Mercedes-Benz' Maybach division, larger and more luxurious than anything from the Benz catalog, has the luxury and power to compete with the Rolls Royces of the world, but for one reason or another has not taken off sales-wise. A hard automotive economy has even hit cars that your standard everyman couldn't dream of affording, and Maybach's proposed solution has been... make our most powerful and expensive cars more powerful and more expensive.
The original Maybach Zeppelin line debuted in 1930. The Zeppelin of today, available as a complete package for both the 57 and 62 lines, adds a host of options and upgrades to a pair of cars with some of the most options and upgrades on the market.
Need a perfume atomizer that sprays the cabin ever so slightly with your choice of scents? No? Need a 640 horsepower AMG handbuilt twin turbo V12? Now we're talking.
Maybach says the 2010 Maybach 57 Zeppelin is meant to be owner-driven, while the longer and cushier 62 is designed to be chaueffered. Both have leather and wood everything inside with lambskin carpeting. Lambskin carpeting?
Does the world need the Zeppelin, a super-sedan with a base price equal to that of nearly 40 Honda Civics? Of course not. Maybach is betting that the exclusivity of a rich-man's car with a limited run of 100 units will boost sales, but while the Zeppelin certainly has its fair share of appealing features, Maybach may have trouble moving them.
2010 Maybach 57 Zeppelin Specifications
| Chassis | |
| Wheels | 20 inch Maybach Chrome Shadow wheels |
Drivetrain | |
| Layout | Front Engine, RWD |
Engine | |
| Type: | Twin-turbocharged AMG-sourced V12 |
| Horsepower | 471 kW/640 hp |
| Torque | 1000 Nm/ 738 lb-ft. |
| Displacement | 6.0 liters |
Exterior | |
| Body Type | 4 Door, 4 Seat Sedan |
Performance | |
| Acceleration 0-62 mp (0-100 km/h) | 4.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | 177 mph |
Base Price: 2010 Maybach 57 Zeppelin: €406,000