Maybach’s new drop-top is indeed special, but could a shooting brake variant make it even more special?
As the automotive marketplace landscape becomes increasingly occupied by mundane and monotonous vehicles that all have nearly identical proportions, certain marques aim to stand out from the rest. Mercedes-Maybach is a prime example of a luxury automaker attempting to offer “more special” versions of existing Mercedes-Benz vehicles, such as the S-Class, the GLS-Class, and even the EQS-Class.
For its latest creation, Maybach set its sights on the iconic Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Roadster, endowing it with large, ostentatious wheels, Maybach logo print patterns, and massively upgraded cabin appointments. Although it certainly looks the part, the 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series isn’t all that different mechanically from a Mercedes-AMG SL 63 AMG, aside from a transmission tune and a quieter exhaust system. Perhaps something more radical—such as a hatchback or “shooting brake” — could add the unique appeal to the SL 680 that would make the model a truly one-of-a-kind offering.
Mercedes-Benz
There’s no denying that, even in Roadster form, the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Serious is an absolute stunner. That being said, as an avid lover of all things shooting brake, and the idea of blending supreme luxury with an elongated, swooping roofline that actually enhances the vehicle’s functionality, I couldn’t help but imagine how much more incredible it could be with a hard top and a bigger booty. So, using Midjourney 7.0 and Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, I’ve taken an imagined look at what a 2026 Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series could look like as a shooting brake. The following renders are purely fictional and in no way represent any Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, or Mercedes-Maybach products.
Cole Attisha Using Midjourney 7.0 & Gemini 2.5 Flash Image
A truly stunning design could gain utility and exclusivity
Obviously, shooting brakes aren’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea. But for an elite few, who can easily distinguish between excellent and poor taste, the shooting brake is a body style that’s often worth a pretty penny. For example, consider the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake, the severely overlooked Ferrari FF, and countless other examples of GT cars converted to shooting brakes for added convenience and unique silhouettes. For some, the “shooting brake” style represents a culmination of form and function as one cohesive unit, and I think the Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series deserves this treatment just as much as the next GT car.
Cole Attisha Using Midjourney 7.0 & Gemini 2.5 Flash Image
Personally, I believe that the contemporary SL-Class, despite representing a significant departure from past SL-Class designs, lends itself exceptionally well to the shooting brake treatment. Its soft, elegant lines perfectly blend themselves into the shooting brake’s elongated hardtop roof, and maybe I’m just weird, but a rear-windshield wiper just feels so wrong on a Maybach Coupe that it actually feels right. I’m also reasonably sure that if Maybach ever dared to produce such a thing, it would fetch a pretty hefty penny at a future RM Sotheby’s auction, just as many rare shooting brakes have before it. Thus, a shooting brake variant of the SL 680 Monogram Series could potentially be one of the most collectible vehicles of the decade if executed correctly. That is, if Maybach ever actually decided to produce it—something I doubt will ever actually happen.
Final thoughts
Shooting brakes, albeit an underappreciated and overlooked niche of contemporary (and even historical) car design, are nothing new for Mercedes-Benz. In recent times, the automaker has offered shooting brake variants of its CLA-Class and CLS-Class—gorgeous long-roof quasi-station-wagons that unfortunately never made it to North American shores. What we haven’t yet seen from Mercedes-Benz is a two-door shooting brake. You know, the kind that really does pull numbers at exclusive collector car auctions. I’d love to see the brand’s ultra high-end division—Maybach—give it a try for itself with a model as mesmerizing as the SL 680 Monogram Series, and I genuinely believe it would go down in history as a genuine modern three-pointed-star icon.
About the author
Cole Attisha
Staff Writer, Autoblog