German Car Zone

Maybach is going back to the drawing board to fix sluggish sales. The true sales figures for the Maybach brand have over the past 18 months become one of the best-kept corporate secrets at DaimlerChrysler. On the internet, there are currently 60 new and used cars being advertised across Europe - among them a barely run-in ’06 model with 5000 miles on the clock offered at a 55 percent discount.

According to trade estimates, last year’s production totalled a rather pathetic 280 units. Had the Maybach adventure not been quietly absorbed by the overall balance sheet of the Mercedes Car Group when the marque was launched, annual losses would by now be little short of frightening. But as things stand, chairman Dieter Zetsche can safely maintain that ‘every Maybach sold is earning money.’

At this disappointing level, however, it seems almost impossible to justify any further investments. ‘I disagree,’ says Dr Z. ‘On the contrary: I would like to confirm that there will be a new Maybach.’ So, as you read this, engineers are plotting a new raft of Maybach models.

cont.....


One senior Maybach official told CAR Online: ‘The Excelero show car did more for us than all the tweaks to the 57/62 series combined. It’s an open secret that the four-door Ocean Drive convertible started life as a Maybach, but then we got cold feet and turned it into a Merc. In the not too distant past, we presented to our management a couple of promising concepts, among them a pillarless four-seater luxury coupe with rear suicide doors. But at the moment, most of our work is unfortunately undercover - you just can’t fire thousands at Chrysler and at the same time spend millions on a new Maybach.’

cont...

Another sleeper which may be resurrected by mid-year is a Maybach editon of the GL luxury SUV (above). Limited to no more than 1500 cars in total, this vehicle would only be sold in the US, Asia and the Middle East. The conversion boasts a Maybach grille, a revised rear end with new lights and tailgate, more brightwork, special bumpers, wider wheels and its own choice of colour and trim. Inside, there are singing-and-dancing first-class rear sleeper seats like in the 57/62, plus top-grade leather, more precious wood and all the ICE novelties you could think of. Put together in Vance, Tuscaloosa, alongside the M- and R-class, the Maybach GL is deemed to be the brand’s first real money-maker - cheap to build, expensive to buy.


A very interesting article IMO, nothing promising but interesting nevertheless. It shows just how lost the whole Maybach project is. Now that Mercedes will likely build a S-Class convertible and maybe even a CL Cabriolet there are 2 less possibilites for Maybach. This thing should have just been called a Mercedes from the get-go and no one would bat and eye at the slow sales pace. A GL derived Maybach is just an even bigger flop waiting to happen. A truly absurd idea. I really don't see what else they can do at this point except fold it back into Mercedes and take Mercedes upmarket to fight Rolls/Bentley with the production Ocean Drive and turning the next Maybach into a "600" style Mercedes (ala Rob). EDIT: There is mention of one promising version of the 57/62 before it expires.

The full article:

Maybach at the crossroads - Secret New Cars - Carmagazine.co.uk

M

Thanks for this Marcus

This SUV sounds horrifying. I wonder if BMW will jump on this with a limited production Rolls-Royce version of the X5 hmmmmm ...I think not.

They took their time to finally work that out.

It is so funny they should mention a landaulet version ...just yesterday I was daydreaming about what a landaulet Maybach might look like -- and now I see they actually are going to build one -- sounds amazing ..but who would buy it?

Hopefully that SUV idea was just a passing thought to say the least. I'd kill to know what they have on the drawing boards, to see what the sketches/models look like! I keep thinking about and picturing something truly wild this this:







They need something arresting like the above, but prettier than either it or the Phantom. Brunno should be hired back to do this.

M

From the article ...it is almost certain that the ODC is going to be developed into a new Maybach model -- that is good news I think.

I'm not sure. It would be another amazingly engineering masterpiece without a following. The ultimate "who cares" car, and a very, very expensive one at that.

M

The original 600 landaulets from the 1960s and 70s were almost all bought as parade cars for Heads-Of-State, Presidents, and Royalty.

The world is a very different place today, open-top cars are now considered a security risk.

Incidentally CAR has a nice article on the 600 in the April Issue, you should check it out if you get a chance. The engineering on these cars was literally years and years ahead of anything else on the road at the time. They mentioned that is was by far the car of choice for African dictators.

M

Thanks Marcus ...I will check it out, I love those old tanks as you know.