Why Does This Maybach 62S Cost $500,000

The Maybach isn't the most expensive car in the world , but it is the highest-price line of autos made by Mercedes-Benz . The 62S model of the Maybach — the automaker's answer to the Rolls-Royce and Bentley — costs 8 million Hong Kong dollars (about US$1 million) . And that's without extras . But the biggest reason for its high price is the Hong Kong luxury tax , about 50% in this Chinese territory . In the U.S. , the car costs about $459,000 . Even so , we found that as luxury cars go , the Maybach doesn't offer much beyond what other cars in this category offer , save for a couple of features . The Maybach received a facelift last year , and small changes were made to the exterior , including a larger chrome-radiator grille in front , more aerodynamic mirrors , new wheels — with 12-spoke 20-inch alloy hubcaps painted in a sterling silver color for the Maybach 52S and 62S — and daytime LED driving headlights (daytime driving lights are mandatory on cars sold in the European Union ; but experts disagree on whether they cut down on the rate of traffic fatalities) . Of all the Maybach models available in Hong Kong , the 62S has the most powerful engine . Oh, and the “S” stands for “special.”

The 62S was a popular Christmas gift among Hong Kongers , according to the dealership , and all 60 of its available models sold out in eight months . Now , there is an eight-month waiting list for the car .

At the Maybach dealership in Hong Kong — a decked-out space with a terrace overlooking Repulse Bay and an open bar — senior manager Karin Hoo explains why the car costs seven figures . 

More colors : Buyers can choose from 18 different exterior colors, including the newest Maybach “New Bahamas Blue” (a dark sky blue) . That’s four more than the standard number offered in Mercedes Benz models . Of course , as with all luxury cars , the Maybach can be painted any color under the rainbow for an extra fee . Sheepskin interiors : High-grade nappa-leather interiors are standard and each seat is upholstered with a single piece of uncut hide . Buyers choose between two colors : black or white.

Back-seat recliner : Most Maybach owners rarely sit in the front seat of their car ; they have chauffeurs . Fashioned after first-class airplane seating , the Maybach back seat reclines to a nearly flat position and comes with a leg rest and tray table on the side “That’s why they call the Maybach a ‘jet on wheels,’” Ms. Hoo says . The back seat has 84.5 centimeters of legroom .

Perfume atomizer : Forget about those paper air fresheners that hang on the rearview mirror . Each Maybach 62S is fitted with a perfume atomizer — built into the air-conditioning vent . That’s guaranteed not to stain the fine leather interior or your (no doubt) bespoke or haute couture clothing , of course . Swiss flavor and scent manufacturer Givaudan custom-blended two scents just for the Maybach : a citrus-y green tea and more-masculine agarwood . 

An extra meter : Most Mercedes S-series models are roughly five meters long ; the Maybach 62S — as its name denotes — is 6.2 meters. “We name the car in the same way boats are named after their length,” Ms. Hoo says .

A glass roof : With the press of a button, the glass roof changes from opaque to clear to let in more light (it’s made from a liquid-crystal membrane of conductive polymer plastic , and an electric current in the crystals changes the view). Another button triggers a cover to close over the glass roof completely .

Lighting : Turn on the side LED lights , along the edge of the window , for softer interior lighting . “The idea is to have just the right ambience the owner prefers,” Ms. Hoo says .

Engine : With a 12-cylinder, 630-horsepower engine , the Maybach 62S can hit 100 kilometers an hour in just five seconds (that’s a second faster than most luxury sports cars) . It can hit a maximum speed of 250 kilometers an hour . The Maybach name , in fact, comes from engineer Wilhelm Maybach , who designed the engines of the first Mercedes .

2011 Maybach 62 S

Entertainment system : Two 9.5-inch flat-screen monitors are installed in the back of the front seats . The monitors can play DVDs or connect to the Internet through the car’s built-in WLAN wireless connection . Sound is surround : 21 speakers, designed by Bose , are strategically placed throughout the car for what Ms. Hoo calls “concert-hall quality.” And everything is controlled via a center console with a remote control in the back and front seats . Customizable add-ons : “Each Maybach is meant to be bespoke , and personalized to the customer’s own preferences,” Ms. Hoo says . Ask and you shall receive , the dealership says , from adding your family crest to the seats to installing a minibar in the back . But there isn’t a list of “extras” from which to choose — it’s up to the customer to ask. Previous add-ons have included the family crests etched onto the glass , fax machines and cigar humidors .

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