Upcoming Maybach GLS will be the Most Expensive Car Made in USA
Mercedes will use the platform of the the upcoming, third-generation GLS-Class to develop an ultra-luxury SUV for the Maybach sub-brand.
According to a report by Urvaksh Karkaria of Automotive News, the Maybach GLS SUV will be priced at around $200,000 when it is launched. Furthermore, it will be produced at Mercedes’ assembly plant in Vance, Alabama. This will make the Maybach GLS the most expensive car that is made in America. At present, that designation belongs to the Acura NSX sports car, which has a price of $157,500.
The design of the Maybach GLS will be inspired by the 2018 Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept. The production version is expected to get a 560 horsepower V8 engine.
On paper, the Maybach GLS will compete with the Bentley Bentayga, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the Range Rover SVAutobiography, the Lamborghini Urus and the upcoming Aston Martin DBX.
Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce are a part of the so-called “ultra-luxury segment” and the executives working at Mercedes are aspiring to make the Maybach brand a credible alternative to these already-established nameplates (primarily Rolls-Royce and Bentley).
At present, the Maybach brand sells one series-production car only: the Maybach S-Class. Majority of the customers of this sedan are based in China and the Asian country is highly likely to be the largest market for the Maybach GLS as well.