New Mercedes-Maybach GLS: Refined Luxury SUV for 2026
Since 2019, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS has defined the top end of the luxury SUV segment, combining craftsmanship, presence and exceptional ride comfort. In a year marking 140 years of the automobile and 105 years of Maybach, the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS builds on this legacy with fresh refinements to its design, comfort, digital experience and driving dynamics. The model stays true to Wilhelm Maybach's enduring maxim, striving to create the very best from the very best. Customers in China can already order the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS, and order books open in the US and Europe at the end of July 2026, with further markets to follow.
A more expressive design strengthens the vehicle's distinctive appearance. Inside, new materials, extra comfort features and enhanced acoustic measures create a refined environment that feels unmistakably Maybach. A new electrified eight-cylinder engine delivers more power and a sharper throttle response, while preserving the serenity and composure that Maybach owners expect.
Markus Bauer, Head of Mercedes-Maybach at Mercedes-Benz AG, said: "With the new Mercedes‑Maybach GLS, we have elevated the character of our luxury SUV with even greater refinement. It combines effortless power with commanding presence. Every detail has been shaped to enhance comfort and serenity – in a way that feels unmistakably Maybach."
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 records a combined energy consumption of 13.7 to 13.3 litres per 100km, combined CO2 emissions of 312 to 304g/km, and falls into CO2 class G2.
A new Maybach-specific radiator grille commands attention with an illuminated outline, and for the first time, subtly illuminated MAYBACH lettering sits within the grille frame. In selected markets, the upright Mercedes-Benz star atop the bonnet also glows softly. Rose-gold details adorn the double-star Digital Light headlamps, adding a further layer of distinction.
Engineers have perfected every detail, right down to the 23-inch forged wheels. Each wheel carries a centre-mounted Mercedes-Benz star that stays perfectly upright at all times. A precision ball-bearing mechanism lets the star self-level using gravity, so it maintains vertical alignment as the wheel rotates.
The new electrified V8 biturbo engine delivers power without drama and silence without compromise, offering a more powerful driving experience alongside greater efficiency and serenity. A revised steering system with a more direct ratio brings new precision, agility and responsiveness to every journey.
Built on the new, standard-fit Airmatic air suspension, E-Active Body Control reads and reacts to every driving situation 1,000 times per second, neutralising roll, pitch and lift with precision. In Curve mode, the GLS leans into corners by up to three degrees, reducing lateral forces for every occupant and creating a remarkably fluid driving experience.
The electric running boards of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS extend with effortless grace the moment a door opens, reaching full extension in under one second. At night, an LED strip illuminates the step while the vehicle projects a Maybach emblem onto the ground, creating a quiet ceremony of arrival. As the door closes, the boards retreat seamlessly into the sill.
A new Maybach-specific two-tone paint finish in dark petrol non-metallic and verde silver metallic joins the exclusive exterior palette, making an elegant, contemporary statement.
The latest MBUX generation transforms the digital experience into something deeply personal, intelligent and unmistakably Maybach, thanks to Maybach-specific graphics, an enhanced Zero Layer and the MBUX Virtual Assistant powered by generative AI. Over-the-air updates ensure the driving experience evolves.
The new Mercedes-Maybach GLS dedicates itself to wellbeing in every seat. The front seats now offer a newly developed vibration massage in the seat cushions. At the same time, the rear Executive Seats introduce a further refinement: a new massage function that, for the first time in the GLS, extends to the calves.
Even more expressive design options enrich the interior, including new Maybach Exclusive Nappa leather in beech brown and macchiato beige, plus two new decorative trim elements: brown open-pore V-groove walnut wood and an exclusive high-gloss silver-and-black diamond-patterned mixed fabric.
MB.Drive Assist Pro helps drivers navigate city streets with advanced SAE-Level 2 assistance, turning the complexity of dense urban traffic into an effortless experience. The system launches first in China, followed by the US.
The redesigned front of the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS conveys even greater status and presence through precision and design quality. At its centre sits the redesigned, Maybach-specific radiator grille, its illuminated outline creating a distinctive signature. For the first time on a GLS, the MAYBACH lettering glows subtly within the grille frame, and in selected markets, the upright Mercedes-Benz star on the bonnet illuminates too, adding a further touch of distinction.
The Maybach-specific headlamps sharpen the front appearance further. They feature refined rose-gold accents, a Maybach emblem and ambient lighting that runs along the sides of the star modules and across the transition between the headlamps and the grille frame. A sleek black panel visually connects the headlamps and grille frame into one cohesive design, while chrome finishes the Maybach pattern within the air intakes. The new bumper gives the front a more assertive, refined stance, and a Maybach-specific chrome-wrapped underbody protection panel adds a further distinctive element.
At the rear, a redesigned tailgate with an elegant design panel visually connects the new taillights into a single statement, emphasising the vehicle's width and presence. Three-dimensional star motifs, each framed in chrome, characterise the taillights and underscore the unmistakable Maybach identity.
New paint colours expand the possibilities for personalisation. Dark petrol non-metallic, Manufaktur Patagonia red metallic and the exclusive two-tone finish in dark petrol non-metallic and Verde Silver metallic all join the Maybach palette.
The Manufaktur programme offers a wide range of personalisation and craftsmanship options, letting customers make their Maybach truly their own. Almost every Maybach customer chooses at least one Manufaktur option, highlighting the growing demand for personalisation in the top-end segment. The extended Manufaktur portfolio is available for the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS from launch, including exclusive leather interior packages with full leather appointments that even cover the roof liner. Craftspeople in the Sindelfingen Manufaktur produce the roof liner, the largest component made there, with a single craftsperson stitching each one entirely by hand and bringing their own individual signature. They combine up to 20 precisely cut leather sections to create a flawless finish. In 2026, the roof liner became the most popular and most requested component among Maybach customers, underlining how much this segment values craftsmanship and detail.
A new 22-inch light-alloy wheel in the characteristic 20-hole design expands the wheel portfolio. In contrast, the 23-inch forged wheels feature a centre-mounted three-pointed star engineered to remain upright, proving that no detail is ever too small to perfect on a Maybach. A precision ball-bearing mechanism lets the star self-level using gravity and maintain its vertical alignment as the wheel rotates, remaining unwavering and composed like a compass that always finds true north.
Even boarding becomes an experience on the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. The electric running boards extend smoothly into position in under one second when a door opens. Anodised aluminium surfaces them, with non-slip black rubber inserts and a chrome Maybach emblem finishing the design. At night, an integrated LED strip illuminates the step while the vehicle projects a Mercedes-Maybach pattern onto the ground, and the boards retract seamlessly into the sill as the doors close.
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS Night Series creates a world entirely of its own, with a brooding elegance. Dark chrome elements at the front and along the flanks create a more understated, technical look, and dark anodised aluminium finishes the electrically extending running boards. Exclusive 23-inch light-alloy wheels in a seven-spoke design feature inserts with the Maybach pattern. Exterior finish options include obsidian black metallic, Manufaktur opalite white bright, Manufaktur opalite white magno, and the exclusive two-tone finish in obsidian black metallic and mojave silver metallic. Inside, black combined with black pearl Nappa leather creates a dark, immersive ambience, while crystal white with black pearl accents offers stronger contrast. A refined herringbone décor and silver pilasters in open-pore brown walnut wood complete the crafted interior.
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS serves as a highly refined retreat. New design elements, additional comfort features and enhanced acoustic measures elevate the interior experience further, making every journey more relaxed, comfortable and immersive while creating a sense of calm and wellbeing for all occupants.
A redesigned cockpit with the new MBUX Superscreen sits at the centre of this refinement, blending digital elegance seamlessly with handcrafted luxury. In its Maybach-specific design, the display features rose-gold dials that cast reflections across the surface like light shining through fine jewellery. Between the two rings, a gold-coloured Maybach emblem rests in quiet dignity, set against a delicately textured backdrop in gold, rose gold and black that sets a tone of composed opulence.
New illuminated air vents integrate visually into the glazed surface on either side of the MBUX Superscreen. Their design replaces conventional fins with freely moving gondolas that direct airflow precisely while adding to the sculptural appearance of the instrument panel.
The new Mercedes-Maybach GLS remains profoundly dedicated to the wellbeing of every occupant. The multi-contour front seats now offer a newly developed vibration massage in the seat cushions, ensuring driver and front passenger arrive at every destination feeling entirely restored. In the rear, the two Executive Seats introduce a new massage function that, for the first time, extends to the calves, because no part of the body should go unattended.
New Maybach Exclusive Nappa leather upholstery in beech brown and macchiato beige adds warmth and depth to the interior. Two new decorative trim elements further enrich the personalisation options: brown open-pore V-groove walnut wood and an exclusive high-gloss silver-and-black diamond-patterned mixed fabric. Positioned between the rear seats, they conceal the door to the glass-fronted refrigerated compartment, which holds two 0.75-litre champagne bottles and reinforces the lounge-like character of the rear compartment.
The enhanced Burmester 3D Surround Sound System with Dolby Atmos now includes two additional rear surround speakers, combined with a more powerful 710-watt amplifier. This brings the total to 15 speakers and expands the acoustic range within the cabin, creating an even richer sound experience for all passengers.
An advanced multi-stage filtration system renews the interior air approximately every 90 seconds, ensuring every occupant breathes exceptionally pure air at all times. At its centre, an electric filter ionises fine dust particles. It works alongside a pre-filter that captures larger particles before they enter the cabin, and the interior filter also stays active in recirculation mode.
Additional insulation measures further improve the acoustic comfort of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. A high-quality non-woven material lines the transmission tunnel and engine bulkhead, while a specially developed heavy mat on the engine cover reduces high-frequency combustion noise. Acoustic foam in selected bodyshell cavities shields the cabin further from engine, road and wind noise, creating a realm of extraordinary serenity.
The latest evolution of the electrified eight-cylinder engine, the M177 EVO, works together with the ISG 2.0 to deliver 450kW plus a 17kW boost and 850Nm of torque, output comparable to the 12-cylinder engine while meeting the refinement standards Maybach demands. It responds more quickly to accelerator inputs, runs more efficiently and delivers power more smoothly than before, combining assured performance with a notably refined character.
At the heart of the new V8 engine sits the second-generation integrated starter generator, a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that fills every gap in power delivery with seamless, instantaneous precision, enabling coasting, recuperation and an almost imperceptible start-stop function. Two newly added Lanchester balance shafts reduce vibration further, giving the Mercedes-Maybach GLS an even more refined driving experience that harmoniously combines serenity, efficiency and effortless power. The dedicated Maybach driving programme within Dynamic Select, developed specifically for supreme ride comfort, elevates this further.
A revised steering system with a more direct ratio provides greater precision, agility and responsiveness on every journey, whether navigating grand boulevards or winding country roads. Steering feel becomes more immediate, handling more intuitive, and the overall driving experience more composed and assured.
The new Airmatic air suspension introduces intelligent, predictive damping designed to enhance comfort, particularly for rear passengers. Using real-time Car-to-X information from Mercedes-Benz vehicles ahead via the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud, the system reads the road surface in advance and adjusts accordingly.
The optional E-Active Body Control uses five multi-core processors and more than 20 sensors to analyse and react to driving situations 1,000 times per second. By individually controlling spring and damper forces at each wheel, it reduces roll, pitch and lift. In Curve mode, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS leans into corners by up to three degrees, significantly reducing lateral forces for every occupant.
Built on the Airmatic air suspension as its fully load-bearing foundation, the system maintains ride height regardless of load or terrain. In the dedicated Offroad programme, rocking mode automatically and rhythmically raises and lowers the vehicle to help free it from deep sand or mud by alternating tyre pressure to restore traction. Operating on a 48-volt network, E-Active Body Control also recuperates electrical energy, with four 48-volt motor-pump units, one at each wheel, coordinated by a central control unit.
Powered by the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, MB.OS, the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS continuously evolves through software. The system combines artificial intelligence and advanced processing architecture with permanent connectivity to the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud. Through over-the-air updates, the vehicle stays up to date over time, and owners can add new features and personalisation options after purchase, tailoring the digital experience even further to its occupants.
The new generation of MBUX centres on the standard MBUX Superscreen, which combines three 12.3-inch displays beneath one continuous glass surface. The MBUX Zero Layer brings key information and recommendations into direct view. At the same time, a configurable footer bar and the ability to arrange and name personal app folders make the experience more individual. Owners can currently install more than 40 apps across categories including audio, video, productivity and entertainment, and the portfolio keeps expanding.
The MBUX Virtual Assistant goes far beyond a voice command system, acting as a conversational companion of genuine intelligence. Drawing on the capabilities of Microsoft and Google, including ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing Search and Google Gemini, it holds complex, contextual dialogues and recalls previous conversations with effortless, natural ease. On the MBUX Zero Layer, it appears as a living avatar shaped like the iconic Mercedes-Benz star, finished in Maybach-specific rose gold.
In the rear, two 11.6-inch full-HD displays pair with newly designed, individually configurable remote controls, giving passengers access to climate control, privacy blinds and rear entertainment. The Maybach-specific user interface extends across both screens and remotes, and integrated cameras enable video calls during the journey, further enhancing comfort and connectivity in the rear compartment.
To deliver first-class driving assistance, the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS carries 10 external cameras, five radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a water-cooled supercomputer running on MB.OS. This exceptionally powerful control unit handles up to 254 trillion operations per second, providing plenty of capacity for updates and new functions delivered over the air. Artificial intelligence processes this wealth of raw sensor data in real time, building a precise and continuously updated understanding of every traffic situation ahead.
In Europe, the MB.Drive Standard package comes fitted as standard, including Distronic Distance Assist, and depending on market, buyers can extend it with MB.Drive Assist and MB.Drive Assist Plus. MB.Drive Assist Pro introduces urban point-to-point assisted driving, merging driving assistance and navigation into a seamless, entirely new experience. At the press of a single button, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS can help navigate city streets from car park to destination through dense urban traffic.
Guided by Mercedes-Benz's safety-based philosophy, a light touch on the steering wheel suffices in urban traffic. This hands-on principle ensures immediate steering input remains possible at all times, while the unique cooperative steering concept keeps the system active even when drivers make manual adjustments. As an SAE-Level 2 system, MB.Drive Assist Pro requires continuous driver supervision at all times, with full responsibility remaining with the driver. The function becomes available in China from market launch and rolls out in the US later this year, with further markets depending on local regulatory conditions.
The standard-fit MB.Drive Parking Assist identifies available spaces on both sides of the vehicle earlier than previous versions. For the first time, it also supports diagonal parking and detects free spaces that lack white line markings. It assists when leaving a parking space even if the driver parked the vehicle manually, and it completes manoeuvres at speeds of up to 5km/h. A new Digital Extra provides wheel-protection warnings during manoeuvring to protect the rims from damage.
The Reverse Manoeuvring Assist enables the vehicle to precisely retrace the last 150 metres of its path when reversing. While active, this assistant displays the reversing camera image and a graphic representation of the planned path on the main screen, proving particularly useful in traffic situations where a turning manoeuvre isn't possible.
Mercedes-Benz builds the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For three decades, the plant has produced large SUVs bearing the three-pointed star for markets around the world, and from the pioneering M-Class in 1997 to today's models from Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach, more than five million SUVs have rolled off the production line, each defining excellence in its segment.
Producing the Mercedes-Maybach GLS demands a great deal of time and effort given its exceptionally high-quality equipment and appointments. A dedicated Mercedes-Maybach team hand-finishes the model-specific interior features, having received dedicated training in Germany at the Mercedes-Maybach Manufaktur based on their skill and prior experience. Two team members complete the full finishing of each vehicle in a process that takes place outside the regular assembly flow of the other SUV models. Before and after these dedicated stations, Mercedes-Benz integrates the Mercedes-Maybach GLS into standard SUV production for completion and approval.
The Mercedes-Maybach specialists take on a high degree of personal responsibility and identify strongly with the product. They pay particular attention to the careful handling of the high-grade interior trim, with its extensive use of Nappa leather and wood trim elements. The entire process, from producing these components through highly specialised suppliers to assembling them with specially trained team members and reaching final approval, aims to achieve a flawless result throughout.
