A V8 engine with 557 horsepower, Nappa leather upholstery, wood trims, and retractable electric side steps: these are just some of the features highlighted in the technical specifications of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS, along with a price tag of NIS 2 million before extras.
This is the new private car purchased by Economy Minister Nir Barkat, who was a successful businessman before entering politics and was twice elected Mayor of Jerusalem. Barkat previously drove a large seven-seater Mercedes GLS as well, but at that time it was the “regular” model, less luxurious and costing NIS 1 million. The Maybach GLS, produced at Mercedes’ factory in Alabama, USA, is equipped with a 4,000 cc turbo engine, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 250 km/h — performance that Barkat, a former race car driver who competed in the Dakar Rally, is expected to handle with ease.
Maybach was a German luxury car manufacturer established in 1909, reaching its peak during the Nazi regime. In 1940, during World War II, the company shifted to producing engines for German Panzer and Tiger tanks, as well as truck engines. After the war, Maybach did not return to car manufacturing, and in 1960 it was acquired by Mercedes, which used it to produce limited series vehicles.
In 1997, Mercedes relaunched the brand with a luxury sedan, attempting to compete with Rolls-Royce, then acquired by BMW, and Bentley, acquired by Volkswagen. The move did not achieve the expected commercial success, and production ceased in 2012 after only 3,000 cars were sold. Since then, Maybach has served Mercedes as the ultra-luxury trim level for S-Class and GLS models, catering to high-end SUV enthusiasts. The exclusivity of Maybach models in Israel is evident: Only about 130 Maybach vehicles are on Israeli roads, a number nearly identical to the Ferraris in the country.
Barkat, who served in the IDF as a company commander in the Paratroopers and fought in the First Lebanon War, later completed a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at the Hebrew University. He then embarked on a business career and, together with his brother Eli, was among the first investors in Check Point. His businesses are now managed by his brother Eli, while last year alone he reportedly earned about NIS 1 billion from the rise in value of the Meitav Investment House, the sale of the biotech company V-Wave, and the IPO of the trading platform eToro. His total estimated net worth is about NIS 3 billion, making him the wealthiest politician in Israel.
Barkat had no difficulty financing the Mercedes-Maybach out of his own pocket, and the purchase even brought over NIS 1 million in taxes to the state treasury. However, the acquisition took place during wartime, while many of Israel’s wealthy refrained from buying new luxury cars at such times, and luxury car sales in the country have declined. Barkat purchased the car before the return of hostages who survived from Gaza, while more and more IDF soldiers fallen in the war were being laid to rest, many at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery, about a kilometer from the Economy Minister’s home in the Beit Hakerem neighborhood of Jerusalem.
Barkat’s office responded: “Throughout his 23 years of public service, Minister Nir Barkat earns only one shekel per year, and finances all his expenses from his private funds, including his private car, fuel costs, insurance, maintenance, and many other expenses. It is regrettable to see that instead of appreciating a public official who saves the public significant sums of money, you chose to engage in invasive harassment of his private life and slander concerning his personal expenses rather than the opposite.”