By Malusi Msomi

When Virgil Abloh, the iconic fashion designer, passed away last November, Mercedes-Benz honoured him by unveiling the Project Maybach. Abloh and Mercedes’ chief design officer, Gorden Wagener, collaborated on the magnificent off-road luxury coupe concept. Mercedes has now revealed the “final chapter” of Abloh and Wagener’s collaboration, the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 by Virgil Abloh, the design of which was completed before Abloh’s death.

The exterior design is inspired by Project Maybach. It features a unique two-tone colour combination, the top of the car is painted Obsidian Black, while the bottom, including the monoblock wheels, is painted sand hue. This colour combination makes its way to the inside of the car with the exact two-tone combination. The four-seat layout, steering wheel, doors, lower dashboard, and ceiling are all lined in black and sand Nappa leather, with sand décor trims and strips. a special Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo is inscribed on the piano black centre console, rear cushions, head restraints, and door sill panel.

Mercedes says that the infotainment system has been customized to enrich the digital content: from a home button with a coloured border and brand logo denoting the edition, to profile pictures decorated with luxurious fashion accessories. Mercedes says it makes the vehicle intuitive. The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 by Virgil Abloh will go on sale later this year, with only 150 units produced worldwide. Customers will also receive a 1/18 scale replica of the car housed in a custom-made wooden box wrapped in tan Nappa leather, as well as a special car cover bearing the Maybach and Abloh logos.