Copywriting for Mercedes-Benz

Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Maybach create the ultimate legacy car

The late Virgil Abloh’s collaboration with Mercedes-Maybach culminates in the launch of a limited-edition bespoke Maybach S-Class and capsule collection, inspired by Project MAYBACH.

On April 5, 2022, Mercedes-Maybach unveils the final chapter of Project MAYBACH — its collaboration with trusted partner, the late polymath artist, architect, creative director, fashion designer and philanthropist Virgil Abloh. Designed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Group AG Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener in 2021, the vehicle was finalised before Abloh’s untimely passing in November and will be available in the U.S. later this year, with a limited run of 150 units globally.

The launch coincides with the release of a capsule collection designed by Virgil Abloh in collaboration with Off-White™. Developed in connection with the Project MAYBACH electric show car, it is available exclusively via Off-White™, Farfetch and Maybach Icons of Luxury online stores, as well as Off-White™ stores in select markets.

For over a century, Mercedes-Maybach has defined the boundaries of luxury experiences, and the limited-edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh — a specially curated 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class S 680 — continues this tradition. Created by the specialised customisation and craftsmanship team at Mercedes-Benz MANUFAKTUR in Sindelfingen, the vehicle’s exterior features a unique two-tone colour combination developed for Project MAYBACH. The upper body is finished in glossy Obsidian Black, while the lower portion, side flanks and forged rims are rendered in a sand hue.

This elevated craftsmanship extends into the interior, where the same two-tone palette is applied. The four-seat configuration, steering wheel, doors, lower dashboard and headliner are finished in black and sand-coloured Nappa leather, complemented by tonal trims and detailing. High-pile floor mats in black feature a sand-coloured leather border and embroidered Mercedes-Maybach logo. To enhance its monolithic appearance, the window frames are painted, while a combined Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo is inscribed across the piano black centre console, rear cushions, headrests and door sill panels.

Unique to the limited-edition Maybach S-Class is a personalised user interface, offering a refined variation of the Maybach MBUX suite of technologies. Handpicked visual elements enrich the digital experience — from a home button with coloured border and limited-edition branding to profile displays adorned with luxury-inspired graphics. The result is an intuitive interface that reflects the vehicle’s distinctive identity throughout.

Each customer receives a custom-made wooden box covered in sand-coloured Nappa leather, embossed with the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo. The set includes a 1:18 scale model of the vehicle, two car keys and a carabiner hook.

The limited-edition Maybach S-Class also includes a bespoke car cover featuring the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo.

The capsule collection — launching April 5, 2022 — has been designed by Virgil Abloh with Off-White™ in connection with the Project MAYBACH electric show car. It includes sand-coloured vintage-washed cotton T-shirts, half-brushed cotton fleece crewnecks and hoodies, as well as canvas baseball caps and racing gloves crafted from canvas, neoprene and suede, finished with a black spray effect and embroidery.

The limited-edition Maybach S-Class marks Abloh’s third collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and his second with Mercedes-Maybach. On December 1, 2021, Mercedes-Benz unveiled Project MAYBACH at the Rubell Museum in Miami during Miami Art Week — a show car exploring the future of electric design. A year earlier, Abloh and Wagener reimagined the Mercedes-Benz G-Class with Project Geländewagen, redefining the conversation around automotive and fashion collaboration.

Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, says:
“I’m incredibly proud of the work we created in collaboration with Virgil. From Project Geländewagen, which set a new benchmark for fashion and automotive collaboration, to Project MAYBACH, which brought the Mercedes-Maybach heritage into the future, we broke new ground together. The limited-edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh exemplifies the symbiosis between innovative design and exceptional craftsmanship.”

Bettina Fetzer, Vice President Communications & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz AG, adds:
“Teaming up with Virgil for Project MAYBACH was a unique and inspiring journey rooted in co-creation and contemporary luxury. Creating tangible expressions of this collaboration was essential in bringing the vision to life. The limited-edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh and the accompanying capsule collection offer a truly exceptional customer experience.”

The collaboration with Abloh reflects Mercedes-Maybach’s continued commitment to innovation and evolution. Looking ahead, the brand will launch its first fully electric production model in 2023. Sustainability is addressed not only through drive technology, but also through material innovation and lifecycle planning, with each component assessed for recyclability and environmental impact.

About Virgil Abloh (1980–2021)

Born in Rockford, Illinois, Virgil Abloh was an artist, architect, creative director, industrial designer, musician, DJ and philanthropist. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he completed a Master’s in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. There, he began developing the conceptual foundations of his practice.

In 2019, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presented a major travelling survey of his work — one of the most attended exhibitions in the institution’s history. Abloh was the founder and Chief Creative Director of Off-White™ and served as Men’s Artistic Director at Louis Vuitton.

About Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service of all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. The brand offers one of the most diverse line-ups in the luxury segment, from the GLA SUV to the flagship S-Class and Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

MBUSA also oversees Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. More information: www.mbusa.com | www.mbvans.com