Suspension test between a Maybach S580 and a Chinese car reveals unbelievable results

  • This NIO ET9 is the definition of a smooth ride
  • It boasts innovative suspension technology
  • Can it compete with the luxury Maybach S580 at double its price?

Published on Feb 09, 2025 at 11:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

Last updated on Feb 07, 2025 at 6:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

This NIO ET9 is the definition of a smooth ride as it goes up against a Maybach S580 in the ultimate suspension test.

There is a huge gulf in cost between the two.

The Maybach is worth around $220,000 whereas the NIO is just over $110,000.

However, the winner might come from left of field.

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The Maybach S580 versus the NIO ET9

The luxury Maybach S580 has a luxurious price point and comfort to match.

The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class features an AIRMATIC air suspension system, which is adjustable to provide a comfortable ride or a more sporty driving experience.

The relatively cheap NIO ET9 by comparison boasts innovative suspension that can do incredible things – like shaking off snow like a puppy.

Deliveries of the NIO ET9 began at the beginning of 2025.

The Chinese EV boasts an intelligent chassis system, known as SkyRide.

The system integrates steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering, and a fully active suspension.

In fact, according to their website, it’s the ‘world’s first integrated hydraulic fully active suspension (FAS) system’.

“It can process information and respond within 1ms by instantaneously adjusting stiffness, damping, and height. The ET9 ensures a stable ride with extraordinary body control,” the company said.

According to the Chinese EV maker, the car can deliver smooth rides even on the most complex road conditions.

The suspension test

DriveVerse

Now for the comparative suspension test by automotive content creators, DriveVerse, which sees the cars drive over speed bumps with a tower of filled champagne glasses teetering precariously on the hood.

Despite being the more expensive option, the Maybach sees almost every glass topple off the car with barely a drop of the bubbly left in any glass.

Onto the NIO, and according to the YouTubers, ‘something incredible happens’.

It’s all down to the ‘intelligent’ Skyride chassis that boasts ‘active electro-hydraulic suspension’.

This innovative system allows the 707 horsepower EV to overcome the bumpy on-road obstacles without knocking over a glass, spilling a drop, or even making ripples on the water’s surface.

Seriously impressive stuff.

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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”