Mercedes-Benz Reprises Role in Sex and the City 2 Film [with Video]

Question for our readers: In your opinion, how do four cougar-aged women who can't keep their panties (or their brains) on after one shot of tequila and a guy named 'Mr Big' relate to Daimler's Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products/brand?

While you think about it let us tell you that, as with the first installment of the male-snoozefest that is "Sex and the City", the sequel to the movie that hits cinemas on 27 May will see most characters driving or being driven in a bunch of Mercedes-Benz and Maybach models.

If you're still here, in addition to the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID, Mr. Big (Chris North) now also drives the new E-Class Cabriolet while Samantha (portrayed by actress Kim Cattrall) ditches her GLK soft off-roader from the first film for the more masculine G-Class.

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Maybach Coupe 57S: Official Pictures of Limited Production Special by Xenatec

Since Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler has no official plans to introduce an 'uber' luxurious coupe for its fading Maybach brand, the company gave its blessing to German-based engineering firm Xenatec to create a two-door version of the Maybach 57S.

Said to be developed in close cooperation with Maybach, the 57S Coupe special will be built in a strictly limited number of 100 examples each priced from a hefty €650,000 or about US$805,000 at today's exchange rates.

The transformation from a limo to a coupe includes redesigned A-, B- and C-columns with the second column moved back by 200mm, a more raked roofline, restyled front and rear ends, and a slightly wider body while retaining the same 3.39m-long wheelbase as the sedan model.

The extended wheel arches of the car are filled in with newly designed 20- or optionally 21-inch alloy wheels.

The four-seater 57S Coupe keeps the standard Maybach S' 6.0-liter bi-turbocharged V12 with 612HP (for the record, in the latest facelift output has been upped to 630HP), so expect about 5.0 seconds for the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint and a top speed somewhere around 275km/h or 171mph.

We'll have more details and pictures of the Maybach 57S Coupe as they come in.

Beijing Auto Show: Maybach's Face-lifted Offerings

Maybach, Daimler's Bentley/Roller division, is debuting the face-lifted versions of its 57 and 62 models in Beijing (now "with added sparkle"!). What can we expect from the little mega-luxury brand that couldn't?

First off, the body gets a few pinches here and there: a redesigned front bumper gets some extra trim, the new arrow-shaped hood gets snazzy edges and bigger, aerodynamic mirrors improve merging and now reduce driving noise.

Outside, the newish models will also feature more bling in the form of "a large new chrome radiator grille", LED daytime running lights, "high-quality dark red taillights", and "stylish wheels".

The grilles are unique to the two model lines (standard and "S"). Regular models will have 20 thin bars and S models get 12 thicker ones; the good news is, S grilles get a "shadow strut" to "flag up the vehicle's tremendous power." That's really what they wrote in the press release...

Inside, buyers will have access to wireless internet and a few new options including a perfume atomizer brought down from the Zeppelin model. What will they think of next?

For the short-wheelbase model, buyers can now request a reclining rear seat behind the front passenger. They can also order Swarovski crystal elements on the seat piping and some sterling silver "Maybach" compensation badges on the seats. You know, in case their old S-Class just isn't shiny enough.

Ballers going for the long-wheelbase 62 can also request a 19-inch screen to be installed in compartment partition, should they be riding in a chauffeured model.

Lastly, output increases to 630 horsepower in the S models (up 18; standard models' output remains the same), and emissions drop to 368 g/km (350 g/km in non-S guise).

Fuel economy should be right around 15.8 liters/100km (14.9 mpg) in the S, while people not needing a sporty limousine can expect 15.0 liters/100km (15.7 mpg) in standard form.

With these new models, Daimler is simply drawing out the agonizing death of a brand that is the Joan Rivers of luxury cars: it just won't die and face lifts can only do so much. Time to pull the plug and let it go, guys.

By Phil Alex