Maybach successful? From the origins of the brand to the luxurious Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Z223

Prestigious cars bearing the name of Wilhelm Maybach have a difficult fate: their production ceased in the early 40s. of the last century, then in the new century, Maybach was revived, but only for a decade. And since 2015, Maybach nameplates have been used on the most luxurious Mercedes models - and now they have been tried on by the new generation S-Class.

First, let's remember how, in fact, the history of Maybach began. Now, probably, few people will remember that Gottlieb Daimler had a friend, ally and colleague, with whom he founded the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellshaft (DMG) company in 1890 - the same one that later (in 1926) merged with the company Karl Benz, forming the Daimler-Benz concern (today it is already known as simply Daimler). His name was Wilhelm Maybach. Having risen to the position of technical director at DMG, he left the company due to disagreements with management.

Two years later, Maybach, together with his son Karl, began developing engines for the airships of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin - with his assistance, the Luftfahrzeug Motorenbau engine building company was founded, which was part of the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH, but in 1918 gained independence and was renamed Maybach Motorenbau. Shortly after World War I, the company built its first automobile engine.

Three years after the end of the "Great War" saw the light and the first car of the company. It was a Maybach Typ W3 with an Auer body, presented in September 1921 at an automobile exhibition in Berlin. Under its hood was an in-line "six", with a volume of 5.7 liters, developing 70 liters. With. The car received brakes on all wheels and could accelerate to 109 km / h.

In 1929, the Maybach Model 12 was introduced - the first car produced in Germany with a V12 engine. However, very quickly, in 1930, it was replaced by Zeppelin, thanks to which Maybach gained worldwide fame. At first it was a modification of the DS7, which was equipped with a 12-cylinder engine with a capacity of 7 liters (150 hp), and in 1931 a version of the DS8 was introduced with an 8-liter unit with 200 hp. With.

In total, during the interwar period, Maybach produced a little less than 2 thousand cars, including models of the most massive SW series. With the outbreak of war against the Soviet Union, the company focused on the production of engines for tanks and other armored vehicles of Nazi Germany. After the war, devastated Europe was not up to luxury cars - Maybach was never able to resume their production, and in 1960 the company was bought by Daimler-Benz.

The leadership of the auto giant remembered the glorious brand only in 1997, when a conceptual Maybach sedan was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show, and under the brand name Mercedes-Benz. The production of mass-produced cars under the revived Maybach brand and already without a three-beam star on the hood began in 2002. Nevertheless, the market accepted the luxury German cars coolly: few people wanted to overpay big money for the pre-war brand, despite the fact that the Maybachs were noticeably different from the original S-class. In total, until 2012, Daimler managed to sell about three thousand Maybach 57 units and an elongated sedan with an index of 62: the Germans were far from Rolls-Royce and Bentley, and sales were curtailed.

In 2015, Maybach returned again, but having already lost its independent status and turned into a sub-brand of Mercedes. And it was after this that success finally came to him! Since the entry into the market of the Mercedes-Maybach S-class in the 222nd body, about 60 thousand copies have been sold worldwide. 2019 (12 thousand cars) was a record year in terms of sales, and in addition to China , the dual-branded sedan finds many buyers in Russia, South Korea, the USA and Germany. Sales went briskly, and it came to the point that after the S-class, the Maybach nameplate appeared on the Gelendvagen (although the circulation of the overly pompous G650 Landaulet is limited) and on the GLS crossover, the most luxurious version of which debuted a year ago.

And here is another generational change: following the original W223 sedan, which was declassified in September, the most luxurious option arrived in time for those who prefer to travel with a personal driver.

In length, the new Maybach S-Class (factory index Z223) reaches 5469 mm, and the wheelbase has grown by 180 mm compared to the extended version of the standard sedan. To be precise, between the axes of the novelty, there are as many as 3.4 m! The entire increase went entirely to the benefit of riders in the rear. Maybach also has a lot of visual differences from the usual S-class.

Among them are a hood with a chrome-plated longitudinal “rib”, a radiator grille with vertical bars, wider rear doors, triangular side windows with laminated glass in the C-pillars and original design rims with a diameter of 19 to 21 inches.

As an option, two-tone hand-applied body paint and Digital Light headlights with the ability to project auxiliary markings or warning symbols onto the roadway are available. Each headlight contains a light module of three super-powerful LEDs whose light is refracted and directed through 1.3 million microscopic mirrors.

Like the regular S-Class, the Maybach version can have up to five displays in the cabin, including a central 12.8-inch OLED screen and a 12.3-inch 3D virtual instrument cluster available as an option for the driver. The MBUX multimedia complex now plays an important role in the interaction of occupants with the car, anticipating the various intentions of the driver and passengers.

For example, the seatbelt retractor in the outer rear seats will be activated automatically when the so-called interior assistant MBUX detects, using 3D cameras with laser sensors, the passenger's intention to buckle up by moving their hand towards the seatbelt.

Adaptive rear lighting is also available. It adapts to the wishes of passengers in several ways: in addition to brightness, you can adjust the size and direction of the light beam. A wide range of adjustments is possible, from precise working lighting to relaxing for relaxation. Also in the new Mercedes-Maybach sedan, an active noise compensation system is used when driving using anti-phase sound waves. To generate them, the low-frequency speakers of the Burmester surround sound audio system are used.

There is also a lot of classic luxury in the interior: the back of the front seat backrests, for example, is decorated with elements of noble wood. Rear seat passengers are provided with separate Executive seats with independently adjustable cushion and backrest and electrically retractable legrest with approximately 50 mm more adjustment travel than the previous model. Another nice little thing is the heating of the neck and shoulders.

Initially, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class will be available with two engines to choose from. Both feature a mild hybrid system with a 48-volt starter generator (ISG) providing up to 15 kW of extra power. The S 580 version is equipped with a 4-litre V8 biturbo with 496 hp. With. and 700 Nm of torque, while the top-end S 650 will receive a six-liter V12 (also with dual supercharging) with a return of 630 hp. With. and 1000 Nm. In the transmission in both cases - a 9-speed "automatic" and all-wheel drive.

On a serial basis, the sedan will be supplied with Airmatic air suspension, as an option, an active E-Active Body Control suspension is available, which scans the roadway using a stereo camera and more effectively resists bumps in the road, rolls and pecks. In addition, like the standard S-Class, it provides even more protection in the event of a side collision. There is also a frontal airbag for passengers in the rear.

Another option is the rear axle steering function, which increases the maneuverability of the car in urban conditions and thanks to which the turning circle is reduced by almost 2 m. There are two options to choose from - with a steering angle of up to 4.5 and 10 degrees.

Прием заказов на новый Mercedes-Maybach S-класса стартует уже в этом году — немецкий седан станет конкурентом Bentley Flying Spur и Rolls-Royce Ghost, которые, к слову, также не так давно сменили поколения. Первые покупатели (а это клиенты в США и Китае) получат свои автомобили в апреле 2021 года. К европейским дилерам первые экземпляры начнут поступать летом следующего года.