Virgil Abloh’s Final Mercedes-Benz Collaboration Revealed in Miami

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LONDON — Mercedes-Benz revealed its latest and final collaboration with Virgil Abloh, a Mercedes-Maybach electric show car, during Art Basel Miami Beach on Wednesday with an installation paying homage to the late designer, who passed away last Sunday due to a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma.

The brand said that following the wishes of Abloh’s family, the installation is open to the public at the Rubell Museum in Miami on Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The first hour on the first day is opened exclusively to students from local design schools.

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Project Maybach, Mercedes-Maybach x Virgil Abloh - Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy
Project Maybach, Mercedes-Maybach x Virgil Abloh - Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy

Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy

“Mercedes-Benz is devastated to hear of the passing of Virgil Abloh. Our sincere thoughts are with Virgil’s family and teams. Now opening the world of our collaboration, and Virgil’s unique vision, to the public we want to respectfully celebrate the work of a truly unique design talent, who created endless possibilities for collaboration through his unbridled imagination and inspired all that knew his work,” the brand said in a statement.

The Louis Vuitton men’s wear artistic director and Off-White founder created this electric show car for Mercedes-Maybach, the German automobile-maker’s most premium line, with Mercedes-Benz chief design officer Gorden Wagener.

Abloh’s second project with Mercedes-Benz, after reimagining the Mercedes-Benz G Class last year, coincided with the 100th year anniversary of Karl Maybach and his father Wilhelm debuting the first Maybach W 3.

Project Maybach, Mercedes-Maybach x Virgil Abloh - Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy
Project Maybach, Mercedes-Maybach x Virgil Abloh - Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy

Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy

The show car is inspired by the great outdoors and recontextualizes a traditionally urban brand within an off-road environment. The almost 6 meter long, two-seater, battery-electric off-road coupe comes with Gran Turismo proportions, large off-road wheels, and distinctive attachments.

Mercedes-Benz called the show car “a humble contribution to Virgil’s vast legacy,” as it “exemplifies the possibilities of future design and is the result of an ongoing cooperation with the polymath artist, architect, creative director, fashion designer and philanthropist.”

While the show car won’t go into production, it’s understood that a limited-edition Mercedes-Maybach S-Class that takes inspiration from the show car will be released in 2022.

Project Maybach, Mercedes-Maybach x Virgil Abloh - Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy
Project Maybach, Mercedes-Maybach x Virgil Abloh - Credit: Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy

Mercedes-Benz/Courtesy

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