Maybach

Thursday, 12 February 2009 15:46

The heart of automotive luxury beats in the Center of Excellence in Sindelfingen, Germany. It is here at the Manufaktur that each Maybach vehicle is produced according to customers individual requirements.

The Center of Excellence, with its purist architecture and function, consists of over 7,200 square feet of lounges, display galleries, and meeting areas where discerning customers can receive the ultimate in personal care.

The Center of Excellence offers a special combination of personal advice and impressive presentation of state-of-the-art technologies. The external and internal architecture is perfectly at one. Cutting-edge presentation technologies convey optimally the visual and haptic impressions of these exclusive vehicles. A fitting entree into the world of luxury motor cars.

A day in the Center of Excellence is a day full of unforgettable experiences. Prospective customers, friends and customers of Maybach can experience the brand in this stylish exhibition space. After dining on selected regional specialties prepared by the Center of Excellence’s in-house gourmet chef, visitors can gain an insight into the birthplace of the Maybach by taking a look behind the scenes: these cutting-edge vehicles are painstakingly manufactured by hand at Maybach Manufaktur. By prior arrangement, customers can book other automotive highlights, such as a visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum or the Classic Center, to create an unforgettable program of events during the day.

The customers' wishes come first. In the Center of Excellence, customers can choose from a unique range of exquisite materials, exclusive colors and innovative technical details. They can even see the effect of a certain paint finish simulated under a wide range of lighting conditions. Following a detailed advice session between the customer and exclusive consultants, high-quality one-offs take shape from the 2 million-plus possible variations, each unique vehicle bearing the hallmark of its owner's personal style. The Center of Excellence's proximity to the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center and Maybach Manufaktur create the ideal conditions for the best possible specialist advice where there are virtually no limits to the equipment and appointments available for these luxury vehicles. Turning exclusive dreams into automotive reality.

Maybach – music to the ears of the car lover. The name is associated with the most beautiful and distinguished vehicles ever to grace the road. During the twenties and thirties they could be admired on the boulevards of New York, Monte Carlo and Berlin. The beginning of the forties brought the classic Maybach era to an end. Even long after production of these legendary vehicles ended, they remained very much alive in the heads and hearts of engineers, designers and automotive enthusiasts.

The Maybach has returned for the 21st century. Like its esteemed predecessors, the current version once again sets new standards with its technology, design and individuality. And like an instrument that is brought to life by the player, this car resonates with its owner’s sense of style.

More than 100 years ago, Wilhelm Maybach built a car that pointed the way to the modern era. His Opus No.1 went down in history as the first Mercedes, and he is still remembered as the “king of the design engineers.”

His son, Karl, took over the reins, creating further master - pieces between the twenties and the forties. Having set many standards in terms of size, tech nology and perform - ance by the end of the twenties, Maybach followed this up in the thirties with a surprise move: the introduction of a “small” model, known by the abbreviation SW, which stood for swing axle. The picture here gives some idea of its stunning design. It was lovingly handcrafted, a unique product built in accordance with the wishes of the individual customer, as is still the case with every Maybach today.

Among the best-known Maybach models are the variants of the Maybach Type SW 38, Maybach Type Zeppelin DS 7 and Maybach Type Zeppelin DS 8. A wide range of body variants were available - it was all a question of the individual customer's personal preferences. Here, we see four of the finest models still in existence.

MAYBACH TYPE ZEPPELIN DS 8 CABRIOLET, BUILT 1929

This cabriolet was originally supplied as a Maybach Type 12 at the beginning of 1929. The side sections could be lowered completely to allow it to be used as a parade car. It was only in 1933 that it was converted into a Maybach Type Zeppelin DS 8 with a 200 hp engine. It was still being used as a luxury taxi in the 1970s and counted Germany's President Heuss and Chancellor Kiesinger among its most notable passengers. This Maybach Type Zeppelin DS 8 is one of the best-known surviving Maybach models.

Engine: four-stroke spark-ignition engine, 12 cylinders, 60° V-layout Displacement: 7922 cc
Output: 200 hp at 3200 rpm
Transmission: DSG 80 double overdrive transmission
Top speed: 93 mph (150 km/h)
Wheelbase: 3.35 metres
Length: 5.50 metres

MAYBACH TYPE ZEPPELIN DS 8 CABRIOLET, BUILT 1932

After serving as a hotel runabout, this cabriolet fell into disuse and was forgotten for years, until a Maybach enthusiast discovered it in 1959 and set about restoring it. In 1999, it was acquired by the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, where it was completely repainted. This model features some unusual special equipment: an automatic jack fitted at each wheel and a compressor powered by the engine for inflating the tyres.

Engine: four-stroke spark-ignition engine, 12 cylinders, 60° V-layout
Displacement: 7922 cc
Output: 200 hp at 3200 rpm
Transmission: DSG 80 double overdrive transmission
Top speed: 87-106 mph (140-170 km/h), depending on body
Wheelbase: 3.35 metres
Length: 5.50 metres

MAYBACH TYPE SW 38 LIMOUSINE, BUILT 1936

Delivered in 1936, this Pullman saloon offered accommodation for seven people in five seats and two folding seats. During the fifties, this Maybach was used as a winch vehicle for launching gliders. In 1969, it was fully restored by its current owner and has since taken first place at numerous classic car events.

Engine: four-stroke spark-ignition engine, 6 cylinders
Displacement: 3815 cc
Output: 140 hp at 4000 rpm
Transmission: Maybach DSG 35 double overdrive transmission
Top speed: 87 mph (140 km/h)
Wheelbase: 3.38 metres
Length: 5 metres

MAYBACH TYPE SW 38 ROADSTER, BUILT 1939

This red Maybach roadster was taken to the former Soviet Union in 1945. Estonian car enthusiasts managed to get it running again, despite the fact that they had access to only the most basic resources. At the end of the seventies, the SW 38 was damaged near Tallinn. Following reunification, a Maybach enthusiast recovered the car and brought it back to Germany, where, after years of restoration work, he succeeded in returning it to its original condition.

Engine: four-stroke spark-ignition engine, 6 cylinders
Displacement: 3815 cc
Output: 140 hp at 4000 rpm
Transmission: Maybach DSG 35 double overdrive transmission
Top speed: 93 mph (150 km/h)
Wheelbase: 3.38 metres
Length: 5 metres

SOURCE: http://www.maybachusa.com/index.php

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 March 2009 18:15