AutoWeek writer Mark Vaughn got a chance to test drive Maybach's sports-coupe prototype, the Exelero — a show car supposedly built, of all things, to test tires. Sure, we'd hardly believed the ultralux Mercedes brand would build such a tire-test mule, though AW reports the project was indeed financed by German tiremaker Fulda to publicize the new Carat Exelero tire. Nonetheless, the car just happens to be perfect for the tires, which are rated to bring a 7000lb car safely to over 200mph and back. Still the Exelero is really a body-by-Stola Maybach 57S designed by a Pforzheim University student, albiet one with a tweaked-out AMG V12 dragged away by 700 wild horses. No, it'll never be built. Hopefully, we'll see one in Frankfurt.

An Excellent Exelero: Maybach's excessive two-seater certainly won't be built. We drive it anyway. [AutoWeek]

Related:
Maybach Unveils Exelero Show Car [internal]