Maybach Biography
Maybach has historic roots through the involvement of Wilhelm Maybach, who was the technical director of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) until he left in 1907. On 23 March 1909 he founded the new company, Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH (literally "Aircraft Engine Building Company"), with his son Karl Maybach as director.[citation needed] In 1912 they renamed it to Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH ("Maybach Engine Construction Company"). The company originally developed and manufactured diesel and petrol engines for Zeppelins, and then rail cars. The Maybach Mb.IVa was used in aircraft and airships of World War I.
Captured Maybach T3 Assault Gun (Sturmgeschütz III), made on the basis of medium tank Maybach T3 (Panzer III). National Museum of Military History (Bulgaria)
The company first built an experimental car in 1919, with the first production model introduced two years later at the Berlin Motor Show. Between 1921 and 1940, the company produced various classic opulent vehicles. The company also continued to build heavy duty diesel engines for marine and rail purposes. During the second world war, Maybach produced the engines for Nazi Germany's medium and heavy tanks.
After WW II the factory performed some repair work, but automotive production was never restarted, and some 20 years later, the company was renamed MTU Friedrichshafen. Daimler-Benz purchased the company in 1960.
[edit] 1997–2013: revival
In 1997, Mercedes-Benz presented at the Tokyo Motorshow a luxury concept car under the name Mercedes-Benz Maybach (V12, 5987 cc, 550 hp). Mercedes-Benz decided to develop and market the car under the sole brand name of Maybach, as parent Daimler wanted an ultra-luxury marque to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley, which recently came under the ownership of Daimler's domestic rivals BMW and Volkswagen Group. Maybach was therefore revived as a brand in the early 2000s. The company offered various options for customers to personalise their vehicles, and provides various equipment combinations.[3]
Maybach 62
Production of the new model commenced in two sizes — the Maybach 57 and the Maybach 62. The numbers are equal to the lengths of the automobiles in decimetres. In 2005, the new 57S was added, sporting a 6.0L V12 bi-turbo engine, producing 604 bhp (450 kW) and 737 lb·ft (999 N·m) of torque, and featuring various cosmetic touches.
To promote the new Maybach line, Mercedes-Benz has tapped public figures to act as brand ambassadors, including Maybach heir Ulrich Schmid-Maybach, golfer Nick Faldo and in 2006 rap music icon Jay-Z featured the limited edition Maybach Exelero (coupe) in his ground breaking music video entitled "Lost One". The video was first released on December 4, 2006, Jay-Z's 37th birthday and notably features the rare concept car Maybach Exelero owned by diamond mogul André Action Jackson.[4][5]
Several Maybach 57 and 62 models at the 2005 Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, CA.
The base price of a 2009 Maybach 57 was $344,000; the Maybach 57 S, $381,000; the Maybach 62, $394,000; the Maybach 62 S, $430,000, and the Maybach Landaulet semi convertible costs just over 1 million. The Maybach 57 Zeppelin is priced at €406,000 ($580,000) and the 62 Zeppelin at €473,200 ($677,000).[6]
Initially, Daimler-Chrysler predicted annual sales of 2,000 global units with 50% coming from the United States; however, such lofty sales expectations never materialized.[7][8] In 2007 Mercedes bought back 29 US dealers, reducing the total from 71 to 42.[9] In 2010, only 157 Maybachs were sold worldwide, compared to 2,711 sales of similarly priced Rolls-Royces.[10]
[edit] Cessation
With less than stellar sales expectations and heavy impact of 2008 financial crises, Daimler AG undertook a review of the whole Maybach division.[11] These included talks with Aston Martin to engineer and style the next generation of Maybach models along with the next generation of Lagonda models.[3] According to Automotive News, only 44 Maybachs have been sold in the U.S. up to October 2011 year to date,[12] and just 3,000 have been sold worldwide since the marque was revived in 2002.[13]
However, on 25 November 2011, Daimler announced that sales of all Maybach models and the brand would cease in 2013, even though sales of the brand grew 20% that year.[2]
The line will be replaced by the next-generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class due for the 2013 model year, particularly the long wheelbase S-Class Pullman. An executive told a Frankfurt newspaper that: "(Daimler) came to the conclusion that the sales chances for the Mercedes brand were better than that of Maybach."[14]
According to Fortune Magazine, after missing out on the chance to purchase Rolls-Royce and Bentley when they were up for sale in the 1990s, "Mercedes backpedaled and decided it needed to be in the ultra-luxury business too, but it went after it in a remarkably clumsy way". Fortune stated that the first Maybach models had poor driving dynamics compared to its contemporaries from Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as "Mercedes took an aging S-class chassis and plopped an absurdly elongated body on it...rather than develop a new car from the wheels up, as BMW did with Rolls-Royce, or cleverly use the underpinnings of an existing model like the Audi A8 for a new Bentley". Furthermore, Maybachs were never advertised as owner-driven vehicles, as the company believed that the luxury amenities would be sufficient to sell and they even insisted that auto journalists (who usually test drive the vehicle) ride in the backseat.[15]
Another suggestion for Maybach's struggles was that parent Daimler had failed to differentiate it from its Mercedes-Benz brand. While all three ultra-luxury marques share platforms and engines with other luxury brands from their parent auto company, Maybachs are built alongside the Mercedes-Benz S-Class flagship sedan, whereas Rolls-Royce and Bentley are assembled in England (separate from the rest of BMW and Volkswagen Group's production plants) and thus are regarded as being more "exclusive". Furthermore the Maybach's pedigree was virtually unknown outside of Germany unlike its British rivals which have long enjoyed renown worldwide;[3] indeed the 2006 Rolls-Royce Phantom's interior evokes memories of a 1930s car while the Maybach 57S's inside makes no reference to its marque's history.
Captured Maybach T3 Assault Gun (Sturmgeschütz III), made on the basis of medium tank Maybach T3 (Panzer III). National Museum of Military History (Bulgaria)
The company first built an experimental car in 1919, with the first production model introduced two years later at the Berlin Motor Show. Between 1921 and 1940, the company produced various classic opulent vehicles. The company also continued to build heavy duty diesel engines for marine and rail purposes. During the second world war, Maybach produced the engines for Nazi Germany's medium and heavy tanks.
After WW II the factory performed some repair work, but automotive production was never restarted, and some 20 years later, the company was renamed MTU Friedrichshafen. Daimler-Benz purchased the company in 1960.
[edit] 1997–2013: revival
In 1997, Mercedes-Benz presented at the Tokyo Motorshow a luxury concept car under the name Mercedes-Benz Maybach (V12, 5987 cc, 550 hp). Mercedes-Benz decided to develop and market the car under the sole brand name of Maybach, as parent Daimler wanted an ultra-luxury marque to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley, which recently came under the ownership of Daimler's domestic rivals BMW and Volkswagen Group. Maybach was therefore revived as a brand in the early 2000s. The company offered various options for customers to personalise their vehicles, and provides various equipment combinations.[3]
Maybach 62
Production of the new model commenced in two sizes — the Maybach 57 and the Maybach 62. The numbers are equal to the lengths of the automobiles in decimetres. In 2005, the new 57S was added, sporting a 6.0L V12 bi-turbo engine, producing 604 bhp (450 kW) and 737 lb·ft (999 N·m) of torque, and featuring various cosmetic touches.
To promote the new Maybach line, Mercedes-Benz has tapped public figures to act as brand ambassadors, including Maybach heir Ulrich Schmid-Maybach, golfer Nick Faldo and in 2006 rap music icon Jay-Z featured the limited edition Maybach Exelero (coupe) in his ground breaking music video entitled "Lost One". The video was first released on December 4, 2006, Jay-Z's 37th birthday and notably features the rare concept car Maybach Exelero owned by diamond mogul André Action Jackson.[4][5]
Several Maybach 57 and 62 models at the 2005 Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, CA.
The base price of a 2009 Maybach 57 was $344,000; the Maybach 57 S, $381,000; the Maybach 62, $394,000; the Maybach 62 S, $430,000, and the Maybach Landaulet semi convertible costs just over 1 million. The Maybach 57 Zeppelin is priced at €406,000 ($580,000) and the 62 Zeppelin at €473,200 ($677,000).[6]
Initially, Daimler-Chrysler predicted annual sales of 2,000 global units with 50% coming from the United States; however, such lofty sales expectations never materialized.[7][8] In 2007 Mercedes bought back 29 US dealers, reducing the total from 71 to 42.[9] In 2010, only 157 Maybachs were sold worldwide, compared to 2,711 sales of similarly priced Rolls-Royces.[10]
[edit] Cessation
With less than stellar sales expectations and heavy impact of 2008 financial crises, Daimler AG undertook a review of the whole Maybach division.[11] These included talks with Aston Martin to engineer and style the next generation of Maybach models along with the next generation of Lagonda models.[3] According to Automotive News, only 44 Maybachs have been sold in the U.S. up to October 2011 year to date,[12] and just 3,000 have been sold worldwide since the marque was revived in 2002.[13]
However, on 25 November 2011, Daimler announced that sales of all Maybach models and the brand would cease in 2013, even though sales of the brand grew 20% that year.[2]
The line will be replaced by the next-generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class due for the 2013 model year, particularly the long wheelbase S-Class Pullman. An executive told a Frankfurt newspaper that: "(Daimler) came to the conclusion that the sales chances for the Mercedes brand were better than that of Maybach."[14]
According to Fortune Magazine, after missing out on the chance to purchase Rolls-Royce and Bentley when they were up for sale in the 1990s, "Mercedes backpedaled and decided it needed to be in the ultra-luxury business too, but it went after it in a remarkably clumsy way". Fortune stated that the first Maybach models had poor driving dynamics compared to its contemporaries from Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as "Mercedes took an aging S-class chassis and plopped an absurdly elongated body on it...rather than develop a new car from the wheels up, as BMW did with Rolls-Royce, or cleverly use the underpinnings of an existing model like the Audi A8 for a new Bentley". Furthermore, Maybachs were never advertised as owner-driven vehicles, as the company believed that the luxury amenities would be sufficient to sell and they even insisted that auto journalists (who usually test drive the vehicle) ride in the backseat.[15]
Another suggestion for Maybach's struggles was that parent Daimler had failed to differentiate it from its Mercedes-Benz brand. While all three ultra-luxury marques share platforms and engines with other luxury brands from their parent auto company, Maybachs are built alongside the Mercedes-Benz S-Class flagship sedan, whereas Rolls-Royce and Bentley are assembled in England (separate from the rest of BMW and Volkswagen Group's production plants) and thus are regarded as being more "exclusive". Furthermore the Maybach's pedigree was virtually unknown outside of Germany unlike its British rivals which have long enjoyed renown worldwide;[3] indeed the 2006 Rolls-Royce Phantom's interior evokes memories of a 1930s car while the Maybach 57S's inside makes no reference to its marque's history.
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Maybach Exelero
2012 Maybach Xenatec Coupe(first pictures)!
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