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Maybach - full description

Maybach Revealed

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photo: DaimlerChrysler

Back in March we previewed the relaunch of the Maybach, that awe-inspiring name from German automotive history, and now a sister to Mercedes-Benz under the DaimlerChrysler flag. At that stage, technical specifications for the new Maybach saloon were – to say the least – sparse, since the engine was launched before the rest of the car. Only the V12 power plant was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and it was four months before the public could finally steal its first glance of the car in its entirety.

The Maybach 62 made its world premiere in Wall Street on 2nd July, having travelled on board the QE2 in a glass container, where passengers on the Sun Deck could admire the luxurious new car’s attractive styling and indulgent equipment levels. The objective of this huge, powerful saloon was to re-establish the Maybach brand (and the renowned image of the intersecting double M) at the very top of a small but highly-exclusive market segment.

The top model of the relaunched luxury brand is the Maybach 62, a name derived from the saloon’s overall length of 6.17 metres. Likewise, the Maybach 57 totals 5.73 metres in length. Both models will go on sale in the UK in the spring of 2003, with final prices being announced nearer the time.

In-Car Cosseting

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In-Car Cosseting

With such an exceptional car it is hard to pick out the highlights from its list of in-car luxuries. But let’s try. We could start with the fully reclining seats in the rear, the 600-Watt sound system with Dolby surround sound on every seat and the four-zone climate control system with two separate air conditioners. More than 100 carefully crafted and hand-fitted items of exotic wood trim embellish the spacious interior, while we are told that the mind-boggling variations in standard and optional equipment give Maybach customers no fewer than two million ways of equipping their purchase to their personal taste.

Some impressive technical wizardry from Mercedes has been developed as standard equipment for the Maybach: take the electro-hydraulic braking system, electronically controlled air suspension system and „Linguatronic“ voice control. Meanwhile, such essential items as the refrigerator compartment (which is optional – but comes at no extra cost) can be complemented with in-car accessories specifically developed for the Maybach – from a luggage set to a champagne goblet of sterling silver, from a humidor to a golf bag and from velour floor mats to a fluffy travel rug.

When it comes to organizing services and maintenance, new Maybach owners need lose no sleep. Personal Liaison Managers – each assigned to a small number of owners – are available round the clock, and can be contacted simply by pressing a button on the car telephone.

The Power Unit

The Power Unit

Then there’s that engine… DaimlerChrysler, apparently, is the world’s largest manufacturer of V12 engines for passenger cars, so the newly developed Maybach engine should benefit from significant expertise.

With a displacement of 5.5 litres, and with the help of bi-turbo charging, the Maybach engine develops an output of 405 kW/550hp, with a maximum torque of 900Nm available from engine speeds as low as 2,300rpm. This, we are told, gives the „Type 12“ power unit the highest output and torque of any series-production car engine in the world. Thanks to three-valve technology and efficient catalytic converters, the Maybach engine already complies with the exhaust EU 4 emission limits which come into force in 2005.

And its performance? Despite the size and weight of the vast Maybach 62, it can accelerate from zero to 62.5 mph in just 5.4 seconds; while the massive torque means that a sprint from 37 to 75mph takes only 6.5 seconds. It is, indeed, some motor car. Production, incidentally, will be limited to around 1000 units per year.

The Facts: Maybach 62

Engine: 5,513cc, front-mounted V12; 3 valves per cylinder, microprocessor-controlled petrol injection with hot film air mass measurement (HFM); alternating current twin-spark ignition; twin turbochargers. Engine front-mounted.
Power: 405kW/550hp at 5,250rpm.
Torque: 900Nm at 2,300-3,000rpm.
Transmission: 5-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive.
Suspension: Front: Double wishbones, AIRMATIC DC fully supporting air suspension system with level control, anti-dive, anti-roll bar.
Rear: Multi-link independent, AIRMATIC DC fully supporting air suspension system with level control, anti-squat and anti-dive, anti-roll bar.
Brakes: Electrohydraulic braking system, Sensotronic Brake Control, internally ventilated front and rear disc brakes, drum-type rear parking brake, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP®.
Steering: Power-assisted recirculating-ball.
Wheels/tyres: 8 J x 19; 275/50 R 19
Official performance figures: 0-62.5mph: 5.4sec
Top speed – 155mph
Combined fuel consumption – 17.8mpg
Dimensions: 6,165mm long; 1,980mm wide; 1,573mm high; 3,827mm wheelbase.
Fuel tank capacity: 110 litres.
Kerb weight: 2,855kg.

Gallery

Maybach - full description Maybach - full description Maybach - full description

Maybach - full description Maybach - full description Maybach - full description

Maybach - full description Maybach - full description Maybach - full description