Mercedes-Benz SL Mythos Series due out in 2025

Mercedes-Benz outlined plans to launch an ultra-luxurious range of Mythos-branded models in 2022. We haven’t heard much about the lineup since, but the brand clarified that development work is ongoing. We won’t have to wait for very long to see the first Mythos-badged car.

The announcement was made during a presentation that outlined Mercedes-Benz’s 2023 results for investors. The brand laid out four basic goals for what it calls its most demanding customers: the extension of the Manufaktur personalization program, a collaboration with fashion company Moncler, a limited-edition Maybach designed jointly with Virgil Abloh, and the first car in the Mythos series. It’s due out in 2025.

While specific details weren’t provided, it looks like the first Mythos car will be an evolution of the new SL. Mercedes-Benz has previously described the Mythos range as a series of “ultra-exclusive collector cars” that will be built in limited numbers; it’s for those who find Maybach not luxurious enough. If that’s what you’re looking for, you may not be able to buy one even if you can afford it; the brand has also noted that these cars will be reserved for “the most dedicated enthusiasts and collectors,” suggesting only select customers will be invited to buy one.

This approach isn’t unusual in the luxury segment. For example, Bentley recently unveiled a pair of few-off models called Bacalar and Batur, respectively. Long-time brand enthusiasts and collectors were offered the first build slots, and both models (which were limited to 12 and 18 units, respectively) sold out quickly in spite of a massive price tag. Mercedes-Benz may be trying to lure the same customers with Mythos.

Gordon Wagener, the head of Mercedes-Benz’s design department, released a dark preview image of the first Mythos model in 2022 and it’s hard to tell precisely what we’re looking at. The picture (shown above) depicts a roadster reminiscent of the SL, but design details such as the shape of the headlights and the tonneau cover don’t match. Even if the yet-unnamed model is closely related to the SL underneath, Wagener’s Instagram post seemingly announces that it will take much more than nice paint and extra chrome to characterize a Mythos.

More details about the first Mythos-branded Mercedes-Benz model will emerge in the coming months.