Mercedes-Maybach S600 packed with luxury perks

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Mercedes-Benz S-class has been the pinnacle of the company's sedan lineup for years, or at least it was until this year.

Now, it gets pushed aside for the new Mercedes-Maybach S600.

If that name sounds familiar, it's because there was another Maybach offered from 2003 until 2012. That car was built by Mercedes, but as a stand-alone brand with a dedicated design and a rather staggering price tag of well over $300,000.

The worldwide recession of the late 2000s did the car in, after it had already been a somewhat slow seller in its earlier years.

This time, Mercedes is offering the Maybach in a different way. It's an S-class, but longer, and packed with luxury.

The extended wheelbase adds eight inches to the body, which translates into a huge, limousine-like rear seat area.

There are two big, comfortable reclining lounge seats like you'd find in an executive jet. The regular S550 will actually hold more people, but not in such style and comfort.

Under the hood there's a large V-12 engine to help propel the big sedan. The engine has plenty of power to let the mighty Maybach scoot right along. This car is top-of-the-line from top-to-bottom. Of course, it also has a top-of-the-line sticker price of $189,000.

But, it's meant to go head-to-head with Bentley and Rolls-Royce, which are not exactly bargain brands themselves.

Over the years, the Mercedes-Benz S-class has actually been a pretty nimble car to drive, considering its size and weight. But in this variation of the car, the rear area is really the place to appreciate it.

The super-plush twin reclining seats will give you a massage with heat. You control that, along with other things, from a video screen and a remote control. And, there's even a wine chiller behind the armrest.

The only question is, who is this car for? If you buy one, it's not any better than driving a non-Maybach S-class, so those luxurious passenger seats would be for others.

Or perhaps you'd need to hire a driver. Because the best seats in the house, so to speak, aren't in the front of the Maybach. They're the ones in the rear.