DaimlerChrysler is expecting to sell about 1 000 examples of its luxury Maybach a year. The luxury vehicle returns to the market after a 60-year absence.
DaimlerChrysler is expecting to sell about 1000 examples of its luxury Maybach a year. The luxury vehicle returns to the market after a 60-year absence.
In the 1930s Maybach was synonymous with superior quality, style and quiet running. The eight-litre Maybach Zeppelin and the Mercedes 770 competed for the title of Germany’s most desirable car, but the Maybach was the most exclusive due to its hefty price.
The original Maybachs were hand-built around the engine and chassis on the basis of individual customer specifications. The flagship model was the Zeppelin, with a V12 engine and bodywork measuring 5,5 metres.
Maybachs will be built in Sindelfingen, Germany, and will be equipped with a V12 engine that produces more than 372 kW of power.
Analysts have estimated that the model will sell for about R3,12 million when it goes on sale in 2003, but the manufacturer has not yet set a price.
DaimlerChrysler said worldwide demand for a model in that price range is about 10 000 cars, and “it’s clear that competition is increasing in this segment,” said Michael Raab, an analyst at Sal Oppenheim. DC plans to corner 10 per cent of this market. Of the 1000 world-wide sales, it expects 400 to be in the United States.
The vehicle, which is based on Mercedes-Benz technology, will face competition from Volkswagen’s Bugatti and BMW’s Rolls-Royce. Bugatti has showcased a 746 kW concept sports car, which it is expected to produce in the next few years. And BMW will be building a new Rolls-Royce model when it gains control of the brand in 2003.
