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The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is pure electric excess

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is a two-door, two-passenger coupe that spans over 18 feet long. Everything about this car is more than you need. But isn't that the true definition of ultimate luxury? With so much sheet metal, it can be tricky to get everything to look right, but Mercedes seems to have done nicely with this concept. Overall, the car's long nose and short deck are reminiscent of the Mercedes-AMG GT, and the long, tapering tail and lights are similar to that of the Mercedes-AMG Vision Gran Turismo concept from a few years ago. Capping off the front of the Mercedes-Maybach 6 is a proud, prominent grille that the company claims was inspired by a pinstripe suit. At each corner are 24-inch wheels with transparent panels based on the transforming, aerodynamic wheels of the Concept IAA Mercedes previously showed. Powering this massive coupe are four electric motors that can produce a combined 738 horsepower. Mercedes says that will be enough to get the car to 62 mph from a standstill in under 4 seconds. The motors are backed by an 80 kWh battery that the company says can propel the car up to 200 miles. Perhaps more interesting than its range is the fact that the Mercedes-Maybach 6 can pick up a charge worth 62 miles in just 5 minutes, assuming you've got the right charger. This is technology that could really make a difference in the day-to-day practicality of electric cars, provided that it makes it to reality. The car can be charged either by being plugged in, or wirelessly with an inductive charging system. Inside, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 has even more fantastical features. It does retain analog gauges as a link to the past, but augments them with wrap-around glass trim that doubles as a display and touch-sensitive interface. The windshield seems to be pulled from Mission Impossible with its ability to display information. Sensors in the seats are designed to read the condition of the passengers and even their outfits to custom tailor everything from lighting to massage features. It's hard to say what the production odds are for this mega Mercedes, but you probably shouldn't hold your breath. Even for the rarified segment of seven-figure cars, this would be pretty extravagant. It wouldn't be impossible, or without precedent. Back when Maybach was still its own brand, the company created a ridiculous luxury coupe called the Exelero, and they sold the fully-functional car.

Red Bull may seek engines from Ferrari after Mercedes snub

Red Bull and Renault's fractured relationship is pushing the Austrian F1 team to find a new engine provider. But after a trip across the German border to chat with Mercedes-Benz proved fruitless, the team is apparently set to head across its home country's southern border, and into Italy. Yep, Red Bull Ferrari could be a thing next season. According to RBR boss Christian Horner, the company is just doing "necessary due diligence" in contacting other engine suppliers, although he's willfully admitted to Germany's Bild newspaper that the "idea of Mercedes is finished," BBC Sport reports. It wasn't so much that Mercedes and Red Bull couldn't come to financial agreement – Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz views throwing money into F1 in much the same way you or I toss pennies into the mall fountain – but rather that the Germans had no interest in supplying the best engines on the grid to the factory team's perennial rival. BBC Sport seems to think that fact, along with what the outlet calls Red Bull's "antagonistic" relationship with engine suppliers, killed the Mercedes deal. Honda and RBR aren't likely to happen either, thanks to McLaren (not that we think Red Bull would approach the Japanese, which have struggled mightily all season long). By process of elimination, that just leaves Ferrari. Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed that his team can accommodate Red Bull's engine needs, and that he wasn't concerned with the idea of a Ferrari engine in an Adrian Newey-designed body. "In theory they have big names, with Newey as chief designer and it is easy to think that if you give them the engine they will build a scary chassis, which means they will be really competitive," Arrivabene told BBC Sport. "Concerning my team, my engineers and aerodynamicists know their own jobs. For that reason I don't have a problem, and competition is nice when you have a stronger competitor." "This doesn't mean tomorrow morning we will give our engines to Red Bull or Toro Rosso," Arrivabene added. And it's that statement we'd suggest remembering. There are, after all, still seven races left in the 2015 season, which is quite a lot of time for new and different developments within the sport's notoriously gruesome political process. In other words, don't count on an announcement from any team or manufacturer for at least a few more races. Related Video:

Daimler ponders partnerships with Apple, Google

Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche is willing to consider joint ventures with tech giants like Apple and Google. Don't expect the automaker's vehicles to become just another platform for their software, though. In an interview with a German magazine, the chairman admits "different types" of partnerships could be possible, according to Reuters. As vehicles become increasingly connected, greater expertise is necessary in creating their software. The changing market is an opportunity for tech companies to enter the auto industry. "Google and Apple want to provide system software for cars and bring this entire ecosystem around Apple and Google into the vehicle," Zetsche said, according to Reuters. "That can be interesting for both sides." Although, he was clear no deals had happened, yet. For automakers, the danger of this cooperation is for a vehicle to be just a physical device that runs the software. "We don't want to become contractors who have no direct content with customers any more and supply hardware to third parties," he said in the interview. Zetsche has been working out how to create this balance for a while. Earlier this year, he said that some partnerships with Silicon Valley firms could be helpful. However, data privacy remains a major concern, especially in the wake of multiple vehicle hacks in recent months. In the chairman's opinion, a Mercedes-Benz shouldn't just protect its occupants physically but also their personal information. Related Video: