Why was Maybach such a bust

In my opinion: they looked just like a long wheelbase Mercedes. Granted that they were very nice inside, but at a certain point one expects a bit of flash for over 300K.

 

Like the VW Phaeton... looked like a stretched Passat.

 

umm..obvious? because it was an dramatically overpriced Mercedes that didn't have any real brand or feature differentiation... How'd you like to pull up in a 500K Maybach and everyone think it's a 100K Mercedes? Including your passengers?! As far as I could tell it was a Mercedes with curtains on the window.. big deal...

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All this and fugly too.

 

Almost like badge engineering - see how that's worked for most companies.

 

A Korean designed long wheelbase Mercedes...

 

My thought as well. I always thought the hallowed Maybach legacy deserved more but in the real world of chassis sharing it was not feasible which I understand. If I remember correctly the resurrected Maybach pushed $400K? and in my opinion did not do justice of a once great name. Just my opinion of course.

 

To me it seems the mistake was to aim for the Rolls Royce market segment, a segment that has dwindled to historic lows. Who the h want a Rolls?

To me the real Maybach is MTU Friedrichshafen, which is now owned by Rolls Royce powersystems iirc.

 

Came to market at the end of production of the W220 S-Class (introduced in 1998) but based on previous gen S-Class W140 that was introduced in 1990.
Based on 2 times older tech then the contemporary S-Class, Maybach was doomed from the start.

 

Not at all, Rolls is doing quite well. At least, that is what I've heard. Certainly sales are rising year by year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Motor_Cars

But they offer something different. If you want to compete with Rolls you have to offer a Rolls, but with a difference. And it's a small market. On the other hand, margins are quite reasonable. So if you can - as a parent company - pay for R&D you can make it succesful. But you have to produce something that makes people who are after such a car feel special. The Maybach did not make anyone feel special.


Onno

 

I would love to have a RR simply because of their historic value and there is no substitute for true craftsmanship. Some vehicles mean more to a car person than it's resale value. You may be correct in that they were aiming to impact the RR and Bentley market but instead of building the car as it's own entity and basing it on a Mercedes chassis the marque was dead from the get go. As a funny side note just imagine all the rappers/ballers who purchased the first model for $600K and the new model can be had with all the upgrades for $200K. I digress.

 

Maybach=Driving yourself around in your own limousine.

The only way I could have a Maybach or a Rolls would be if I had a driver but "having a driver" is the lamest thing one can do in life. If I did "have to have" a driver, I'd do it in a blacked out A8 or Caddie SUV so nobody would know.

My buddy just bought a long wheelbase RR. I tell him "you're driving yourself around in your own limo". He brags about how awesome the back seat is. Makes no sense.

 

This. Plus it was ugly, and the rolls Royce that came out at the same time was a truly bespoke car and that looked rather appealing. The Maybach looks like they actually made an effort to make it as ugly as possible.

Once the Phantom came...it was completely game over for Maybach. They never stood a chance.

 

Discussed in length in Silver here:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/silver-subscribed-private-forum/317810-maybach-dud.html

I believe that they made money on the 100-200 that were built each year.

Matt

 

The only place I've ever seen a Maybach on the streets was Moscow in the mid-2000's. The Russian 'mini-garchs' (as opposed to oligarchs) seemed to favor them. I remember one smartly dressed guy who appeared to be from Central Russia who had one, together with driver and accompanying security detail who followed in an SUV with multiple antennae. He always walked briskly to the car whenever he appeared.

 

The last one I saw was parked in front of the Waldorf Astoria Towers last summer.

It was a bit dusty and very unassuming, which could be rather valuable to an owner.

Matt

 

There was one on display at Pebble. They gave you free champaign to look at the car. Sat inside. Found out the car was running. The engine was so quiet and vibration free nobody could tell.

I have seen a couple in Aspen years ago. They never caught on. Dont know who would buy a Maybach. Bentleys can be had in AWD and make more sense here.

 

I would assume the Maybach could be had in 4-Matic mode?

 

What part was based on the 140? It was all 220 with 'extras'. They should have waited and based it on the 221, a much, much better vehicle.

Erik

 

2012 Maybach 62 For Sale $599,999 - 1295735

Maybach 62. $600,000. Three years old and looks incredibly dated.

Why would anyone buy this over a brand new Rolls Royce?

Furthermore, you could buy a brand new Mercedes Maybach S600 and have $400k left over!

 

There was a local businessman who had one for a daily driver from 2008 to 2013 or so even through the winter. He ran for Mayor of Cleveland and the Democrat party absolutely hammered him about being out of touch with the constituents. Had some good ideas and obviously knew how to run a business but the car, and being a Republican in Cleveland, killed his chances.

 

my banker had a couple of them to replace the RR they had...it was great to be picked up in one at the airport... not so much to be chauffeured to a restaurant and around town later... image with chauffeur and security is reassuring but being stealth, emerging from a cab is preferred on most occasions... while riding in back really couldn't tell difference from any other high end limo...

 

Only real car nuts knew what a Maybach was.
Everyone knows what a Rolls is.

Just like watches Patek vs Rolex.

 

Sum's it up.