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Mercedes-Benz unveiled a new concept for its Mercedes-Maybach sub-brand on Thursday in Monterey, California as part of the ongoing Monterey Car Week.

The concept is called the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, and it’s in the form of a streamlined coupe with a large grille, slit-like lights and gullwing doors.

The concept heralds the new design direction for future Maybach models, perhaps even a new generation of standalone cars succeeding the ill-fated 57 and 62 sedans. There are rumors a production version of the Maybach 6 will arrive as early as 2017 to take on the Bentley Continental GT and Rolls-Royce Wraith.

The number in the name refers to the length in meters, though that’s a rounded-up figure as the exact length is 5.6 m. That works out to be 222 inches, which would be long for a sedan but this is a coupe we’re talking about.

Inspiration for the design came from the “aero coupes” developed in the early parts of the last century. This can be seen in the smooth surfacing of the car as well as its proportions, where an extremely long hood flows into a low roof line which ends with a boat tail-like rear. The grille is said to have been inspired by a pinstriped suit while the distinctive 24-in wheels are a development of the aero rim from 2015’sIntelligent Aerodynamic Automobile concept, as is the truncated look of the rear.

Access to the cabin is via the aforementioned gullwing doors. Inside, the designers have gone with a lounge-like theme. There are premium materials such as rose gold accents on the dash, leather trim on the seats and polished elm on the floor. The displays are all digital, including a transparent windshield unit which can display driving-related data and geographical information across the full width of the glass. And when the driver doesn’t feel like driving, he or she can switch on an autonomous mode and let the vehicle take over.

Underneath the pretty sheet metal is an electric powertrain. An 80-kilowatt-hour battery is housed in the floor and powers four electric motors which form an all-wheel-drive system and deliver a combined 738 horsepower. This is enough for 0-62 mph acceleration in under 4.0 seconds and a range of well over 200 miles.

The charging system uses high-speed DC charging based on the CCS (Combined Charging System) public standard, which Mercedes will start implementing in its plug-in cars from 2018. In the case of the Maybach 6, 5.0 minutes of charging can add an additional range of 62 mi. Charging can be done via a plug or a new wireless system Mercedes will introduce on its 2018 S550e plug-in hybrid.

For more Monterey Car Week coverage, visit Motor Authority's dedicated hub.