Yep, I know. I thought of you the minute I saw the article. Reading about the features kept me from doing other things this afternoon.

M

Urggh...rename it to Mercedes-Maybach and get on with the Job:

1. Mercedes-Maybach ODC
2. New Mercedes-Maybach 57 & 63
3. True huge new Mercedes-Maybach SUV (Completely new skin, new interior, super premium drivetrains) based on the GL chassis.

Really is it so difficult? They're going to make a mockery of the Maybach badge doing a GL with a Maybach grill and more chrome.

Good find Merc1. Thank you.

I think calling a single model the Mercedes-Maybach might have worked MM, but I seriously can't see how branding a whole series of cars Mercedes-Maybachs would achieve anything much other than erode the prestige of the regular Mercedes-Benz brand.

Do you really think so? I think of it along the lines of it being an exclusive (truly engineered like no other) range of Mercedes vehicles. Because everyone knows Mercedes are now more than ever restricted by commercial realities. They can not engineer a car far superior to the competition, charge 50% more for it and expect it to sell in the numbers they aim for. Like it or not, every Mercedes these days is a result of a cost compromise. The Maybach brand could be used to overcome this.

It would also fit nicely with:
1. Mercedes-Benz
2. Mercedes-Maybach
3. Mercedes-McLaren

Mercedes-McLaren and Mercedes-Maybach would provide the perfect Halo range for Mercedes-Benz. For what Mercedes currently stands for, having this name associated with a range of absolutely premium vehicles would only enhance, not harm, the brand. That is assuming the new Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes-McLaren vehilcles are truly oustanding and not mediocre.

I agree. The original car should have been "The Maybach by Mercedes-Benz" like they originally intended, but a whole group of cars with the Maybach name wouldn't work. The Mercedes-Maybach would have been one-off, special-order type car, rare and expensive. The 57S and 62S would have been the original Maybachs if it had been left up to me.

M

I see what you're saying, but it would bring the core Mercedes-Benz name down I think. It would be spread too thin I think. Just one model with the Maybach name would be nice, like instead of a SL or S etc., one model would be the Maybach. That would be enough IMO. Attaching the MB name to everything like Smart, McLaren would be a mistake.

M

I see what you're saying here ...and it does appear to make some sense ...but I think the sales volumes for Mercedes-Maybach is going to always be so small, even if the did become the dominant player in the high-prestige market, that the effects it might have on the regular Mercedes-Benz brand might not make the gamble worth the effort.

Good point Rob...it would take some balls to implement this plan. And the vehicles would have to be engineered to the extreme, but somehow still turn a reasonable profit.

I'm thinking just like the Mercedes-Benz SL you'd have the Mercedes-Benz Mabach 57S and MB M 62S, with Maybach being the model designation just like "SL" or E-Class" etc.

M

he he...no smart can suffer on its own with little association with Mercedes. They need to make it stand on its own two feet. Smart simply can't deliver on key core Mercedes Values and needs to develop a clear set of it's own and run with that.