The German company was founded in 1909 and was originally set up to supply engines for Zeppelin passenger airships. When war broke out in Europe in 1939, Maybach switched to producing engines for German tanks. After sixty years in the abyss, Mercedes has revived the Maybach name to differentiate its super-high-end limousine.
Maybach Model History
All Maybach cars are based on the Mercedes S-Class, which explains why the cockpit is so similar to that car. Both the 57 (massive) and 62 (more massive) models are too large to be thought of as cars for the driver, but anyone who is seriously considering spending this kind of money on a vehicle is likely to have a driver at their personal behest.
It is a car for the passenger, and it is toys and space that make the difference.
Maybach Interior Luxury
When checking out the equipment, it's probably quicker to list the things it doesn't have. There are quite a few surprises though. The rear legroom comfortably extends beyond the reach of most normal humans, even when the seats are fully reclined into the Sleep position. Initial impression of the interior is of a comparison to a Gulfstream private jet. It is this top-flight travel ethos which forms the core of the Maybach experience.
Between the rear seats is a small refrigerator, which is ideal for obligatory en route Bollinger champagne. The seats themselves have a heater and a massage function, and there are DVD media screens for each rear seat traveller. The “moving cinema” impression is enhanced even further by small curtains which close electrically behind the seating positions. The Bose sound system consists of no less than 21 speakers giving full 6.1 surround, and pumping out an immense 600-watts. Much of the interior fittings and surfaces are finished in burr walnut and chrome. It is extravagance of the highest order.
Perhaps the coolest feature has to be the Photo-chromatic roof. The ceiling is composed of 15 glass tiles which contain liquid crystals. This clever system passes an electrical current through them, which makes them opaque or clear, giving the impression of massive open space above. Passengers can lie back and watch the clouds float above, pausing occasionally to gaze at the vehicle speed and outside temperature which are displayed on smart, angled dials. Whilst the rear cabin may lack the time-worn elegance of a Rolls Royce, it bravely melds traditional gentlemen's club comfort to cutting edge technology.
There is even an array of up-lighters with a dimmer control.
None of this craftsmanship or equipment comes particularly cheap. Maybach demands the asking price of one arm and one leg. The financial atrocities mount further once the owner has taken ownership of their new limo, as they will be lucky to travel 100 kms on 16 litres of fuel. This is unlikely to be an issue at this end of the market though, as people who buy Maybachs tend to sell oil rather than buy it.
Maybach Exterior Styling
In terms of external styling, the front is suitably imposing, but the vast expanses of sheet metal down both flanks mean it lacks visual tension. It is truly one of those cars which polarises opinion. Some find it handsome and understated, whereas others view it as bland or vulgar. It is a good example of debate being brought about through contentious design language.
Maybach Performance
Power comes courtesy of a Mercedes 5.5-litre turbocharged V12, which delivers that never-ending sensation of all-enveloping torque that only big-power limos can muster. The acceleration is vivid, but the effect is subdued because passengers hear so little engine noise penetrating the cabin. The double-glazing sees to that, and the ride comfort enhances the impression that you are not really moving.
Should a luxury buyer consider one? An impossible question to answer. Normally when choosing a car, the customer will decide what we need it to accomplish and then set themselves a budget. Here, those responses would be everything and anything. This is simply not a car to which people can apply a logical process of selection.
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