LA Auto Show 2019

Look out Bentley, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is coming for your Bentayga customers

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Nov 21, 2019, 7:16 pm

Mercedes has introduced a new, high-end SUV that should make Bentley shake in their boots.

Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

For when a $126,000 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 just won't do, there's a new, even higher priced and more luxurious model for buyers to consider, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.

The model takes the look and feel of a high-class sedan and combines it with the family and celebrity hauling capability of a three-row SUV. At the front of the SUV is a grille featuring fine, vertical chrome struts. Chrome extends around the sides of the vehicle highlighting the side windows. There are also chrome sill panels.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS The model features a fresh take on the signature Mercedes-Maybach grille. Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

GLS 600 rides on the buyer's choice of 22- or 23-inch wheels. The SUV's tailpipe trim features a small cross rib to remind those sitting in L.A. traffic that they're sitting behind any not just any SUV. A two-tone paint job is available in eight different combinations.

Mercedes has given the SUV electronically extending running boards that deploy in about one second. However, should this be too quick for the owner, the timing can be controlled via the car's MBUX infotainment system.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS engine Mercedes has developed a new 4.0-liter V8 engine to power the model. Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

The SUV is propelled by a newly developed 4.0-liter V8 engine that achieves 550 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. It features a 48-volt EQ Boost system, which helps propel the SUV at the start making it more fuel efficient. The system also gives the SUV extra oomph temporarily by way of an additional 184 pound-feet of torque and up to 21 horsepower. That boost gets it from zero to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.

The GLS 600 comes standard with all-wheel drive.

Inside the cabin, there are high-quality appointments at every turn. The dashboard is finished in Nappa leather but if that's not good enough, richer materials are available. Chrome-lock louvres sit inside the air vents while the leather-lined instrument panel keeps luxury in front of the driver. The model features the buyer's choice of high-gloss or open-pore wood trim elements.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 The luxurious auto features the latest in Mercedes-Benz infotainment technology.Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Interior upholstery is available in Nappa Magma Grey/Black or Nappa Mahogany Brown/Macchiato Beige combinations. The same color combinations are also available with the standard Designo Leather package. A Crystal White/Silver Grey Pearl color option will be available in the future.

Drivers can choose from Sport, Progressive, Discreet, or Maybach Classic display modes for the instrument cluster, which is divided into three separate zones. The model features rose instrument bezels.

A 12.3-inch infotainment display is standard. A touchpad in the center console controls many of the vehicle's creature comforts and convenience features. The console features two leather-covered grab handles, climate controlled cup holders, and a handset with a Maybach emblem.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 The SUV was built for those who have a chauffeur.Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

There is a panoramic sunroof with an opaque blind. The SUV also has a standard Burmester High-End 3D Surround Sound System with 27 high performance speakers and 24 separate amplifier channels.

LED lights are integrated into the door panels and in the middle of the rear seat. They surround the 7-inch MBUX rear tablet, which can control of many of the vehicle's interior functions, and the panoramic roof.

Mercedes has designed the GLS to be comfortable and practical as either a people-hauler or an office space. Its cabin features some of the finest creature comforts money can buy in a SUV. Digital devices are integrated into every seat in the Executive Rear thanks to high-resolution touch screen displays.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 The SUV has a finely appointed interior with seats that specialize in comfort.Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

The SUV seats four of five, depending on how the buyer configures it. Four-seat models have a fixed console between the rear seats. The car's long wheelbase allows for gobs of legroom and a true chauffeured vehicle experience.

There is a standard massage system for the rear Executive seats and the two front seats. It delivers to ten pressure points in each backrest, which can be combined with heating elements for the Mercedes version of a hot stone massage. Front seats have an additional four pressure points for additional massaging possibilities.

With all the refinement, Mercedes hasn't neglected the ride or drive quality of the model, equipping it with the latest in curve control, drive mode, and a chauffeur mode that features flat acceleration curve, transmission tuning for fewer shifts, a second-gear start, and no stop-start functionality.

Mercedes equips the model with a long list of standard safety and driver assistance technology including:

  • Active Distance Assist Distronic
  • Active Speed Limit Assist
  • Traffic Sign Assist
  • Route-based speed adjustment
  • Active Steering Assist with Active Lane Change Assist and "emergency corridor" functions
  • Evasive Steering Assist
  • Active Lane Keeping Assist
  • Active Blind Spot Assist with exit warning
  • Active Brake Assist with turning maneuver function and cross-traffic function
  • Pre-Safe Plus

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is made exclusively in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, home of the University of Alabama. It is expected to go on sale at the end of 2020 and cost around $200,000 though pricing has yet to be confirmed.

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New Car

Meet Artura: McLaren's first series-production high-performance hybrid supercar debuts

The McLaren Artura is a new hybrid supercar.

Photo courtesy of McLaren

The McLaren Artura is the company's first series-production high-performance hybrid supercar and, like everything else McLaren does, they're not letting the natural forces of the Earth get into the way of a good time behind the wheel.

It's more than just a modern car. The Arturo is a way forward for McLaren. It's built on the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, a new platform that allows for engaging drive dynamics and a hybrid powertrain.

The car is designed to have a low-nose, cab-forward, high-tail stance. It has dihedral doors, a short wheelbase, and low stance. McLaren describes the car as looking "almost 'shrink-wrapped''.

Mclaren Artura The Artura is ready for the track or street.Photo courtesy of McLaren

Mclaren Artura

The Artura's powertrain features a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that is paired with an electric motor and 7.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The power supply produces 671 brake horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Up to 166 pound-feet of torque is available instantaneously, at the push of a throttle. That gets the car from zero to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, zero to 124 mph in 8.3 seconds, and zero to 186 mph in 21.5 seconds.

The Artura's lithium-ion battery consists of five modules that are refrigerant called using cooling rails. The assembly is bolted onto the rear base of the monocoque. The car delivers 19 miles of all-electric range.

Owners charge the vehicle via a plug-in hybrid power outlet. It can be charged to an 80 percent level in just 2.5 hours with a standard cable. Batteries can harvest power from the V6 while the car is operational. That harvesting is tailored depending on the drive mode selected.

An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard. It pairs with McLaren's first electronic differential. It has an upgraded electro-hydraulic steering and Proactive Damping Control, which are deigned to enhance agility, stability, and dynamic performance.

McLaren Artura

McLaren Artura plug

Photo courtesy of McLaren

The total weight of all hybrid components is 287 pounds (194-pound battery pack and a 34-pound electric motor). The car has a dry weight of 3,075 and a wet weight of 3,303 pounds. That all-in weight is on-par with other supercars that aren't hybrids.

Four Powertrain models, including an E-mode for all-electric driving, Comfort mode for range and efficiency, Sport for more aggressive driving, and Track for premium performance. Separate handling mode choices adjust damper firmness and the degree of Electronic Stability Control intervention to suit driver preference and weather and road conditions. Drivers can choose Powertrain and Handling modes via a steering wheel control without their hands leaving the wheel.

The car's wheels are wrapped in next-gen Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires. The Cyber Tires generate real-time data and relay it to the car's stability control systems to optimize tire performance.

The interior sports standard power-adjustable seats and Homelink. Vehicle nose lift, power folding mirrors, carbon ceramic brakes, and soft close doors are also standard.

U.S. customers get standard power-adjustable heated Comfort Seats with memory. They can upgrade to new Clubsport seats that deliver the support of a bucket seat with a moveable backrest. The car's structure means that a 97.5th percentile (6ft 4in) driver can fit behind the wheel.

There are three further core specifications: Performance, which has a sporting, functional aesthetic; TechLux, where the focus is on the technical luxury that the name suggests; and Vision, which displays a more avant-garde and adventurous look and feel.

McLaren presents the Artura with a completely new interior featuring control buttons on the steering wheel, a new 8-inch high-definition infotainment touch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Two high-definition screens include an interface that is built on all-new software. A stealth mode on the main binnacle hides non-essential content on the screens.

The vehicle is capable of over-the-air updates.

McLaren is equipping the car with a number of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, auto high-beam assist, and road sign recognition.

McLaren backs the Artura with a five-year new vehicle warranty, six-year battery warranty, and 10-year body warranty.

The McLaren Artura is priced to start at $225,000. The first deliveries of the car will commence in the third quarter of 2021.

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Parts

Jeep offers new, factory-backed half-door option for two- and four-door Wranglers

The Jeep Wrangler Dual-Door Group offers factory-backed half-door comfort, style, and safety.
Photo courtesy of Stellantis

Jeep Wrangler owners who want an open-air experience but don't want the complete doors-off look have a new from-the-factory option. Jeep Performance Parts and Mopar have worked together to create new half-doors for the iconic SUV.

The new Jeep Wrangler Dual-Door Group features two factory engineered, tested, and backed half-door options that offer owners the option to have production-level styling, security, and occupancy protection in addition to improved visibility.

Available for both two- and four-door Jeep Wrangler models through the Mopar Custom Shop, as part of an original new-vehicle purchase in the U.S. and Canada, the new Jeep Wrangler Dual-Door Group includes both full and half doors. Full-steel production doors are installed on the vehicle while matching body-color half doors are packaged within the vehicle.

    Jeep Wrangler Dual-Door Group

    Jeep Wrangler Dual-Door Group

    Photo courtesy of Stellantis

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    With production-level materials and build quality, new half doors are designed to work when equipped with any of the following features: power mirrors, blind-spot detection, passive and non-passive entry handles, and power locks. A quick and easy swap from full doors to half doors can be accomplished within minutes using the existing hinge locations and the exact same wiring connections.

    The newly developed upper-window assemblies are designed to have a weather-tight sealant feature zippered plastic windows. Two materials are offered for the assemblies: base-model vinyl that matches the production soft-top roof or premium acrylic that matches the premium soft-top roof.

    Each upper-door frame section uses an easy, tool-free, dual-guide post feature for easy installation and removal.

    The Dual-Door Group is now available on two- and four-door Jeep Wrangler Sport, Rubicon; Sahara, Rubicon 392, and 4xe models. Factory-option pricing for the U.S.s tarts at $2,350 for the two-door's Dual-Door Group with base-model upper-window assembles while the four-door costs $3,995. Checking the box for the more premium version of the upper-window assemblies moves the price tag up to $2,550 for the two-door and $4,395 for the four-door.

    Warranty coverage for each Dual-Door Group option is included as part of the new-vehicle warranty of three years/36,000 miles.

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