Mercedes-Maybach S680 S-Class Quietly Revealed With V12 Engine

With a Maybach announcement now in our hands, here's what you need to know. The major upgrade for the S680 is obviously the twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter engine V12, which develops 621 horsepower (463 kilowatts) and a stout 738 pound-feet (1,000 Newton-meters) of torque. If that sounds familiar, it should. The mill is a straight carryover from the previous-generation Maybach S650, though output is higher in the US than what we previously uncovered from Merc’s Russian S680 configurator. The power is enough to propel the sizable luxury sedan to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, though top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph.

For the first time with the range-topping V12, power is routed to all four wheels through Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. In the S680, 69 percent of the power goes to the rear wheels with the remaining dished to the front, handled by a nine-speed automatic transmission. As with the S580, the V12 flagship features rear steering to help its 18-foot length maneuver in tight quarters.

Visually speaking, look closer and you will notice a couple of subtle changes compared to the standard Maybach S-Class. "V12" badges adorn the front fenders and there's an "S680" logo on the trunk lid. Some will be surprised to hear that model designation has been used before as the Maybach S650 model was sold in China with the S680 badge following the previous generation's facelift in 2017.