Aftermarket shops in China are offering a “Maybach conversion” for the standard Mercedes-Benz S-Class, sina.cn reports. The service seems to be fairly cheap and popular, but raises serious concerns about quality and safety.
Most things that differentiate a Maybach vehicle from its Benz counterpart are trim-based and easy to imitate, but others pose a challenge. For one, the Maybach is considerably longer and has a quarter-panel window in the c-pillar instead of the door. As a result, the two models feature different rooflines, rear doors, pillars and fenders.
This hasn’t stopped the Chinese tuners from trying, sina.cn claims. By using grinders, welding machines and lots of Bondo, they turn stock S-Class saloons into passable Maybach lookalikes. While the chassis remains the same length – stretching it would be exorbitantly expensive compared to the other modifications – the sides get redesigned for an illusion of a longer car.
Prices start from 18,000 CNY, which amounts to U.S. $2,500. As a bonus, some throw in replacement door panels and Mercedes-inspired trim bits. Maybach bumpers and aero are optional.
Why bother cutting up a German luxury vehicle, though? Apparently, rental services in China charge around 50% more for Maybach models than they do for the regular S-Class. These cars are among the most popular rental picks for weddings, so cheap replicas make actual business sense.
