2016 LA Motor Show: Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet set to break $600,000 ceiling

Maybach reveals its own take on Mercedes-Benz’s fanciest drop-top convertible at the 2016 Los Angeles Motor Show.

Open-air opulence is back with the Mercedes-Maybach S650 Cabriolet – a model set to become the most expensive in three-pointed-star showrooms.

The S650 is the first Maybach-badged convertible since the ostentatious 2007 62 Landaulet that featured a slightly bizarre half-roof opening dedicated to bathing super-rich rear passengers in sunshine.

The new Benz drop-top features the more conventional retractable fabric roof of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet on which it’s based.

There’s no change in wheelbase as there is in the transition from regular S600 to Maybach S600, so the ultra-luxury four-seater Cabriolet instead focuses its exclusivity on design and materials.

Maybach badge aside, the exterior features a flamboyantly designed front bumper, additional chrome highlights, and 20-inch “biochromatic” forged concave wheels.

Nine new interior colours – including a pastel yellow/black combination – are specific to the S650, there are bespoke trim elements, and the hand-finished leather upholstery combines cascading perforated lines and diamond quilting.

The ‘flowing lines’ theme of the seats can be continued on the model-exclusive design nut brown magnolia trim as an alternative to a high-gloss finish.

The cupholder is also inscribed with ‘1 of 300’ to remind owners of the limited number of S650s that will be built.

A travel luggage set comprising two large bags and two ‘lifestyle’ bags made from the same leather as the seat come as standard, matched to the car.

The S650 borrows the 6.0-litre V12 from the AMG S65, delivering the same 463kW and 1000Nm – and with no change to consumption (12.0L/100km) or speed (0-100km in 4.1 seconds) despite the extra garnishing.

Mercedes-Benz Australia expects to secure 10 of the 300 build allocation. It has yet to confirm local pricing, but a 300,000 Euros price tag overseas suggests it will comfortably surpass the $522,000 S65 Cabriolet and exceed $600,000.

That’s still significantly cheaper than the circa-$1.5m 62 Landaulet that – somewhat thankfully – never joined the ‘regular’ million-dollar Maybach limos in Australia.