At the 78th International Motor Show in Paris, Maybach is presenting its Model 57 S in a shining white paint finish for the first time. In this way the tradition-laden German luxury brand is meeting the desire of one of its customers for even more individuality. In standard trim the sporty and luxurious Model 57 S is only available with a single-tone paint finish in either black or silver. The shining new "Antiqua White" finish impressively emphasises the dynamic character of this high-end luxury saloon, whose outstanding performance potential particularly captures the enthusiasm of passionate owner-drivers.

The white paint finish of the 57 S is applied in multiple layers by experienced specialists using a highly involved process – there are almost twice as many layers than is usual for other luxury cars. In contrast to conventional paint finishes using just one base paint to provide the colour tone, two different paints are necessary to achieve this incomparable, mother-of-pearl-like sheen – one of these contains mica. This highlighting material is responsible for the particular sheen of the paint finish, which varies slightly depending on the lighting angle and shines especially brightly in sunlight. The paint layers are mainly applied by hand, and several additional layers of clearcoat ensure a highly resistant finish.

"Antiqua White" is available to customers on request, as part of the more than two million Maybach individualisation options.

Living the good life in the world's most powerful chauffeur-driven sedan

By Greg N. Brown, Contributor Email
Date posted: 03-13-2007
STORY TOOLS


Our role in Maybach's loosely scripted "reality" show began just outside the international air terminal in Dubai, the immensely wealthy trade center of the Middle East. Our spotless black 2008 Maybach 62 S, the Most Powerful Chauffeur-Driven Saloon in Series Production, was parked just a few steps away, its great bulk promising sanctuary from the hassles endured by the less fortunate.

Befitting our new faux affluent status, we were immediately transported into the Maybach's right rear seat by the fluid manipulations of the expert chauffeur, who soon had the huge sedan whispering along the highway toward downtown Dubai.

Maybach's script called for "relaxation": yachting off Dubai's coast, shopping at the city's famous gold souk, sipping hookahs of peach-scented tobacco and snifters of Scotland's peatiest malts, ordering staff around...you know, the sort of things the rich do to occupy their time. So, calling upon the best skills of our craft, we adjusted the temperature for our section of the four-zone climate system, put into motion the seven motors that recline our sybaritically adjustable leather seat and relaxed.

Power to the people drivers
As respectful guests of the emirate, we obeyed Dubai's modest speed limits on the way to the five-star resort. (Besides, there's photo radar everywhere.) The Maybach 62 S was running along so quietly, our driver had to keep a close eye on the speedometer to avoid an expensive ticket. Meanwhile, in the back, it felt as though the car were standing still. Even the thrum of the 20-inch Michelins seemed to float around the edge of human hearing.

Maybach does place an extra speedometer in the passenger compartment as well as dials for time of day and outside temperature, so we were able to stay on top of things from the back, snug within our leather armchair-style accommodation. We drew the side curtains closed, tuned the 600-watt sound system to a quiet classical selection and assumed the position of a Maybach owner catching up on some of the sleep lost while flying through 12 time zones.

Ignore the additional speedometer hung from the suede headliner, and guessing the 62 S's speed as it is gliding down the highway is near impossible. And judging the true measure of its acceleration, even from behind the steering wheel the following day, was just as difficult. Could the 62 S really haul its 6,281 pounds from zero to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds as Mercedes claims?

"Go for it!" yelled our driver, who was fully reclined in the back. We made several runs along a deserted desert highway, and so sedately did the 62 S confirm its performance claims that a roadside flock of camels paid scant attention to our extralegal speeds. Our driver pretended to snooze, but we could tell he was awake, uncomfortable with our game of trading places.

Smoke him, James
Turns out rich guys don't like their limos getting smoked by the other guy's limo, which is why the 62 S is powered by a twin-turbocharged 612-horsepower V12, the same 6.0-liter engine offered in the Maybach 57 S as well as the Mercedes-Benz CL65, and S65 and SL65.

It packs 738 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm, which means you can nail it from a dead stop and blithely blow away most everything else on the road, including your buddy's Rolls-Royce Phantom. The 62 S is not as quick as the smaller and lighter Maybach 57 S (which weighs a mere 6,017 pounds), but it's faster than the Rolls, which we've tested at 5.9 seconds to 60 mph. Numbers aside, the 62 S didn't feel all that fast.

And we didn't mind. The 62 S was designed to be the most passenger-friendly of all passenger cars, so its extreme performance is purposely muted by sheets of acoustic insulation, intricately molded seals and layers of sound-deadening film, both in the front and rear windscreens and the specially laminated side glass. Shifts from its five-speed automatic felt as smooth as a supermodel's skin after an avocado wrap.

The rear-wheel-drive 62 S is over 20 feet long, but its forward thrust is so linear it felt like the rest of the world was being jerked backward around our rocket ship as it glided over the pavement. It was kind of strange, really. The Maybach pushed through the atmosphere so effortlessly, and with such stability, that steering it to the electronically imposed 155-mph limit was about as strenuous as guiding an elevator to the next floor.

Bring around the Maybach, Klaus
Maybach engineers purposely tuned the suspension of the 62 Special for comfort rather than handling, and though the underpinnings were indeed very compliant, the car never felt floaty or under-suspended. Credit Mercedes' wondrous Airmatic electronic, dual-control air suspension and the slightly larger footprint and lower aspect ratio of the 20-inch tires.

We were especially impressed by the brake system, comprised of two separate electrohydraulic circuits, internally vented discs, twin calipers at each front wheel and the electronic assistance of ESP, ASR, ABS and Brake Assist. There are certain rules of physics that apply to stopping 3-ton weights, but these brakes felt as though they could rewrite those rules.

After settling into our summer villa and enjoying a hug and kiss from our personal butler (apparently a custom in that part of the world?), we ordered our driver to Dubai's famous spice and gold souks. Open-air markets crowd the old quarter alongside the Creek, an estuary that winds through the heart of Dubai and has long been the center of trade for that part of the world.

We were tempted to buy several bushels of saffron, but we didn't have time to haggle, the only proper way to buy anything in Dubai's souks. Instead, using the optional compass on board, we pointed our driver toward the open desert. The compass can track two directions at once and also, if desired, display the direction to Mecca; we directed our driver to lunch.

Stealth barge
To distance the 62 S from the less powerful 62, several changes were made to the exterior — a different front grille, headlamp cluster and a redesigned rear apron — and to interior trim, now a combination of black piano lacquer and carbon fiber. Of course, there's really no such thing as a "standard" Maybach. No two are completely alike. Add up all the available combinations of materials and options...well, there are people to do those things for you.

If you're in shape to spend more than $480,000 for one of these, all you need to know is that your 2008 Maybach 62 S will be like no one else's, and if you get smoked by some other limo, maybe it's time to get a better driver.

After a wonderful lunch overlooking the dunes of Araby, our short, happy life as a rich Maybach owner came to a somewhat ignominious end as we crawled, just like everyone else, through dense traffic to Dubai International. Worried about missing our flight, we leaned forward to urge our driver on. "Hey, buddy, we didn't buy the most powerful chauffeur-driven saloon in series production for you to dilly-dally around. Step on it."

Date posted: 11-02-2007


STUTTGART, Germany — Maybach is expected to use the tony venue of the Dubai auto show in mid-November to do a striptease on its 62 S with the unveiling of the Landaulet Study. The eye-popping design study features a black soft top that retracts to give rear passengers a convertible feel, while the chauffeur remains fully enclosed.

The upscale Daimler brand describes the Landaulet Study as a one-off, but the vehicle may go into very limited production of probably no more than 20 vehicles a year if Maybach's clientele go nuts over it. Maybach is reaching far back into the automotive past in naming the Landaulet Study. "Landaulet" is originally a coach-building term that generally means a simulated convertible. In the 1960s, the term became shortened to "landau," which came to mean a fake convertible, often a vinyl rendering on a mass-produced vehicle.

Auto-showgoers in the Middle East should be mesmerized by the Landaulet Study, which has the sub-theme of being a study in ostentatious wealth. Rear-seat appointments include such glamorous materials as white leather, piano lacquer and black granite "with numerous gold inclusions," said Maybach in a statement. Rear passengers are seated in "opulent armchairs." The floor is swathed in white velour, and the roof is lined with white fabric. The exterior gets an exclusive Antigua White finish accented by 20-inch wheels painted white with "high-sheen spokes."

Maybach stripped off the rear roof module to create the landaulet effect. The retractable soft top is operated by the chauffeur, who can conceal the folded roof with a fitted leather cover. Because this is intended as a chauffeured vehicle, it includes a partition between the front and rear. The rear passengers can touch a button and make the glass part of the partition opaque via a "liquid-crystal membrane embedded in the glass," said Maybach.

The Landaulet Study is powered by a 612-horsepower 6.0-liter V12 with twin turbochargers.

If it ever makes it into production, a fully equipped Maybach 62 S Landaulet could be priced near $500,000. A 2007 Maybach 62 S starts at $428,750, including a $2,750 destination charge. It could also be quite the gas guzzler, since its 62 S sibling only gets 11 mpg in city driving.

What this means to you: Staid Maybach gets a major dose of excitement with the Landaulet Study. Expect a waiting list if it ever makes it into the real world.

A 2007 Maybach 62 S starts at $428,750

News & Articles





Maybach 57 Tops 205.2 mph at Nardo
Source: Brabus | Published: November 20, 2007

A Maybach 57, powered by a 730-bhp Brabus SV12 S Biturbo engine, set a world speed record of 205.2 mph (330.6 km/h) on the test track at Nardo, Italy. It is now the world’s fastest and most exclusive ultra-luxury sedan. The Brabus engineers and test drivers bested their own record set in 2005 when a Maybach 57 powered by a Brabus SV12 Biturbo engine with 640 bhp was clocked at 195 mph (314 km/h).

The SV12 S Biturbo evolution of the 6.3-liter displacement engine was originally developed for the Brabus ROCKET, the four-door car based on the Mercedes CLS series. In October of 2006 it set a speed record for street-legal sedans of 227.2 mph (365.7 km/h), a record that still stands today.

For power increase of the turbocharged Maybach 12-cylinder engine from standard 543 bhp to 730 bhp, Brabus followed its tradition of increasing engine displacement. The Brabus engineers developed a special crankshaft with longer stroke, precision-balanced piston rods and larger pistons to account for the increased cylinder bore. Displacement grows from standard 5.5 to 6.3 liters (335 to 385 cu. in.).

The inner workings of the engine are modified with precision-machined cylinder heads and special camshafts. The engine peripherals are tuned for more power with the help of a high-performance turbocharging system with special manifolds, two larger turbochargers, more efficient intercoolers, and a stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system with metal catalysts.

Custom-programmed engine electronics coordinate the perfect interaction of all high-performance components and ensure that the engine meets stringent EURO IV emission limits. The standard 155 mph (250 km/h) speed limit is also eliminated. The peak torque of 974 lb-ft is limited by the engine electronics to 811 lb-ft.

The enormous power of the Brabus SV12 S Biturbo engine is transferred to the rear wheels via a reinforced five-speed automatic transmission.

The top speed of 205.2 mph places enormous demands on tires and wheels. The Brabus suspension engineers developed forged 21-inch Brabus Monoblock VI light-alloy wheels specifically for the Maybach. The fully polished multi-piece wheels with six double spokes perfectly fill the space beneath the wheel arches. They are mounted in size 9.0Jx21 in front with size 275/40 R21 tires, and in size 10.5Jx21 with size 315/35 R21 tires on the rear axle.

For further increased driving safety the Brabus air-suspension module lowers the ride height by 0.6 inches without compromising the unique ride comfort.

Brabus refines the elegant lines of Maybach not just with a lowered ride height and with large wheels. The front of the sedan can be upgraded with two auxiliary headlights that serve as daytime running lights. They are stylishly integrated into the production front apron.

Exclusive Brabus light design is also available for the sides and the rear of the Maybach: LED lights integrated into the body that illuminate the ground beside and behind the luxury sedan can be activated via the keyless fob. They help avoid unfortunate missteps into potholes or puddles in the dark. The rear of the Maybach is further upgraded with the ultra-flat tailpipes of the Brabus sport exhaust system.

Brabus also offers exclusive custom-tailored interiors and state-of-the-art multimedia technology for all Maybach models. Owners of the luxury sedan can choose from the finest leathers and Alcantara in any desired color and design.

Special loving attention to detail is present in the waffle-patterned leather carpeting that alone uses several kilometers of the finest thread, sewn with utmost precision. Custom-tailored Brabus lambs wool floor mats caress the occupants’ feet.

The Brabus development team also created additional interesting features for the standard entertainment system of the Maybach. The 16:9 flat screens integrated into the back of the front seats measure 15.2 inches in the Brabus version (standard: 9 inches). An additional 6-disc DVD changer rounds out the Brabus multimedia package for the Maybach.

At the push of a button the Maybach transforms into a luxurious office on wheels: The screens the display the computer’s user interface. Brabus uses a special computer designed for use in a car that is connected to the internet via UMTS. A wireless keyboard and wireless optical gyro mouse make operating the computer easy and convenient. A USB 2.0 port, stylishly integrated into the center console, allows connecting external electronic equipment such as printer or a digital camera.

To remain online even when outside the vehicle the Brabus communications specialists have integrated a high-tech notebook computer in an electrically operated drawer in the trunk. This computer is connected to the computer network of the vehicle via W-LAN.

In a move that won't surprise many people, Maybach has approved the outrageous Landaulet open-top sedan for production. The 62 S-based Landaulet design study was first shown in November of last year, and its open passenger cabin coupled to a closed chauffeur's area harkened to the classic luxury era from which the brand takes its name. Favorable reaction to the Landaulet at auto shows led to its being put into production.

Like the show car, the hand-built Landaulet will be based on the Maybach 62 S. The fifth Maybach model line's obvious distinction comes from the rear roof section, which has been replaced with a powered soft top and glass window. Two exterior colors are offered: Baltic Black or Nevada Silver. The 20-inch wheels can be polished or matched to the body color. Interior treatments are similarly limited, with three leather choices and two trim finishes. The Landaulet can also be had with custom paint and interior trim just like any Maybach. The Landaulet's passenger cabin is subtly upgraded,with a wind deflector and larger rear headrests that also reduce turbulence. The twin-turbo V12 also gets a slight horsepower boost, to 450.

Maybach has set Landaulet pricing at EUR 900,000 ($1.35 million US), and it's a limited production model, of course. The first Maybach Landaulets will be hand-built in autumn of 2008.

Zeppelin to spearhead its luxury saloon model range. The new model, which is receiving its premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, represents the absolute zenith in the high-end luxury saloon segment. This makes it a worthy successor to the legendary Maybach Zeppelin, which was revered worldwide as the ultimate in high-class automotive engineering in the 1930s. The hallmark features of the new Maybach flagship's unique sense of style include a stunning paint finish, featuring a shoulderline in a contrasting colour, as well as the exquisite, meticulously crafted materials in the interior, whose long list of optional extras includes a world first – a highly sophisticated perfume atomiser. The new model's performance even out-classes the rest of the Maybach range, making it the most powerful Maybach ever. In a nutshell: the Maybach Zeppelin epitomises stylish elegance and the art of vehicle manufacture at its most re-fined as no car has ever done before. The new Maybach Zeppelin is being built in a limited edition of just 100 worldwide.

Even today, the name "Zeppelin" has an incomparable ring to it in the realm of high-end luxury cars. As in bygone times, Maybach is once again building the Maybach Zeppelin for drivers who are seeking some-thing extra special, even in this most luxurious of automotive segments. Not only do the Maybach 57 Zeppelin and Maybach 62 Zeppelin stand out for their exquisite elegance, inventive ideas and phenomenal performance, only one hundred of these special model versions of the high-end luxury saloons will be made worldwide.

Even greater power for the Maybach Zeppelin

The Maybach 57 S and the long-wheelbase version, the 62 S, serve as the technical basis for the new range-topping model. Supreme performance is assured in both cases by the 6.0 litre V12 biturbo power unit under the bonnet, which now delivers 471 kW/640 hp (+ 28 hp) and a peak torque of 1000 Newton metres.

A two-tone exterior identifies the new Maybach flagship

Whatever angle it is viewed from, the new Maybach Zeppelin radiates character and the sort of style which appeals to all the senses. From the outside, the luxury brand's new top-of-the-range model can be recognised by its two-tone special paint finish. The shoulderline is painted right through to the background of the headlamp assemblies in Rocky Mountains light brown, which forms a stylish and scintillating contrast to the Taiga black finish used for the rest of the vehicle body. Dark red tail light units and a fine vertical partition in the tailpipe add striking visual touches at the rear. Naturally, customers may also specify their Maybach Zeppelin in any other paint finish they wish.

The Maybach Zeppelin's newly designed 20-inch wheels in a Chrome Shadow finish complete the picture. These were first painted with a black undercoat, before having a silver topcoat applied using an elaborate painting process that causes the tone to gradually increase in darkness from the outside in.

The streamlined exterior mirrors, which produce even less wind noise, are new to Maybach. They have a more angular design and are separated from the door frame by a slender arm, giving them a more expressive look. They also feature an enlarged mirror surface together with integral indicators in the shape of a horizontal "V" for even greater perceptual safety.

The curving "ZEPPELIN" lettering that appears below the distinctive double "M" emblem on the radiator grille and on the boot lid instantly gives away the elite status of the new Maybach Zeppelin.

Finest-quality leather and high-gloss piano lacquer trim

The new Maybach Zeppelin is a car for connoisseurs, as is immediately apparent from its interior. Here, the luxurious leather appointments in California beige leather form a delightful contrast with the exclusive leather in deep Stromboli black that gives added impact to the shoulderline on the inside too. At the same time, the lustrous deep black tone of the leather harmonises beautifully with the exquisite piano lacquer finish of the trim elements. The precisely crafted contrasting topstitching in the dashboard and on the doors reinforces the Maybach Zeppelin's sense of dynamism. The unusual diamond quilting pattern on the seat cushions and backrests together with the black piping gives the opulently styled seats a character all of their own. The occupants' feet rest on genuine lambskin carpeting.

The limited-edition special models bear a number of discreet identifying markings in the interior too. The centre console in the front, the partition screen that is available as an option for the Maybach Zeppelin 62, plus the silver champagne flutes included as standard are all marked with the lettering "MAYBACH ZEPPELIN", while the door sill panels as well as the key ring are engraved with the word "ZEPPELIN".

World first – a system for a fine interior fragrance

Customers are also able to opt for an especially refined equipment de-tail that is exclusive to the Maybach Zeppelin – an imaginatively de-signed, extremely high-quality perfume atomiser, the only one of its kind in the world. It easily eclipses all previous efforts to produce some-thing similar, both in terms of its visual appeal and its operation. Its sophisticated technology and premium fragrances, which can be individually chosen, create a unique aromatic experience in the Maybach Zeppelin's interior at the push of a button – stimulating the senses of the occupants not with an overpowering perfume but with a soft, delicate scent.

The system's core component is an internally illuminated Plexiglass sphere on the rear centre console, into which Maybach Zeppelin owners can insert a vial of their preferred fragrance. A regulator pump then directs a gentle flow of air into the Plexiglass sphere, fanning the vial's perfume molecules into the vehicle interior.

The ingenious control understands the human sense of smell

The perfume atomiser can be activated either from the driver's seat or by means of a button in the rear centre console, with an additional thumbwheel in the rear for sensitive aroma control. The chosen fragrance gently wafts into the passenger compartment within ten to twelve seconds. On models with a partition screen, only the passengers in the rear are able to activate the atomiser.

The aroma experts took the human sense of smell into consideration when designing the control mechanism. As the nose adjusts to smells in such a way that it no longer perceives them after a short while, the perfume atomiser switches off after about ten minutes. Once the sys-tem has switched off, the fragrance – which does not seep into the interior's materials or the occupants' clothes – quickly evaporates. Reactivating the atomiser later allows the experience to be enjoyed all over again.

Artistic, hand-blown vials and specially developed fragrances

The system comes supplied with two select fragrances, which have been exclusively developed for the Maybach by a renowned perfumer from global specialist Givaudan: one light and refreshing, the other slightly heavier and woodier.

Maybach Zeppelin owners can also use other fragrances, or even have one specially developed and enjoy the luxury of immersing themselves in their very own, personally designed aroma. The fragrance holders are easily interchangeable. The specification includes a total of three valuable vials, which are hand-blown by a well-known glass artist.

The elaborate, silent-running perfume atomiser system is a patented Maybach innovation.

The Maybach 57 Zeppelin costs €406,000, the Maybach 62 Zeppelin has a price tag of €473,200 (German list price, excl. VAT). The perfume atomiser that is exclusive to the Zeppelin can be ordered for an extra €3950 (German list price, excl. VAT).

The new Maybach Zeppelin goes on sale on 3 March 2009, with the first models expected to be delivered to customers in September 2009.