The fleet is four cars, and two of them are Maybachs: the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class W223 saloon and the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680. This is the EQS, and how to choose between the two.
What it is
A Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV, the brand’s first all-electric series model. It is the electric one, and it is an SUV rather than a saloon. Those two facts are the whole story of what it changes for a guest.
The badging on the tailgate says it plainly: MAYBACH on the left, EQS 680 on the right. Mercedes-Benz lists 4MATIC all-wheel drive as standard.
The rear cabin
Mercedes-Benz lists Executive rear seats with ventilation, massage and neck and shoulder heating, and with its First-Class Rear equipment the centre console runs on between them to the back (Mercedes-Benz). Both Maybachs are quoted for up to three guests; ask when you book how the rear of the car is laid out.
The model’s rear-seat entertainment puts two 11.6-inch screens on the backs of the front seats, and the brand lettering lights up on the stainless-steel door sills. The practical difference from the saloon is the height: a guest steps out rather than climbs out, and does not have to gather a coat off the floor on the way.
Where it sits against the saloon
The two Maybachs answer the same brief. The rear seat is the product; the front seat is where we work.
What differs is the seat height and the way you get into it. The saloon is lower, longer, and still the better car for a slow arrival where the photograph matters. The EQS sits a guest higher, under a taller roofline, which is the version that suits guests who find a low saloon awkward to leave with any dignity. Anyone who has helped a principal out of a low car in the rain understands the difference.
For the airport run, either works. For a long day out of the city, whether that is Kakheti or Kazbegi, name the one you want when you book; every fare is confirmed in writing before the car is dispatched.
What it costs
The same as the saloon. There is no premium for the electric drivetrain.
- 300 ₾ an hour, three-hour minimum
- 2 500 ₾ for a day of 8 to 9 hours
- 250 ₾ per extra hour
- 750 ₾ for an airport transfer
Those are the published fleet rates, the same for either Maybach. How the day rate compares across all four cars is set out separately.
Which one to ask for
Three guests or fewer, and the arrival is the moment: the saloon.
Three guests or fewer, and the guest would rather step out than climb out: the EQS.
Four or more, or luggage that will not close a boot: neither. That is the V-Class.
If the shape of a multi-day booking changes from one day to the next, ask whether a different car can take some of the days; the fare for each day is confirmed in writing before the car is dispatched.
A closing note
Both Maybachs cost the same, take up to three guests and do the same job from the rear seat. The difference is the height of the seat and the sound of the drivetrain, and the airport playbook works the same way in either.
Georgia is growing into the destination it should always have been. If you are coming, pick whichever of the four is right for the day and email booking@soitblack.com; every fare is confirmed in writing before the car is dispatched.
Related: The fleet, V-Class for groups, Day trips from Tbilisi, and Multi-day chauffeur.