As a tribute to late designer Virgil Abloh, Mercedes-Benz had recently revealed the ‘Project MAYBACH’ concept EV
Mercedes-Maybach recently showcased an outlandish concept EV – a luxurious, all-electric off-roader named Project MAYBACH. It was designed in collaboration with designer Virgil Abloh, who passed away last month. The concept car previews the design language of future Maybach cars, and to say that it looks eye-catchy would be an understatement.
The styling has been inspired by the “great outdoors”, with an off-road theme. The vehicle gets a flat face and tail, with circular LED headlamps and DRLs at the front and a similar design for the taillights. We also see bash plates and bull bars at the front and back, along with a partial exterior roll cage covering the cabin. At nearly 20 feet long, the vehicle has a lot of heft as well.
The roll cage features an integrated roof rack with auxiliary lights mounted at the front. There are additional auxiliary lights on the front bumper as well. We also see flared wheelarches and chunky off-road tyres, which further add a rugged touch to the overall futuristic aesthetic of the vehicle. Also, the transparent bonnet houses solar cells beneath, which would help increase the driving range.
The interior of the vehicle is just as impressive; it gets two sofa-style seats in the cabin, which can fold flat into luxury beds. The panels all seem to be covered with soft-touch materials, and the switchgear on the dashboard takes on a retro-modern appeal. If this is how future Mercedes-Maybach cars would look like, then we’re utterly excited!
In an official statement, Mercedes-Benz AG stated, “The power of Abloh’s work is not only from the product design, but also the exploratory conversations that his work ignited. While the Project MAYBACH show car was inspired by how one could explore nature within a uniquely luxurious context with Maybach, the Mercedes-Benz teams thank Virgil Abloh for the inspiration to explore the power of cross-industry dialogue to imagine a better, more inclusive future.”
Ahead of the reveal of Project MAYBACH, Mercedes-Benz has showcased the Maybach Concept EQS. Concept EQS is slated to give birth to a production model by 2023, with an expected driving range of around 600 km. Mercedes-Maybach is hoping to capture the luxury end of the electric vehicle market before its biggest rivals – Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
