Happy 50th birthday to the best-known & most beautiful Pullman saloon ever, the Mercedes-Benz 600.

The 50th birthday of the best-known Pullman saloon of them all, the Mercedes-Benz 600, is set to coincide with a special debut at the Geneva Motor Show: the launch of the new Pullman. Mercedes-Maybach's second model will assume the top-of-the-range position, with vis-à-vis seating in the passenger compartment and high-end automotive luxury that is traditionally associated with Maybach.

Its length of 6.5 metres alone is a sign of the special status of the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman. It provides space for a generously-sized and tastefully-appointed club lounge in the rear, which has a multitude of creature comforts fitted as standard. This chauffeur-driven limousine is more than equal to today's demands for the ultimate in exclusivity and luxury. The VIP occupants sit on two standard-specification executive seats facing the direction of travel. 

They can enjoy the greatest legroom in the segment; and can get into and out of the car with the greatest of ease and comfort. As is typical for a Pullman, the four passengers can sit facing each other in the compartment with an electrically-operated partition window. The prices for unarmoured models start at around half a million euros; the first customers will be taking delivery of their vehicles, which of course offer unrivalled scope for individualisation, at the beginning of 2016.

With its new model, the company is now extending its unique position in this demanding segment: "Quite apart from providing stately and stylish seating for high-ranking passengers in the comfort and spaciousness for which it is famed, the new Mercedes-Maybach Pullman is of course the embodiment of exclusivity at its highest level," commented Ola Källenius, Member of the Daimler AG Management Board responsible for sales and marketing of Mercedes-Benz Cars. "One can sense the significance and greatness of it in every detail."

The Mercedes-Maybach Pullman provides extremely spacious seating combined with unique features characterised by their extraordinary and perfect craftsmanship. It goes without saying that Mercedes-Maybach offers its customers unique opportunities to individualise the appointments of their top-class limousines. The exquisite Maybach paint finishes, which are applied in several layers, count as part of this specification.

With a length of 6499 mm, the Pullman is another 1053 mm longer than the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. The wheelbase is an impressive 4418 mm. Furthermore, at 1598 mm in height, the Pullman is more than 100 mm higher than a Mercedes S-Class, resulting in a tangible increase in headroom. 

The absolute top-of-the-range model is the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman S 600. Its V12 biturbo engine has an output of 530 hp. With displacement of 5980 cc, the maximum torque of 830 Nm is available from 1900 rpm.

The name Pullman was originally applied to railway carriages with luxurious open-plan compartments manufactured by the American Pullman Palace Car Company. This name was soon also applied to the motor cars from Mercedes-Benz which were based on an extremely long wheelbase and offered a very generously-sized passenger compartment. In the rear, separated from the driver's area by a partition, there was space for four passengers to recline regally in four single seats facing each other.

Extremely spacious seating in the rear, entire vehicle interior is leather-clad

As its name suggests, the four seats in the rear of the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman are arranged vis-à-vis. The owner and VIP guests are seated in the direction of travel on two executive seats which are part of the standard specification; other passengers can sit on the fold-down seats facing backwards. If specifically requested, the Pullman can also be delivered in an exclusive version without the additional seats.

The executive seats offer a unique level of comfort thanks to their special adjustment kinematics. In contrast to the norm, the backrest is adjusted separately while the footwell and seat reference point remain unchanged. The cushion can be adjusted separately, with inclination and horizontal adjustment combined. For the executive seats, the maximum backrest angle is 43.5 degrees. 

The most upright backrest position of 19 degrees allows relaxed working in the rear. The reclining seats feature a calf support, which is freely adjustable for length and angle. The luxury head restraints come with an extra cushion as standard. The two first-class travellers in the rear have the greatest amount of legroom of any car in the segment, as well as 60 mm more headroom than in a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.

There is one design difference compared with the existing Pullman model: in the new model, all seats are easy to get to. This improvement was achieved thanks to the large rear doors and the position of the passengers on the executive seats, which is even further to the rear.

The interior of the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman is upholstered in leather throughout as standard. Not only is the roof liner upholstered in high-quality leather, but also the door frames and seat consoles. As one would expect of a Maybach, there are three analogue instruments in the roof liner informing passengers in the rear of the outside temperature, speed and time.

The partition wall between the rear and the driver's area ensures discretion. The glass partition wall can be lowered electrically. It can also change from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button. This allows – in combination with the equally standard-specification curtains for the rear windows – for different levels of privacy. The standard-fit 16:9 format 18.5-inch (47 cm) monitor located in front of the partition can also be extended electrically.

The Burmester^® high-end 3D surround sound system has been further optimised. Hand-selected loudspeakers, improved membranes and tuning exclusively to the preferred listening of each individual customer guarantees the ultimate in hi-fi listening pleasure. The appearance of the high-end audio system has also been further improved.

The history: Pullman limousines from Mercedes-Benz

Happy Birthday: the best-known Mercedes Pullman, the Mercedes 600, is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2015. Mercedes-Benz first started offering the prestigious-looking variant in this model series as a "series-production vehicle" in 1965. Having said that, the tradition of offering exclusive limousines with the Pullman name goes back even further at Mercedes-Benz:

Three special-design examples of the model 300 in Pullman dimensions, referred to in the vernacular as the "Adenauer Mercedes", were made in 1960. And following on from the W 100 model series, in subsequent years there were Pullman versions of the S-Class 109 and 126 model series (special production) as well as the 140 and 220 (both standard production).

Maybach names makes re-appearance on uber luxurious Mercedes S-Class.

Daimler will revive the Maybach name on a special edition S-Class to be shown in November, according to a new report. A new Maybach S-Class model will feature ultra-lux appointments befit for the most discerning of customers.

Soft-touch leather and bespoke features will make this car more than double the $228,000 asking price of a Mercedes S600, said a confidential source speaking with Automotive News. The Mercedes Maybach will also have a wheelbase that is 7.9 inches longer than the long-wheelbase version of the S-Class. This will give passengers extra legroom typical of a limousine.

It will be the longest car in the Mercedes-Benz lineup until the $1 million extended Pullman model launches.

In 2012, Daimler ditched the Maybach brand after it sold just 200 cars the year before. Maybach cars came with some of the most luxurious features imaginable, including 21-speaker sound systems, V-12 engines, voice activated panoramic sunroofs, and more.

Handmade for each customized order, Maybach cars competed with the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Now, Daimler is hoping to recapture some of this audience by leveraging the power and resources of the Mercedes brand. Expect to see an all new Mercedes Maybach in November, when it is expected to make an appearance at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Hello new S-Class, the luxury car arrives in the UK

The most advanced and luxurious Mercedes-Benz yet created – the new S-Class – has gone on-sale in the UK, priced from £62,650 OTR.

The S-Class has never ceased to raise technology standards, pioneering safety, comfort and engineering features such as ABS, anti-lock brakes, SRS airbag, ESP®, catalytic converters and Night View Assist. The new S-Class promises to continue to raise the benchmark in efficiency, in comfort, refinement and personalisation.

With a three engine line up of one diesel, one petrol and one petrol hybrid - S 350 BlueTEC, S 400 Hybrid and S 500 - the new range also offers two trim choices of SE Line and AMG Line, as well as the standard and long wheelbase options, with UK production commencing in September ahead of deliveries in October.

The new S-Class offers up to a nine per cent increase in power over the outgoing W 221 model (to 333 hp for the S 400 Hybrid), 18 per cent reduction in CO2 (147 g/km for the S 400 Hybrid) and 22 per cent improvement in fuel consumption (44.8 mpg for the S 400 Hybrid).

Improved levels of standard equipment over the already impressive outgoing S-Class, includes the addition of a reversing camera, COMAND Online NTG 5, full LED Intelligent Light System, DAB digital radio and Keyless Start.

Additional new equipment for the S-Class includes Magic Vision Control, the innovative wash/wipe system that applies washer fluid directly in front of the wiper blades to minimise waste and obstruction to the driver, enhanced AirMATIC full air suspension system with continuously adaptive damping control delivering a composed ride while retaining the ability to lower at speed (by 10 mm at 70 mph and a further 10 mm at over 100 mph) or rise by 30mm should it be required during low speed manoeuvres, and COMAND Online NTG 5 – the latest generation of telematics – all as standard.

The Magic Body Control suspension system debuts on the new S-Class – an option on the S 500 (£4,340). Linked to the new Road Surface Scan system, Magic Body Control uses a stereo camera located on the top edge of the windscreen to scan the road up to 15-metres ahead, allowing it to model a precise image of the road surface.

The system then uses this image to calculate if any action is required to react to uneven road surfaces. Should this be the case, the damping characteristics of each wheel can be influenced by Magic Body Control through the use of hydraulics operating at a pressure of 200 bar in a fraction of a second. This counteracts the pitching, rolling and lifting motions felt on uneven roads, creating unprecedented ride comfort.

Providing comfort, class-leading refinement and entertainment systems is the innovative new interior of the S-Class, equipped as standard with a pair of high-resolution TFT screens measuring 307 mm diagonally. They relay key vehicle information as well as allowing quick, intuitive access to the most sophisticated system of its kind, from the optional 1,540 watt Burmester 3D surround sound system with 24 specially designed speakers, 24 amplifier channels and three speakers integrated into the headlining (£6,430) to the range of perfumes emitted by the Air-Balance Package (£360) – a further function of which is the ionisation of the air entering the vehicle, passing through a filter system to improve the quality of the air and remove pollutants.

Three different seat packages are available in the rear – ranging from three seats finished in high quality leather to two individual seats complete with the ability seats to recline to an angle of 43.5 degrees. Furthermore, the seats can, if desired, simulate a hot stone massage for even greater comfort and the armrests can be heated.

With all the improvements in technology, in equipment, safety systems and efficiency, the new S-Class accounts for only a two per cent rise in price for the S 350 BlueTEC SE Line over the outgoing car. Prices start from £62,650 OTR for the S 350 BlueTEC SE Line, rising to £65,650 OTR for the S 350 BlueTEC L SE Line, £69,650 OTR for the S 400 Hybrid L SE Line and £88,130 OTR for the S 500 L AMG Line.