2026 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Maybach SL

The full name is the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series. There’s only one model in this so-called series, but it is pretty darn fabulous.

Whenever the Maybach name is involved, that means a Mercedes-Benz vehicle taken to the company’s uppermost level of luxuriousness, complemented by special exterior styling details.

However, whereas the other Maybach models (the S-Class flagship sedan and GLS SUV) imply being driven around by a chauffeur, the SL is a 2-seater with a retractable soft-top. Sitting next to a chauffeur in this car would feel a bit awkward, unless you were Lady Chatterley.

This is an all-new version of the SL roadster. The other side of this golden coin is the much sportier Mercedes-AMG SL. The Maybach treatment goes in an altogether more opulent direction. Oddly, there’s no regular variant of the SL, one of the most archetypal Mercedes-Benz cars that has been around in some form or another since life was in black-and-white (the first one debuted in 1954).

On-Sale Date

The 2026 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series is on sale now.

The 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL has a starting sticker price of $226,150.

If money is no object, then feel free to consider the Bentley Continental GTC, starting about $100K above the Maybach SL. We always see Maybach vehicles as something of a bargain when put up against the Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of this world. If money is maybe kind of an object, then there’s the still-wonderful Lexus LC 500 Convertible, which is less than half the price of a Maybach SL.

If a Maybach SL owner is the lucky recipient of a trust fund, well here’s the thrust fund. This SL 680 enjoys a forceful 577-horsepower V8 humming away under the hood and it’s capable of accelerating from standstill to 60 mph in an estimated four seconds flat. That’s only half a second slower than the high-performance AMG SL 63, which has the same engine and is around 400 pounds lighter. The Bentley Continental GTC is faster by almost a second, but it does have 771 hp on its team. The 416-hp Lexus LC 500 Convertible does the dash in a more-than-respectable 4.6 seconds. Think of the Maybach SL as a grand tourer and the AMG SL as the more sporty iteration.

Because this is the poshest SL there’s ever been, standard features also include an adaptive suspension with active hydraulic body roll stabilization, as well as rear-wheel steering to enhance agility and maneuverability. Driving modes are Comfort, Maybach, Sport, and Individual (a slot for drivers to make their own combination of steering, throttle, transmission, and suspension settings).

Fuel Economy

We’ll update this section when official information comes through, not that this will be a big issue for a Maybach SL owner. For a ballpark figure, the SL 63 achieves 16 mpg in combined city/highway driving. To compare, the LC 500 returns 18 mpg combined.

Every Maybach SL interior is adorned in white Nappa leather (having been tanned using a sustainable process). There are plenty of Maybach emblems embossed into various surfaces, along with model-specific stitching patterns, while the seats are emblazoned with the word Maybach in upper-case letters. Unlike the AMG SL, there are no rear seats here, but a storage shelf instead.

Like the AMG SL, this model has an 11.9-inch infotainment touchscreen with excellent graphics and user-friendly features, while the angle of the screen is adjustable to reduce glare.

Cargo space is probably more of an afterthought than a priority, but here’s the gist. With the roof up, it measures 8.5 cubic feet. Subtract a cubic foot with the roof down.

Red or white paint — those are the standard, no-cost choices. With a black roof. Plus a black hood with the option of multiple Maybach badges — the marque’s equivalent of a Louis Vuitton design. But add $9,900 to the budget, and it opens the door to dozens of Mercedes’ exclusive Manufaktur colors in a wide variety of hues. A Maybach grille treatment and substantial 21-inch alloy wheels are standard. Speaking of wheels, we like the multi-spoke design in particular — they’re a $5,000 option, but what buyer is going to balk at that?

Massaging seats
If you can’t be cosseted in a Maybach, even if it’s a 2-seater, then what’s the point? These are also heated and ventilated, and come with more cushioning than their AMG counterparts (which we’ve found to be extremely comfortable). The steering wheel is heated as well.

Burmester audio
We’re huge fans of this setup, having experienced it in other Mercedes-Benz vehicles. A 17-speaker/1,220-watt surround-sound system is standard in the Maybach SL.

Airscarf
A Mercedes-Benz innovation that has blessed several of its soft-top cars over the years. This standard feature in the Maybach SL emits warm air from vents in the seats near your neck. We like how you could still have the roof down on those crisp, clear winter days.

Magic Vision Control
Admittedly, this sounds a lot more impressive than it really is, but we still like how the windshield washer fluid comes out of the wipers instead of just spraying everywhere from a set of jets. This is another Mercedes-Benz innovation.

Powered roof
With three layers to keep the cabin suitably hushed and insulated, the roof will deploy at speeds of up to 37 mph and take about 15 seconds to complete its operation.

Biometric authentication
Using a fingerprint sensor, the Maybach SL can recognize various drivers and load pre-saved settings like a favorite radio station. It will even recognize voices.

The grand old AMG tradition of hand-assembled engines by a single technician continues in the Maybach SL. The car is propelled by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 developing an authoritative 577 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. This goes to a fully variable all-wheel-drive system through a 9-speed automatic transmission.

We cover the AMG SL lineup in a separate review.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The new-vehicle warranty offered by Mercedes-Benz lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This applies to the drivetrain as well. Most European luxury car companies have these same terms. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t offer any free scheduled maintenance.

Safety

High-end cars like the SL aren’t usually crash-tested outside of their manufacturer’s own development programs. However, the Maybach SL comes with a plethora of standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera system, parking assistance, adaptive front lighting, and rollover protection. Virtually every Mercedes-Benz advanced safety feature is included.