Mercedes-Benz to revive Maybach brand for top end S-Class

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Daimler on Tuesday said it will launch new top end versions of its Mercedes-Benz S-Class, including a sports utility vehicle and a high-end luxury limousine adorned with the Maybach brand.

Daimler, which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand, said it would unveil the new Mercedes-Maybach S 600 limousine at the Guangzhou Motor Show and Los Angeles Auto Show this month, confirming a Reuters report from April.

In 2012, Mercedes-Benz stopped making Maybach limousines after the vehicles, which were based on a unique design and costing around $380,000, failed to sell heavily enough.

At the time, Maybach vehicles were marketed as a separate brand from Mercedes-Benz. Among the owners were rap stars, oligarchs and royals including Russia's Roman Abramovich, musician Jay-Z and King Juan Carlos of Spain.

The new jointly branded Maybach-Mercedes is expected to sell well in China, the United States, Russia and Japan, said Ola Kaellenius, the Mercedes-Benz executive responsible for marketing and sales.

In a further step, Mercedes-Benz said it would also launch a new system to label its various model series to help customers understand the company's ballooning range of vehicles.

Jens Thiemer, Head of Marketing Communications for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars said that Mercedes-Benz sports utility vehicles (SUV's) would be sold under the common "GL" brand.

In the coming months Mercedes will add SUV versions of their existing line of sedans, including compact, midsize and larger models which will be branded GL A-Class, GL C-Class and GL E-Class, Thiemer said at an event in Stuttgart.

"Later in 2016 there will be a GL S-Class," Thiemer added.

(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach; Writing by Edward Taylor; editing by Keith Weir)