Maybach is known for its luxury, and so you’d naturally expect it to be priced as such. Here in Malaysia, the Mercedes-Maybach S 580 is priced at RM1.92 million (on-the-road, without insurance), or more than double than that of the “regular” Mercedes-Benz S 580 e Hybrid (RM718k).
That’s a lot of money, but I guess it makes sense, since you’re also paying for the prestige of driving a Maybach in addition to all the added luxuries. Well, cue our surprise when we found out that the Maybach in Thailand is only just THB2.3 million (approx RM300k), or 30% more than its regular S-class counterpart.
Launched in the Land of Smiles earlier this week, the all-new Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e Premium is ‘only’ priced at THB9,880,000 (approx. RM1.3 million), compared to the THB7,580,000 of the S 580 e AMG Hybrid. In fact, if you prefer a non-hybrid powertrain, the V8-powered Mercedes-Maybach S 580 will set you back nearly double in cost, coming in at THB18,300,000 (approx. RM2.4 million)!
So why the big difference in price? For one, the new Maybach S 580 e plug-in hybrid variant is actually locally-assembled (CKD) in Thailand, whereas the regular ICE-powered Maybach S 580 was launched as a fully-imported (CBU) model.
But the more crucial aspect here actually boils down to the Thai government’s favourable tax structure for plug-in hybrid vehicles – something that we Malaysians no longer enjoy back home.
Over in Thailand, hybrid vehicles are taxed between 4-13% depending on their CO2 emissions, compared to the 25-50% of the regular internal combustion engine cars. As an incentive to introduce more electrified vehicles in the country, car brands with PHEV projects worth more than THB5 billion (approx RM658 million) can also enjoy a three-year corporate tax holiday (eight years for EV projects).
READ MORE: Thailand phasing out combustion engines, pushing to have only EVs as new cars in 2035
So what do you get for that extra 30%? For starters, there’s the 180 mm extra length (even when compared to the LWB S-Class), which means the tauke in the rear seats will have even more space to enjoy.
You’ll also get the “First Class” rear seats package in place of the peasant-grade (comparatively) “Exclusive” package, the unique Maybach design touches (including the option for a two-tone paint job!), and – of course – the privilege of being able to tell others that you drive a Maybach.
The Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six petrol engine, paired to an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the nine-speed automatic gearbox, to make a combined 510 hp and 750 Nm of torque. On this luxobarge, that means a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 5.7 seconds, onward to a top speed of 250 km/h.
Just like the Mercedes-Benz S 580 e here in Malaysia, you’ll be able to drive on full electric power for up to 100 km of range. The Maybach S 580 e in Thailand does get an additional CCS charging port, enabling DC fast charging of up to 60 kW.
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