Project Maybach x Virgil Abloh Concept Is A Strange Off-Road Coupe With An External Roll Cage

A few days after the unfortunate passing of influential fashion designer Virgil Abloh, Mercedes presented the Project Maybach. The concept car is described as a “two-seater, battery-electric off-road coupé” created to conceptualize the future of electric travel.

The design teams involved with the project were given complete creative freedom, creating a new design language under the guidance of both Gorden Wagener and Virgil Abloh.

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The Project Maybach measures almost six meters (236.2 inches) long, with a massive bonnet, a coupe-style roofline, two doors, and an adventurous spirit. Features like the front and rear skid-plates, off-road tires, bolt-on fenders, and the protective metal structure above the greenhouse communicate the vehicle’s off-road nature.

At the front, the horizontal LED strip, the illuminated grille, and the round LED headlights are reminiscent of a Rolls-Royce. A group of solar cells positioned under the transparent hood of the concept car would contribute to a longer electric range, making use of the available space. At the back, the round taillights incorporate illuminated Maybach logos.

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Inside, the overall design is minimal yet luxurious, with a color theme inspired by the desert. Despite the massive footprint, there is room for two passengers on a pair of futuristic seats that can fold flat. The dashboard is featuring a centrally mounted digital instrument cluster and retro-styled metal knobs. Storage compartments for outdoor equipment can be found in various places around the cabin, like the Maybach-branded ax that is integrated on the door inserts.

Virgil Abloh was an American architect, creative director, fashion designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist with an illustrious career in the fashion industry. He was the founder and CEO of the Off-White label and the creative director for Louis Vuitton’s menswear collections since 2018. Abloh died on November 28 at the age of 41 after being diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma in 2019.

The company issued the following statement: “Mercedes-Benz is devastated to hear of the passing of Virgil Abloh. Our sincere thoughts are with Virgil’s family and teams. Now opening the world of our collaboration, and Virgil’s unique vision, to the public we want to respectfully celebrate the work of a truly unique design talent, who created endless possibilities for collaboration through his unbridled imagination and inspired all that knew his work.”

The Project Maybach will be showcased to the public at the Rubell Museum in Miami, Florida, on December 1st and 2nd. As you can imagine the project is a design study not destined for production.