For those who were disappointed that the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet remained a concept, there’s a good news. I mean, Mercedes-Benz is offering an alternative solution, and it’s called the Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series. It is based on, you guessed it, the 7th gen (R232) SL, more specifically, the SL 63 4Matic+, with a base price of €255,850 in Germany. Compared with the “regular” SL 63, you’ll be paying €59,709 more.
So, what do you get for all those extra Euros? Well, as you can probably tell, oodles and oodles of gaudy chrome. There was a time when chrome garnishes implied “premiumness”, but that era has long gone. These days, it’s all about dark editions and dechroming. Personally, chrome is not my thing. But anyway, besides way too much chrome, the bonnet features a pattern full of Maybach logos, created using something called the PixelPaint process. No, it’s not a wrap. First, the bonnet receives a base coat and an initial clear coat, which is then sanded by hand. It is then printed with the Maybach pattern using the new PixelPaint process. The bonnet is then coated twice more with clearcoat and sanded by hand until the final clearcoat finish is applied. In total, the bonnet receives four coats of clear lacquer and three sanded coats.
Inspired by an inkjet printer, this painting technology enables customised patterns and designs to be applied directly to the bodywork with incredible precision. The print head has more than 1,000 nozzles, each of which can be controlled individually. They can apply drops of paint at a microscopic size of 20 to 50 microns at a speed of over 1,000 drops per second. The extremely precise colour application means that no spray mist is produced.
The SL Monogram Series is available in two design themes: “White Ambience” and “Red Ambience”, both featuring obsidian black metallic on the bonnet. Both models ride on 21-inch forged wheels, available in a five-hole or multi-spoke design.
While the exterior may look gaudy and borderline tasteless, the interior manages to look plush and 2x luxurious compared with the SL 63, thanks to crystal white Nappa leather upholstery and Maybach branding.
While there aren’t any mechanical changes, Mercedes says that the Monogram features Maybach-specific valves for damper hydraulics and softer steel springs that enable the suspension to respond even more sensitively. The accelerator response has been made softer in Comfort and Maybach driving modes.
The 4.0L V8 biturbo motor pumps out the same 430 kW (585 metric hp) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft). The engine is coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission and the 4Matic+ AWD system. The official 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time is 4.1 seconds, which is 0.5 seconds slower than the SL 63, while the top speed is 260 km/h (161.5 mph), slower by 55 km/h (34 mph).
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