Maybach 57S

The 57S – the S stands for Special – is Maybach's sports tuned version of the 57. Although the 57 and 62 were both designed with customers who chauffeur themselves around in mind, the 57S pampers those entrepreneurial do-it-yourself-ers that little bit extra. The main upgrade is the AMG-sourced 6.0L V12 under the hood, borrowed from the S65 AMG and producing an identical 604-hp, rather than the S600-based 5.5L V12 that lives in the 57. The chassis features stiffer settings for the Airmatic suspension, 0.6-inch-lower ride height, thicker anti-roll bars and 20-inch 11-spoke wheels. This is Maybach's answer to customer demands for a more involving driver's car, and the result is surprisingly good, but not remarkably so.Acceleration is impressive and smooth, without the brutal punch of the much less massive S-, CL- and SL-class Mercedes. Roll in the corners is abundant but not scary, and the recirculating-ball-steering is nicely weighted but rather dead. Inside, the S receives a perforated leather steering wheel, "piano black" and carbon-fiber interior trim, but is otherwise standard 57/62-understated-opulence fare. Whether it's worth paying more than double for the 57S rather than a 65-series AMG Mercedes is an easy decision me, but may not be so for you. - by Traian Popescu

See more: Maybach 57S Photos, Maybach 57S Technical Data