It is not often in this section that we refer to actually being driven rather than sitting behind the wheel ourselves, but this is one exception. To meet the demands of the ever-growing market for performance stretched limousines, Maybach gave us the brand new 62 S to test, which it claims is the world's most powerful chauffeur-driven saloon car.

For this reason, the logical place to start is in the rear passenger seat of this super limo. With my chauffeur for the day, Tony, holding the door open I climb in and place my oversized rear into what is quite possibly the most comfortable seat I have sat on this side of my living room sofa. Incessantly listening to the Daimler-Chrysler PR team refer to the 62 S ('S' stands for special) as 'a business jet on wheels', I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Now that I am experiencing it first hand, I am inclined to nod my head in agreement.

The rear seat of the Maybach is a great place to be, its sole purpose purely to pamper its occupant. Swathed in expensive and incredibly soft black leather (made from the hide of young German bulls no less), the individual rear seats are modelled on the first class chairs from Air France and recline in a familiar way to that of any passenger jet seat. There is also lower leg support, a footrest and pillow attached to the headrest. I defy anyone travelling in this car for a journey longer than an hour not to fall asleep.

As you would expect from a car priced $ 700,000, there is a long list of gadgetry to keep the discerning billionaire amused, including a DVD player, six-disk CD changer, two telephones, a fridge equipped with silver champagne flutes (and matching strategically placed tray to catch the drips), intercom, massaging seats and motorised curtains. You can also keep an eye on how fast your driver is getting to your destination via the three roof mounted dials that replicate the speedometer, clock and thermometer in the front of the car. The overall atmosphere is of a calm elegance; it is impossible to escape the remarkable levels of comfort and refinement. There is even a button that closes the door so Tony doesn't have to.

As my chauffeur smoothly pulls away, the first impression is of incredible serenity, with almost no external noise breaking through the Maybach's soundproof force field. The only suggestion that we are moving is that the Dubai scenery is gradually becoming more and more blurred. The suspension is incredible, filtering out even the harshest imperfections in the road. If you've had a long day, the back seat of the 62 S is the ideal place to destress, watch live TV, put on a DVD or, of course, grab 40 winks.

Visually the Maybach is extremely imposing, and even bigger than it looks in pictures, although it does lack the magnetic road presence of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. When the Maybach range was first launched I found the design vulgar and tasteless. Now that the Mercedes S-Class has adopted a lot of its styling cues, I find it a lot easier on the eye due to familiarity. Up front there is a redesigned grille and different headlights. At the back there's a modified rear apron with twin chrome trapezoidal exhaust tail pipes. The 62 S also rides on 20-inch multispoke rims and is available, unlike the regular 62, in single-tone black or silver.

Extracting myself from the back seat, I give Tony a break and hop into the driver's seat hugely curious what this 6.2 metre, three-ton goliath will feel like from behind the wheel. With a handcrafted AMG twin turbo V12 pushing out 612bhp, the S is no slouch, reaching 100kmh in a claimed and rather jaw-dropping 5.2 seconds. Now there's no excuses for missing that flight.

I floor the pedal and what happens next is one of the strangest things I have ever experienced in a car. There is a small shove in your back and then nothing. Nothing at all. While the Maybach is accelerating ferociously down the road there is no accompanying sensation of velocity. This is partly down to the fact you cannot hear the engine, even as it climbs to the top of its rev range. It feels like you're in a high-speed vacuum, even at the electronically limited 250kmh top speed, which the S reaches effortlessly.

While this vault like hush is great for the passenger relaxing in the back, it is quite disorienting for the driver - you have no concept of what speed you're travelling at. I found myself barreling into corners at a much higher rate than

I would normally in a car of this size - although not exactly agile, the 62 S does remain remarkably flat through the corners. And more importantly, it has great stopping power should you, or Tony, need to get out of trouble.

The Maybach 62 S is an incredible engineering achievement, no less than you would expect from Daimler-Chrysler in trying to put Rolls-Royce in its place. The problem is I am not sure I see the point of this car. Apart from it being a huge display of opulence, obviously. If you are going to drive yourself, you are better off with the shorter wheelbase 52 or the much cheaper S600. If you are looking to be driven, why does the chauffer need the extra horsepower over the 550bhp regular and cheaper Maybach 62? Then again, buying a Maybach is all about indulgence, for the sort of person who considers an overpriced first class plane ticket a fundamental factor of life.