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Maybach GLS 2026 adds a glowing grille and rumored Euro 7 V8
Mercedes-Maybach has teased the 2026 GLS with illuminated exterior details and reports of a revised V8 built to meet Euro 7 rules.
Image: ITzine
Mercedes-Maybach has previewed the 2026 GLS, and the headline change is visual as much as mechanical. The updated ultra-luxury SUV gets an illuminated grille surround, plus lighting for the hood ornament and the Mercedes-Benz badge. The teaser also shows that the brand’s star-shaped LED daytime running lights remain, now made more prominent with extra chrome trim and brighter illumination.
The company has not released full specifications yet. For now, the current Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is known for its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 550 hp and 729 Nm. If the reports are correct, the next version could switch to a revised 4.0-liter V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, tuned to comply with the new Euro 7 emissions standard.
Inside, expectations include the MBUX Superscreen with Maybach-specific graphics, separate second-row seats, and a cooled drinks compartment.
How it fits against Cullinan and Bentayga
The Maybach update arrives soon after the facelift for the regular Mercedes-Benz GLS, so this is not expected to be a new platform or a major body redesign. Instead, the focus appears to be on sharpening the model’s identity in a segment where it is most often compared with the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga.
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Those rivals take different approaches: Cullinan leans on extreme customization and a very high price, while Bentayga offers more powertrain and trim variations. Mercedes-Maybach’s answer has been a lavish cabin paired with deliberately theatrical exterior styling.
That matters if the rumored Euro 7-compliant V8 arrives. In a class where some premium brands are already moving toward hybrids and EVs, the GLS could retain one of the segment’s rarer selling points: a powerful gasoline V8.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via ITzine
