2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Series Ditches Backseat, Pours on the Chrome
Mercedes-Benz’s ultraluxury Maybach sub-brand has undertaken its first two-seat project of the modern era and turned out the 2026 SL680 Monogram Series. You might also note that this is the first two-seater of the current generation; even the 805-horsepower plug-in hybrid AMG SL63 S E Performance technically has a backseat.
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The SL680 Monogram Series shown here are the Red Ambience and White Ambience “specially curated design concepts.” Both feature a black hood, with the former’s contrasted against Garnet Red Metallic paint and the latter’s Moonlight White Magno. (Magno is the Mercedes name for matte paints.) Both are Manufaktur hues, too, which means they come from the automaker’s exclusive extra-cost palette. More than 50 other Manufaktur paints will be available, including fresh interpretations of shades from Mercedes and Maybach vehicles of the past.
Shiny and Chrome
Mercedes liberally applies chrome to the SL680’s exterior, adapting its trademark grille to the SL’s nose and capping it with an upright Mercedes star and chrome spear reaching back along the hood’s center. The shiny stuff also adorns the windshield surround and side sills, with subtler detailing on the rear bumper and exhaust tips.
Other exterior ornamentation includes rose-gold accents in the headlights, the Maybach logo in the taillights and 21-inch wheels in two Maybach styles. Buyers will be able to spec their black hood with the Maybach logo repeated across its surface in graphite gray using a paint process the brand says was “inspired by an inkjet printer.”
The Maybach SL680’s interior is slathered in Manufaktur Crystal White Nappa leather with exclusive floral-pattern perforations. Relative to the aggressively bolstered seats in other SLs, the side supports here have been trimmed lower for what Mercedes says is easier ingress and egress but is probably also greater long-haul comfort.
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What Are the Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series’ Powertrain Specs?
Mechanically based on the AMG SL63, the 2026 Maybach SL680 is powered by the same 577-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine. As in the AMG, the Maybach sends its power through a nine-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. Mercedes claims the SL680 will accelerate from 0-60 mph in four seconds flat, which is 0.5 second slower than the SL63 (likely due to additional weight and programming to make the nine-speed automatic smoother).
Deleting the rear seats might be the most extreme change Mercedes made to the SL680, but it’s far from the only one. It rides on unique dampers and softer springs, with the AMG’s hydraulic antiroll bars no doubt contributing to a smooth ride. The marque also added more sound insulation, seeking in particular to silence the twin-turbo V-8’s rowdy exhaust with quieter mufflers.
What Is the Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series’ Release Date and Pricing?
Mercedes has not yet released pricing for the 2026 SL Monogram Series, but an opening bid of about $280,000 or so is what we’d guess for when it hits dealerships later in 2025. If that sort of outlay would imperil your mortgage payments, the brand is also adding a few commemorative items to its Icons of Luxury fashion line, including a lavishly priced leather jacket and dog carrier. Sneakers, a scarf and a tote bag will also be available. We’re holding out for the Maybach-branded inkjet printer.
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