Artemis team, which was established in 2020 and aims to accelerate EV development.
For now, the Project Maybach concept lays out another potential shape for over-the-top luxury in Mercedes' future—alongside the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV that might be built in the United States. Preveiwed by a concept unveiled at the 2021 Munich auto show, the Maybach EQS will likely be based on the upcoming Mercedes EQS SUV, which will be a high-riding counterpart to the EQS sedan now arriving to the U.S.
