2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Exudes V12 Fabulousness No Matter Which Seat You're In

One of the hardest things about being an automotive journalist is when you get to drive a fancy new car with an extremely luxurious back seat, but you never actually get to be a rear passenger yourself. If we get a seven-day press car loan, no one is legally allowed to drive the cars but us. There have been many instances of me sitting alone in the back seat of a parked car, listening to music and trying out the massage functions, which is about as much as I can do for a review.

Sometimes first-drive events will at least include a chauffeured section so we get a chance to ride in the back ourselves, but those are usually brief. Luckily for the launch of the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680, the V12-powered version of the facelifted Maybach S-Class, the stars aligned in a way that you're getting a really in-depth review of this very consumer-focused new car from Jalopnik, your favorite car website. Because the program was running out of Beverly Hills, both myself and my colleague Logan Carter were able to do it — I played the role of driver, with Logan as my obviously well-off passenger.

Though Mercedes has discontinued the V12 in some other parts of the world due to emissions regulations, including its home country of Germany, here in the land of the free and home of the brave, the V12 still lives on in the Maybach S680. (It's still available in China, South Korea and the Middle East, all of which are huge markets for Maybach.) Twelve-cylinder luxury cars are even rarer now than they were a few years ago, and the updated S680 stands out not only compared to its lesser siblings, but in the automotive world as a whole. No matter what seat you're in, the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 is fabulous. -Daniel Golson

Full disclosure: Mercedes invited Logan and I to drive a couple of miles from our apartments to Beverly Hills so we could spend an afternoon driving the Maybach S680.

Logan Carter: The era of quiet automotive luxury or stealth wealth is long gone. Where Mercedes-Benz once made a name for itself by producing exceptionally well-engineered yet understated luxury cars, the brand's focus has shifted to more ostentatious, tech-first products, especially for the Mercedes-Maybach sub-brand. With cars like the Maybach SL Monogram Series and its array of hundreds of Maybach emblems, the company has set a course for the Instagram grids of hypebeasts and clout chasers everywhere. And you know what? I think the exterior of the new S680 is the best-looking car wearing all those coveted double-M badges, especially when compared to the standard S-Class.

I went to Hamburg, Germany, for the first drive of the facelifted 2027 S-Class earlier this year, and its bold looks were less compelling to me than the Maybach's. As much as I shudder to admit it, I think the Maybach S-Class's abundance of chrome works better with the extravagant three-pointed star daytime running lights. I'm also a sucker for the chromed Maybach-emblem grilles that adorn the lower front fascia, and of course the rather gauche V12 badges on the front fenders and the new V12 badge in the grille. Maybach's signature two-tone paint work also complements the in-your-face styling; while it may not be classically understated, it all comes together to form a car that's cohesive and fashionable.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Daniel Golson: Even though Mercedes changed more than half the car's components, the facelifted Maybach doesn't look that different from the outgoing model, but I agree that its updates are more successful than on its lowly Benz counterpart. As with the regular S-Class it has a larger waterfall grille with a black band surrounding it, connecting to the reshaped headlights. That's been a controversial detail on Mercedes' recent facelifts, but I think the black trim looks fine here and is helped by darker exterior specs. One thing I don't like are the slim camera pods on the front fenders, which look like an afterthought.

And I also love the repeating Maybach pattern in the bumper. I mean, I'm into basically all of the gaudy, extroverted aesthetic choices and options. In addition to the grille surround being illuminated, the Maybach lettering at the top of the grille is lit up, and you can get an illuminated three-pointed star hood ornament, too. Love that. There are a couple nice new wheel options, though I don't know why anyone would go for something that isn't a monoblock. Mercedes has also hugely expanded its Manufaktur customization options, so there are all sorts of new paint options and two-tone color schemes. I'd definitely go for something bright and in-your-face.

Even with the shoutier exterior refresh, and the Maybach's 7.1-inch stretch in wheelbase over a regular S-Class, this huge sedan still flies relatively under the radar, especially in the grey and black color scheme of our test car. And the V12 is even stealthier still. The only tells that you're rolling with twelve cylinders are the S680 badge on the trunk, the V12 badges on the front fenders, and the new V12 badge in the grille. I'd want to get rid of everything but the grille badge, and let the exhaust note speak for itself.

DG: And you will hear the S680's engine, whether sitting inside the well-insulated cabin or standing on the street as the car glides by. One thing that Logan and I unanimously agreed on early into the drive is that, while the "base" Maybach S580's twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 is surely wonderful, you simply must go for the S680 and its V12, and not just because of its distinctive rumble.

LC: Buyers of the handcrafted twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 that's wedged under the long splined hood of the new S-Class should note that despite its prodigious 621 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, its primary mission is to deliver the utmost in smoothness. The V12 may have 91 hp and 111 lb-ft more than the V8 in the S580, but it's nearly half a second slower from 0 to 60 mph, needing 4.3 seconds against the S580's 3.9 seconds. That's despite the V12 weighing 55 pounds less than the V8, coming in at 5,280 pounds. Once you move beyond that relatively strange truth and hear the distinctive starter motor crank and turn over the 12 cylinders with a subtly titillating snarl, you stop caring that it's slower.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

The only complaint I had as a passenger is the shudder caused every time the automatic start/stop system has to wake the hefty powerplant from its brief slumber in traffic, but fortunately it's easily turned off. Chalk that shudderiness up to the V12 lacking the V8's 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which makes start/stop a lot smoother and provides a boost of 23 hp and 151 lb-ft. The V12 is remarkably quiet under normal throttle application, and even when Daniel floored in Sport mode, it never even approached a crass or untoward volume. Funny enough, it makes a great impression of an electrified powertrain, which is probably the only way to make a luxury sedan any nicer than the S680 already is.

DG: From behind the wheel, I certainly don't care that it's slower, either. There is plenty of get up and go for when you need to whip around the city or pass some slower, lowlier cars on the freeway, and the engine and 9-speed automatic transmissions don't react too lazy to flooring it. This isn't a car I want to floor it in, though. As Logan said, the V12 powertrain is extremely refined, and it perfectly suits the Maybach's character.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

Yeah, the S680 would be improved with better start/stop operation — a plug-in-hybrid version of the V12 would rule — but I spent almost the whole afternoon in the Maybach drive mode, which turns the system off anyway and goes a few steps beyond the standard Comfort mode when it comes to wafting about. In Maybach mode the car starts in second gear, a classic Mercedes move, and it'll do fewer, smoother shifts in general. Throttle responses are softened, and the suspension is tuned to optimize comfort for the people in the back seats, specifically. Don't worry, it's still plenty comfortable for whoever's sitting up front.

You might think the Maybach S-Class feels basically the same as a regular S-Class from behind the wheel, but it doesn't. The ride is extremely comfortable even with these 21-inch wheels wearing summer tires, and the road-scanning E-Active Body Control air suspension uses car-to-X information from other Benzes on the roads to automatically adjust the dampers before any surface imperfections or potholes. The steering is even lighter than a normal S-Class while still being precise; this is a car that wants to be driving with the light touch of one fender, or quickly wheeled with a palm while honking at some idiot other driver. Not that a professional would do anything but drive with their hands at 9 and 3, of course. With the 21s the rear wheels will only turn at up to 4.5 degrees, but if you get 20-inchers then the rear-axle steering angle increases to 10 degrees. Either way, the Maybach is much easier to maneuver around town than its 215.9-inch length suggests.

LC: While I'm a fan of the interior, I'm less convinced by the interior redesign, which I also bemoaned in my review of the new S-Class. Every 2027 S-Class comes standard with the Superscreen, which is actually two rectangular screens behind the same slab of glass that are separated by massive black bezels, and it rubs me the wrong way. The tech integrated into the screens is pretty good, though I'd still prefer physical buttons over the almost exclusively touch-sensitive interface.

DG: The larger and wider 14.4-inch center screen is a definite upgrade over the pre-facelift's setup, and that size increase paired with the standing gauge cluster make it better than the Hyperscreen in the EQS, but the size and shape of the bezels are really annoying, and more noticeable than on the updated Maybach GLS. After seeing the seamless Superscreen in cars like the GLC and C-Class, this layout just feels old.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

What doesn't feel old is the new MB.OS infotainment system. The homepage view either presents a large navigation map or one of many configurable animated backdrops, with a number of widgets on the screen and an always-present bar at the bottom with commonly used climate controls, shortcuts to vehicle settings and the app view, and dedicated home and back buttons. The system is way smoother and faster than the old MBUX software, and it's a lot easier to use.

Other design changes for 2027 are fairly minimal, though the redesigned center console and its new pair of wireless charging pads is a good improvement over the old one. What'll really be appealing to customers are the dozens of new leather colors you can get through Manufaktur, and the possibilities for one-off specs. I'm really into the kaleidoscope quilting motif, which is formed by the shape of the Maybach logo, and with some of the fancier interior packages almost every single surface is covered in hand-stitched leather.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

LC: The front seats are supremely comfortable and naturally come complete with headrest-mounted pillows, ventilation, heating, and an array of massage functions. Daniel and I are both fans of the ones that vibrate the whole seat base, though some people find that to be too much.

As the front passenger seat I had my own dedicated touchscreen, which is still fairly novel, but I didn't find it especially useful during our drive. I was particularly perturbed by the fact that the more in-depth seat adjustment menu isn't accessible on the passenger screen, so I had to rather unceremoniously reach all the way across the cabin to the left side of the center infotainment screen to adjust my bolsters and lumbar. What if I strained my very expensive left arm?

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

One thing that won't strain any muscles, however, is adjusting the automatically positioning air vents. Sure you can reach forward and adjust them with your hands like you would in any other car, but here you can select an option on the touchscreen and the S680 positions them for you. Is it limited to the Maybach S-Class? No, and nor is it in any way necessary, but it sure is neat.

DG: The auto-positioning air vents were one of my favorite new features. I'm the kind of person who adjusts my air vents the same way in every car — I like air hitting my hands and my face — and then I never touch the vents or climate controls again, aside from the occasional increase or decrease in temperature or fan speed. I thought that I had positioned the car's vents in my ideal way, but when I tried out the automatic feature and picked the "upper body" setting, the robo vents adjusted perfectly. It is pretty cool to watch the vents move around by themselves, and I really love the new round design of the outboard vents in the dash. The center ring separately moves left and right and twists to turn off airflow, while the outer vent moves the whole thing up and down.

DG: I was your humble chauffeur all day, so my only back-seat experience in the S680 was the handful of minutes I spent taking photos for the review. You can get the Maybach S-Class with a three-across rear bench that still has fairly extensive adjustments, but you're really going to want the Executive Rear Seat package that replaces the bench with two individual seats separated by a center console running down the length of the car. Logan, I'll let you take it from here.

LC: Opening the S680's massive electrically assisted rear doors reveals the real reason that folks buy Maybachs: their cavernous and cosseting rear quarters. Once you settle into the cushy reclining thrones, any worries that may have been swirling in your brain simply disintegrate. The rear cabin is all but flawless so long as you're not quite as tall as I am at 6-foot-8. I have enough space with the back seats in their regular positions, but the right-rear seat's fully extended mode is simply not meant to accommodate someone with legs as long as my 40-inch inseam. I fit comfortably once I tucked my feet under the deployable footrest, though, and the front passenger seat did move far enough forward to give me some room.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

The least luxurious aspect of the S680's rear quarters is how long you have to press a finger on the front-most haptic seat adjustment button in order to enter the max recline setting for chauffeured driving. It's likely a safety feature, but while this may sound hilariously lame, it's hard to hold the button for the entire length of time it takes for the front passenger seat to slide forward and tuck its headrest down. Thankfully I survived that harrowing feat, and my concerns melted away like Beluga caviar when I turned on my calf massage.

Each outboard seat in the back of the S680 has its own removable smartphone-style remote to operate the 13.1-inch touchscreens mounted on the front seatback without even a modicum of strain. They felt a bit cheap and insubstantial in my hand, but they did the trick in controlling all of the various features and systems. You can adjust the rear air vents through the screen as well, so you won't have to do any sit-ups to adjust the airflow. The color-matched lumbar pillows are redundant but somehow entirely necessary, and the electronically opening center console is deliciously excessive. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the rear-seat refrigerator, complete with Maybach-branded silver-plated champagne flutes. Though I am not able to vouch for their functionality, they're really cool to play pretend with.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

DG: Don't forget the leather-wrapped tray tables that deploy from under the rear armrests, and the heated and cooled cupholders in the front half of the center console, not to mention the separate area to click the flutes in place. There are also tons of USB-C ports, plus an HDMI port so you can plug in a gaming console or Blu-Ray player. Add in the powered sunshades that almost completely block out the side windows (quarter windows included) and back window, the absurdly good 31-speaker Burmester 4D surround sound system with exciters in the seats, and the ambient lighting that pulses along with the music, and it's really hard to think of any cars that have better back-seat setups than a new Maybach.

Its biggest problem is that I've now experienced the Mercedes-Benz VLE, which has a large deployable theater screen in the back, similar to the one in BMW's 7 Series. I'm sure the next-gen S-Class will have a much more serious screen, but it's another case where the technology is starting to feel a bit behind. The S680's fittings are still a lot more advanced than what you're getting from Rolls-Royce or Bentley, though.

LC: If your priority is offering yourself and your passengers the most serene and pampering ride possible, the V12-powered Maybach S680 might be your best bet. I view Mercedes-Maybach as the entry-level ultra-luxury automaker, if there is such a thing, since its cars are based on already excellent Mercedes-Benz models. To some, that makes the Maybach S-Class not quite as special as its more unique British competitors, as the Bentley Flying Spur shares a platform with the Porsche Panamera (but doesn't look or feel at all like it), and the Rolls-Royce Ghost rides on a Rolls-specific architecture.

Those cars might be on another level of hand-built quality and luxury, but honestly, I don't think anyone who buys a new Maybach S680 will feel like they're missing out on anything. It provides an extraordinarily grand experience, and it looks more special than ever before.

DG: Not only does the Maybach feel special even when pitted against those fancier sedans, it's also a genuine bargain. We don't have pricing for the 2027 model yet, but it shouldn't be a massive jump from the pre-facelift 2026 model. Last year's V12-powered S680 cost $241,650 including destination, $37,000 more than the V8 Maybach S580 and around $105k more than a non-Maybach S580. Sure, that's a lot of dough, but the Maybach S680 does come with some features like power-closing doors and that fancy suspension that are optional on the S580. And like we've said, you're really gonna want the V12.

With options you'll be able to spec an S680 with an MSRP approaching (or touching) $300k, but it's still a good deal compared to the other luxobarges. A base-model Flying Spur with no options starts at more than $250,000, while the cheapest Ghost is over a hundred grand more expensive than that. Rolls-Royce still offers a V12 for now, but Bentley's W12 is no longer. Really, the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 is the sensible choice.