Maybach 62S Landaulet - ClassicCars-ForSale.com
Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH is a
German luxury car manufacturer. It was founded in
1909 by
Wilhelm Maybach with his son
Karl Maybach as director.
The company was originally a subsidiary of
Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH.
Today, the brand is owned by
Daimler AG and based in
Stuttgart.
Maybach has historic roots through the involvement of Wilhelm Maybach, who was the technical director of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft. The company originally developed and manufactured diesel and gas engines for Zeppelins.
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.
Daimler Benz purchased the company in 1960.
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 it; however,
Mercedes made the decision to market the car under the sole brand name of Maybach.
Maybach was therefore revived as a brand in the early
2000s, with the production of the new model in two sizes — the
Maybach 57 and the
Maybach 62. The numbers are equal to the lengths of the automobiles in decimetres.
Power is provided by a 6.0L V12 bi-turbo engine, featuring various cosmetic touches.
Performance
The
Maybach 62 Landaulet accelerates from
0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in about
4.5 seconds. Though not extraordinary by today's sports-car standards, such acceleration is impressive for cars weighing well over 6,
000 pounds. Maybachs in general are extremely powerful: the 57 has 525 PS; the 57 S, 567 PS; the 62, 578 PS; the 62 S, 620 PS, and the Landaulet, 642 PS.
Standard features of all Maybach models include, but are not limited to, a navigation system with voice recognition, air conditioning with 4-zone climate controls, power rear sunshade, rear-seat
DVD entertainment system, interior air filter, front and rear seat massage, 21-speaker premium sound system, power tilt/telescopic heated wood/leather-wrapped steering wheel
with radio and climate controls, power trunk open/close, voice-activated AM/
FM radio with 10-disc
CD changer, keyless start, heated front and rear seats, cooled front seats, power panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, premium leather upholstery, 18-way power front seats, 14-way power rear seats, heated cupholders, rearview camera, iPod adapter, wireless cell phone link, outside-temperature indicator, universal garage door opener, and night vision.
Options for the Landaulet include 18-way power rear seats (replacing 14-way), 5-zone climate controls (replacing 4-zone), power side sunshades, cooled rear seats, wireless headphones, voice-activated power panoramic sunroof (replacing power panoramic sunroof), steering wheel mounted navigation controls, heated glass windows, and 30-speaker premium sound system (replacing 24-speaker).
The company offers various options for customers to personalise their vehicles, and provides various equipment combinations.
Maybach 62 Landaulet
The Maybach 62 Landaulet, based on the
Maybach 62S, revives the classic landaulet car body style, which was popular in the
1920s and 30s. Powered by the
62S's 612 horsepower (
456 kW) biturbo V12, the Landaulet's front seats are fully enclosed and separated from the rear passenger compartment by a power divider window.
Back seat passengers get a sliding soft roof that lets them take in the sun from the comfort of the back seats. The chauffeur's area is finished in black leather, while the rear is done in all white with piano black and gold-flecked black granite inserts. Also, the opacity of the glass partition separating the driver from the passengers can be electronically controlled.
Maybach publicly unveiled the Landaulet at the
Middle East International Auto Show around the end of
November 2007 as a concept car.
Limited production was confirmed in
January 2008.
The Luxury Brand Status Index 2008 voted the Maybach 1st place, ahead of Rolls-Royce and
Bentley.
Photography by: Remco
Pronk