Key Takeaways From This Review
- Until now, Mercedes-Benz had never made a Maybach ultra-luxury SL, making this the sportiest Maybach ever made — but its focus is more on grand-touring comfort than sporting ability.
- Styling changes for the Monogram Series include a lot of “MM” logos all over the car to the point that it looks like a Louis Vuitton handbag. Some love it, but most find it a bit tacky.
- The Maybach SL680 is undeniably luxurious, with a sumptuously appointed interior that’s just as flashy as its exterior, but some form-over-function materials choices are questionable.
Right now, you’re looking at this 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Series Roadster and thinking one of two things: Either “What the hell has Mercedes-Benz done to that SL?” or “Oh my God, I have to have that — it matches my Louis Vuitton luggage perfectly.”
There’s really no in-between on this thing because Mercedes has aimed this car at a very specific buyer: one who does not shy away from attention; one with enough disposable income to chase fashion brands making shoes that cost more than most people earn in a month; one whose Instagram is filled with selfies at expensive resorts — possibly with endorsements from sponsors. The Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram is as much a fashion statement as it is a luxury two-door, and as someone who is clearly qualified to comment on fashion, boy do I have some thoughts about this thing.
Related: 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Series Ditches Backseat, Pours on the Chrome
How Much Does a 2026 Mercedes-Benz SL Cost?
- AMG SL43: $113,800 (all prices include destination)
- AMG SL55: $146,500
- AMG SL63: $189,100
- AMG SL63 E Performance plug-in hybrid: $209,250
- Maybach SL680 Monogram: $226,150
There are several versions of the SL to choose from, though most are AMG-badged performance models. It starts with the SL43, which is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain making 416 horsepower and enabling a Mercedes-reported 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds. Step up to the SL55, and you get a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 making 469 hp, which knocks the 0-60 time down to 3.8 seconds. The SL63 comes next, still with the V-8 but now pumping out 577 hp and blasting to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The top of the AMG-branded SL line is the plug-in hybrid SL63 E Performance, which combines the twin-turbo V-8 with a 150-kilowatt electric motor boosting the rear wheels. It’s good for a total system output of 805 hp and 1,047 pounds-feet of torque, allowing for a 0-60 flight of just 2.8 seconds.
But if the fire-breathing sports cabrio route isn’t as enticing to you as the personal luxury coupe route, there’s the Maybach SL680 Monogram. It’s powered by the twin-turbo V-8 from the SL63, making 577 hp and getting to 60 mph in a more sedate 4.0 seconds.
Logos, Logos Everywhere
- Takeaway: The main styling changes that turn a sporty AMG SL into a luxurious Maybach SL involve imitating some high-fashion clothing and luggage brands — that is, using high-quality materials and plastering your logo everywhere possible.
So why is it a Mercedes-Maybach, not a Mercedes-Benz? Well, Maybach used to be a German super-luxury brand on par with Bentley and Rolls-Royce starting about 116 years ago. Daimler-Benz bought the brand in 1960, and in 2002, it made its own Maybach-branded sedan. It was discontinued in 2013, and since 2015, Maybach has been a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz, used to designate the ultra-luxurious top trim of a given model.
The Mercedes-Maybach SL you see here is the first-ever application of a Maybach trim to the company’s iconic two-seat flagship roadster. It brings with it a number of visual changes that differentiate it from the “normal” Mercedes-Benz SL. For one, you’ll notice the thing is positively slathered in Maybach logos. They’re all over the soft top, on the tonneau cover, gracing the leather tops of the interior door panels and molded into the lower grille panels. On this particular model, they’re part of an optional black hood package that’s painted in several layers using a unique new process in which tiny dots of paint are located precisely on the hood, covered with several layers of clear lacquer and then hand-sanded over and over again. The result is a car that looks like a Louis Vuitton handbag, with Maybach logos pasted everywhere to ensure everyone watching knows you spent about $17,000 more than someone who opted for the next most expensive Mercedes-AMG SL63 S trim.
What else did they change in the Maybach roadster? There’s a new front end with a big, gaping chrome maw that lights up at night, plus a new chrome strip running along the top of the hood. The back end gets new taillights with the Maybach light signature, with more chrome and a unique rear diffuser panel and tailpipe trim. The wheels are one of two 21-inch designs, featuring either a stunning monoblock style or our test car’s multispoke units. It comes in one of two “ambiances”: White Ambiance, featuring Moonlight White Magno paint, or this car’s Red Ambiance, which is draped in Manufaktur Garnet Red metallic. If you want to spend an extra $10K, you can choose from more than 50 custom colors as part of Mercedes-Benz’s Manufaktur customization program, but red and white are the two no-cost options from the factory.
Overall, the look is … a lot. The SL shape itself is attractive, understated and maybe just a little chunky. If you squint at it, you’ll see the shape of a Porsche 911 Cabriolet. But the embellishments that make it a Maybach push it from under the radar to over the top in short order. You will get noticed in this thing whether you’re pulling up to Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills or buying Dog Chow at your local Petco. Again, this car will appeal to a very specific buyer who finds this kind of look appealing — and they are indeed out there.
Interior Upgrades
- Takeaway: Changes to the SL’s interior to make it a Maybach include nicer leather, different seats, unique digital graphics and an explosion of Maybach logos to remind you what you bought.
The new Maybach SL’s interior also gets some changes compared with lesser versions of this car. The only color available is Crystal White, which is a questionable choice for a car interior given how difficult it is to keep clean. White leather seats are one thing … but white carpeted floormats? That can’t be a good idea.
If you like the plethora of Maybach logos on the outside, well, they’ve continued the theme inside just to make sure you don’t forget what you bought. There are Maybach logos on the tops of the door panels, as well as the tonneau cover over the stowed convertible top. There are logos in the unique-to-the-SL680 stitched floral-pattern seats, in the head restraints, on the rear package shelf … just about everywhere you look. Silver chrome trim adorns the interior, and there’s stainless-steel trim on the pedals and door sills. The seats themselves are structurally different from what you’ll find in a normal SL, too; they’re less bolstered and easier to get in and out of. Remember, Maybach is not a sporting brand — it’s about ultra-luxury, isolation, comfort and style above all else. Mercedes calls this the sportiest Maybach-branded vehicle ever produced — but you can also look at it as the most luxuriously appointed SL it’s ever made, too.
There are a few other Maybach-specific touches inside, as well, but you won’t find them until you start it up. That’s when you get some Maybach-branded startup animations in the 12.3-inch driver display screen and 11.9-inch central articulated touchscreen. There are some unique digital Maybach-exclusive looks for the gauge displays, too.
The interior changes work better than the exterior upgrades: The seats are more comfortable than in other SLs, and you get all the possible options on this top-spec variant, including things like massaging seats, Mercedes’ Air Scarf neck-warmer system, a head-up display and more. And while there are some elements in the cabin that really need to change (like the awful touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel, which have already lived far longer than they should have been allowed to), this truly does feel like a super-luxurious personal sports coupe, top up and top down.
Cruisin’, Not Bruisin’
- Takeaway: While all other SLs are AMG-badged and meant for speed and performance, the Maybach is tuned to be softer, with a unique Maybach drive mode that creates the most comfortable grand-touring version of the SL.
Performance has been dialed down just a bit from the rest of the SL lineup, all of which are AMG models. AMG is Mercedes-Benz’s performance sub-brand, and Maybach is its ultra-luxury sub-brand, but while the Maybach SL has a lot of the same equipment as the AMG models, it’s all been tuned more toward comfort than sportiness. There’s a lot more sound insulation throughout the Maybach version, so the drive experience with the top up is more plush than punishing when it comes to noise. The suspension has been tuned to be softer and more compliant, adding in a Maybach drive mode that’s even more cushy than the standard Comfort mode. Throttle response, steering input, shift points for the nine-speed automatic transmission — it’s all meant to be more grand tourer than sports car, and it works really, really well.
Power comes from the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engine you’ll find in the AMG SL63, meaning it pumps out 577 hp and 590 pounds-feet of torque and sends it through a nine-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels, with Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive coming standard. There’s an electronic locking rear differential out back and standard rear-wheel steering, which can turn the rear wheels up to 2.5 degrees — enough to make the car just a bit more agile. It’s plenty powerful, but it’s also quieter than any of the AMG SLs.
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But sportiness and agility aren’t really why you buy something with a Maybach badge. This SL is all about cruising, being seen, enjoying the comfort of your surroundings, and the looks from passersby and parking lot valets. Pop the thing into Maybach mode and you’ll just glide, feeling your stress and troubles melt away.
A personal luxury coupe tuned for comfort instead of back-road brawling is part of a nearly extinct breed these days; they used to be much more common. Now, everything has to be able to tackle the Nurburgring — in an age when people spend far more time tackling traffic on the interstate. I don’t want to find some twisty canyon roads in the Maybach SL680. I want to find a beach boulevard, a companion far better looking than I and an exclusive cocktail bar that won’t let in anyone who doesn’t show up in a car like this.
This SL is far more a fashion accessory than a sports car. Top up, it’s quiet, smooth and comfortable. It also comes with rather awful outward visibility thanks to its low roofline, squat windshield and huge rearview mirror, which is mounted to the windshield and creates a massive blind spot directly in front of you.
That said, the Maybach SL680 is meant to be driven top down, which improves your view outward immeasurably. The top’s mechanism is quick and smooth, operated by switches in the center console instead of a touchscreen slider, like in the SL43 I drove two years ago. If you leave the windows up while the top is down, the car’s high beltline and a wind deflector behind you create a cocoon-like atmosphere with surprisingly little wind buffeting. Turn the climate control on and activate the AirScarf neck warmer, and it’s comfy inside even when it’s chilly outside. Another added benefit of having that top down? It’s a lot easier to be seen in your Maybach SL. And at the end of the day, that’s really what this luxury cruiser is all about.
Nothing Truly Fashionable Comes Cheap
- Takeaway: A Maybach? For lots of money? Groundbreaking.
For most of us, the price of this ‘26 Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Series roadster is outrageous — provided you didn’t just win the Powerball. But for the moneyed elite who don’t think twice about dropping several thousand dollars on a purse or pair of shoes, its starting price of just a tick over $225,000 really won’t be an issue. It’s not like this car doesn’t have any competition, either; it’s in the same league as the Bentley Continental GTC, Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, Maserati GranCabrio or even the Porsche 911 Cabriolet. The Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram puts the German luxury automaker solidly back in this crowd of super-expensive luxury convertibles, which is somewhere it didn’t fit so well with its sports-oriented AMG-branded SL models. If you have the coin and you want the attention, you’d be hard-pressed to do much better than this.
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