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Next Mercedes S-Class stretching into this 600 Pullman limo

To the concern of nobody in particular, Mercedes-Benz will not be re-upping its Maybach line of ultra-luxury limousines. No, instead the German automaker will be stretching its already roomy S-Class, to make this upcoming 600 Pullman version of the decked-out beast.
The car in our new gallery of spy shots is sporting beefy B-pillars and a massive set of rear doors that should allow perfectly graceful ingress and egress from what is likely to be a palatial rear space. (In one photo we can even see a long-wheelbase S-Class in line with the new Pullman, handily exhibiting the size of the new variant.) The exterior modifications are otherwise obscured, though we can guess at revised front and rear fascia and lighting elements, based on both end being heavily taped for these test runs.
It's a good bet that the Pullman will make use of M-B's twin-turbocharged V12 engine, though sources indicate that a hybrid version might eventually be in the offing, as well.

Maybach could become Mercedes-Benz sub-brand

When you're arriving in a twin-turbocharged, twelve-cylinder Maybach limo, there's no reason you should ever have to be late. Except, maybe, to make a fashionable entrance. But up at the corporate level, the entire Maybach brand is being slowed down as critical decisions about its future are being undertaken.
Last week, we reported that a decision on what path Maybach would take going forward would be due at the start of next month, but the latest reports indicate that the timeframe has been extended as further options are being considered.
The previous options under consideration were twofold: either relaunch the brand with production outsourced to Aston Martin - which suddenly finds itself with excess production capacity - or shut it down completely. And those are still two very real options. Word has it that Aston has put together four concept cars for the Daimler brass to consider, all based on the next-generation S-Class platform (and thankfully not the old one).

Mercedes says it's tops in luxury sales for 2012, not BMW

It turns out that Mercedes-Benz North America has legitimate claim to being the top selling luxury nameplate in the US in 2012.
While sources such as Autodata had put BMW in the top spot, registration data from R.L. Polk shows that Mercedes customers registering new vehicles topped the Bavarian automaker in the most recent calendar year. Polk says Benz posted 274,123 registrations, compared with BMW's 268,498.
In terms of sales posted, BMW had bested Benz 281,460 to 274,134. But sales are recorded somewhat inconsistently from automaker to automaker. Some book the sales as soon as they are shipped from factory to dealer. There is perennial gamesmanship between the two German rivals, and the sales numbers suggest that BMW pushed out some extra sheetmetal to dealers in the last four weeks of the year.