Mercedes-Benz and Maybach make a splash with three model unveilings as the company says goodbye to the AMG GT while also adding even more luxury to the SL droptop and the S680 luxury sedan.
Mercedes and Maybach stormed Monterey Car Week with three new models.
Monterey Car Week and Mercedes-Benz often go hand in hand with the company using the prestigious event to debut new models or perhaps a shiny concept to wow the crowds at the event. This year was no different with the German car giant using the 2024 Monterey Car Week festivities to shine a spotlight on Maybach with a pair of new models while also saying goodbye to the AMG GT with one last hurrah, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 130Y Motor Sport Edition.
Maybach brings the bling with pair of new models
Two of them are new additions to the Maybach lineup, the SL 680 Monograph series and the S680 Nordic Glow.
Maybach was eager to impress this year and the luxury sub-brand within Mercedes chose to bring two new models to the event. The first of these is the SL 680 Monogram Series which dropped its top in the Monterey sunshine. The SL 680 was first teased two years ago and Mercedes-Maybach says it’s “the sportiest model in Maybach brand history.” A two-tone paint job defines this special model with Obsidian Black being applied over either Garnet Red or White Mango paint. Both colors feature an interior that’s slathered in Crystal White Nappa Leather and chrome trim for the interior. Other Maybach goodies include a large chrome slatted grille, rose gold accents in the headlights, and chrome trim for the windows and windshield surrounds.
21-inch wheels are also standard with the model either getting a monoblock design or an optional multi-spoke arrangement. Performance for the SL 680 comes from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 577 hp and is paired to a nine-speed automatic with the power being routed to all four wheels through the standard all-wheel-drive system. This same powertrain is also used in Maybach’s other new offering the S680 Edition Nordic Glow. Designed for traditionalists who still want a pinch of style in their Maybach purchase. Buyers will get a stately four-door sedan with two-tone Northern Lights Violet and Moonlight Metallic with Rose Gret Nappa Leather and Dark Walnut wood trim. The Executive Rear Seat Plus Package comes standard in this model which also adds heated and cooled cupholders for drink duties. Unlike the SL, the Nordic Glow will be a much rarer breed of luxury with Maybach only planning to build 50 of these sedans which it will sell through a small number of dealerships with each one starting at $339,000.
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Goodbye AMG GT you will be missed
The third is a new version of the AMG-GT GT3 racer with AMG only building 13 examples as it wraps up production of the GT.
The final model that Mercedes-Benz unveiled was the Mercedes-AMG GT3 130Y Motorsport Edition which will be the last AMG GT model ever made. The model is celebrating the company’s 130th anniversary in racing and it will be limited to only 13 examples before the company ends production. Unlike other GT3s, this one was not homologated and as a result the engineers were allowed to go all out in extracting as much performance as possible. That’s evident when you look at the bodywork which shares its core DNA with a standard GT3 but also goes off in its own unique direction. The engine loses its air restrictor and gets a new exhaust system while the aero kit is reworked to provide more downforce. The rear wing is also movable and allows the car to reach a top speed of 196 mph.
Helping make those speeds possible is the reworked naturally aspirated 6.3-liter V8 which makes 671 hp and allows the car to be the most powerful GT3 ever built by AMG. A prominent catch here is that since the car was not formally homologated to the 130Y series, these 13 cars will be excluded from the eligibility pool. However, Mercedes Benz will make up for that by giving all 13 buyers plenty of track-related gear including personalized race gear from Puma and a custom helmet supplied by Pell. Pricing wasn’t released but expect it to be reflective of the car’s target audience.
Flip side of the same record; back in the 50s cars had white roofs (for styling and to reduce sun-load); now the roofs are black for styling and because we all have AC that costs nothing to operate.