High ranking Mercedes-Benz sources have confirmed to Autoweek that the underperforming Maybach brand will be officially killed off in 2013. The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz's upper luxury marque comes after lackluster sales of the company's existing 57 and 62 limousines and a recent decision from chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development replacement models--the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014--owing to what one insider describes as a “positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand." “We've come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," the insider said. "Plans are already in place to fill the void left by the axing of the Maybach 57 and 62 with the next-generation S-class, which will be offered in three wheelbase variations, including a top-of-the-range S600 Pullman.†Moves to push Mercedes-Benz further up-market into the segment follows an internal marketing study which came to the conclusion that it has more potential to succeed in the upper luxury segment against competition from the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce than Maybach, which despite being revered at home in Germany failed to gain traction in key world markets. Despite the plan to dump Maybach, both the existing 57 and 62 will be produced through to early 2013, at which point the fifth-generation S-class is due to be introduced. "There is no sense producing beyond this date, as there will no longer be any production synergies," said an Autoweek source. The Maybach brand was resurrected by Mercedes-Benz in 2002 following its failure to purchase Rolls-Royce and Bentley from then owner Vickers after being outbid by Volkswagen, which then ceded control of Rolls-Royce to BMW. The original Maybach models, the 57 and 62, were named after their respective lengths of 5735 mm and 6170 mm. Both were based around stretched underpinnings of then already superceded third-generation S-class first introduced in 1991. A recent proposal to involve Aston Martin in the development of future Maybach models was abandoned in early 2011. Source - Mercedes-Benz axes Maybach - Autoweek
We have a customer with one of these and besides the fact that he has lost his behind, in residual value, it is and, I have always thought, a disappointment. One doesn't pay this price for a car that stands out no more than a Crown Vic, I don't care what is said. The car had no distinguishing qualities and why one would choose it over a Bentley or RR is beyond my small capacity of reasoning.... The use of "car" over "automobile" was intentional....
It probably would have sold better if they had used Zeppelin engines, like the original Maybach! Dave
It was Audacious to begin with,and now it will be just another forgetable page of automotive history...