2002 was the year when the world was introduced to the Mercedes Maybach 57 and 62 models. They were initially developed to rival the luxury sedans of Rolls-Royce. However, in 2011, Daimler, Mercedes' parent company, decided to pull out the Maybach from the market.
But in an article on Times Live, Mercedes has announced that the Maybach is making a comeback. The new model will be a replacement for the 62 and will serve as the company's flagship for its S-class luxury cars.
It is expected to be released sometime this year and rumors are circulating that it will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show this coming March.
AutoWeek reports that the new Mercedes Benz Maybach is based on a longer wheelbase design and will have new passenger features. This includes electronically-powered windows that separate the driver side from the rear portion, folding tables in the center arm rest, reclining rear seats, and other business-oriented accessories.
The price for this personal limousine will range somewhere between $250,000 to $300,000. This will be significantly cheaper than the previous Maybach models since the 57 costs around $380,000, while the 62 model was priced at around $390,000. As for the limited edition versions of these previous models, expect to pay up to a million dollars.
It seems that Mercedes is learning from its previous mistakes. In a 2012 article of the British magazine, Car, it estimated that the company lost a total of €330,000 for each unit sold. According to the company, its price and overall design contributed to the downfall of the luxury car.
Even though it gained a following among celebrities, royalty-types, and hip-hop stars (remember Jay-Z and Kanye West "customizing" a Maybach in their Otis music video?), the first Maybachs were designed based on an outdated platform. This limited the company's options in adding advanced passenger and driver features to the Maybach that were not available in their other luxury models.