German Car Zone

Even the super wealthy aren’t immune to the recent economic downturn, resulting in some of the world’s top tier luxury brands seeing a sharp decline in new car sales. Daimler’s Maybach ultra-luxury brand was experiencing slower-than-expected sales even before the collapse on Wall Street – prompting plenty of rumors that the marque would finally meet its end – but Daimler says Maybach is in for the long haul.

Although Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche sounded less than confident in the marque’s future when he told reports earlier this year that the fate of Maybach would be decided on within two years, Dr. Z has since told Automotive News that Daimler’s luxury brand is here to say. Moreover, Zetsche revealed that Maybach is not losing money.

But even with Zetsche new backing, it doesn’t change the facts for the brand. Maybach sales have been slow since the brand’s re-launch and Daimler only managed to sell 146 Maybach vehicles in 2007, about a tenth of the sales originally predicted for the marque. Since 2001, 40 percent of Maybach dealers have shut their doors.

The future of Maybach isn’t exactly the brightest star in the galaxy, with no new models in the pipelines. The Maybach 63 and 57 — which are largely based on the last-generation Mercedes S-Class — have continued on relatively unchanged since their launch and the limited-edition Landaulet isn’t expected to bolster sales.

But with Bugatti reportedly developing a new super sedan, it could just be the motivation Maybach needs to design a new model of its own.


LLN

They must be making an amazing amount of profit on each Maybach sold to say that. I'm guessing since it was based of the last S-class then it probably didn't need to recover that much of r&d cost.

Wow..that is amazing! Never knew that. Not to mention, I though all Maybach dealers did business in MB showrooms.


That is so sad. There should have been a new baby sedan or a super coupe or something. I know they want to give the 62 and 57 a long "Rolls-Royce and Bentley" cycle, but they need to be replaced ASAP.


I really hope so. They need something to wake them up. IMO Benz oldest and most powerful luxury automaker on earth. There is no reason they should let Maybach go to waste.

Totally contradicts what reports made the business papers over the weekend. That investors and shareholders became involved in a screaming match over the future of the Maybach and Smart brands.

Well for their sake I hope they have a new product planned, because otherwise they can sey whatever they want but Maybach is pretty much dead.

Well this was originally post almost a year ago so anything could have happened (as indicated in the note by Scott) since then.


M

Ha ha ha...I totally didn't notice.

A facelift is around the corner, indicating that Mercedes have future plans for the Maybach brand.

Hopefully the facelift will give the Maybach the same technology as the W221, problem is that the Maybach should already be more advanced. Still though I can't wait to see what they do to it.

Speaking of which we should be getting some press soon about Mercedes' display at Frankfurt.


Maybach needs something really different, a real stunner, an eye-popper inside and out. The current car just won't ever sell any better or become favored by the rich folks that like the Rolls and Bentleys on offer today. I suspect after the new "Grand Bentley" arrive Maybach will really be in deep shyte.


M

Exactly...It would even be better if the face-lift or next generation model would get technology from the new W222 (or whatever the next s will be called). Maybe something from the Mercedes-Benz ESF concept.

The truth is, everyone has been losing money in the super-luxury segment since 2008. Maybach may have started losing money earlier than RR and Bentley. But both RR and Bentley are losing money as we speak. RR's new Ghost model may help alleviate the losses (at least in the first couple of years) and the new Bentley Arnage replacement may also help ( I say may because existing owners clinic'ed weren't that impressed with the car's aesthetics. The feeling was: yes, the car is new, but felt just like the old one).

I'm not trying to get into a screaming contest with RR and Bentley fans. But look at what Bentley is doing, they are trying to rush the replacement for the Continental onto the market earlier than the planned 2012.

As for Maybach dealerships, they will be combined with dedicated AMG studio dealerships in future. Mercedes has already done this in the newer markets.