2009 Maybach 62 Limousine with Partition

5,513cc SOHC Twin Turbo V12
Multi-Point Fuel Injection
543bhp at 5,250rpm
5-Speed Daimler-Benz 5-G Tronic Automatic Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Ventilated Disc Brakes

*A mere 3,704 miles from new
*$465,530 original price
*Heavily optioned with the partition divider and electro-transparent sunroof
*Private jet travel for the road—driver not included

THE MAYBACH

Few industry observers would have predicted the revival of the Maybach brand after almost 50 years of dormancy, but that is exactly what Daimler-Benz did in 1997 when it presented a luxury concept car at that year's Tokyo Motor Show. In pre-war days Maybach had represented the absolute pinnacle of automotive technology, producing some of the most advanced, luxurious and expensive cars the world had ever seen, and its resurrection signaled Mercedes-Benz's intention to compete head-on with BMW-owned Rolls-Royce. Although it had not built any cars since 1940, Maybach had lived on as a manufacturer of proprietary engines, latterly as MTU Friedrichshaven, until its purchase by Daimler-Benz in 1960.

The revived brand's new dawn commenced in 2002 with the launch of the Maybach 57 and 62: a brace of high-performance luxury saloons that, inevitably, incorporated a good deal of contemporary Mercedes-Benz technology. The model designations were derived from their approximate lengths: 5.7 meters in the former's case and 6.2 meters in the latter's, and both were powered initially by a 5.5-liter 542bhp twin-turbocharged V12 engine. The 57 was intended for the owner/driver, while the longer 62 was aimed at the chauffeur-driven elite.

Unfortunately for Daimler AG (as the group had become), Maybach failed to establish the kind of brand identity enjoyed by its parent Mercedes or the Rolls-Royce and Bentley opposition. Sales were disappointing and in August 2012 Maybach was discontinued, only to be revived as a sub-brand of Mercedes in November 2014.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This Caspian Black over Black leather Maybach 62 was ordered new through Euro Motorcars of Bethesda, Maryland. With a base price of $409,000 and 39 standard features listed—the original owner was clearly not content with merely accepting the base model's private jet-like cabin, champagne flutes, and rear seat entertainment system. Ten additional options were selected including rear window curtains, heated and ventilated front seats, active ventilated rear seats, the Glass Sunroof package which included an electro transparent glass roof with solar panels and dual hand-held vanity mirrors (a $15,000 option), and the Partition Wall with Intercom package for true rear seat luxury and privacy (a $30,250 option). All told, including delivery, the original MSRP was $465,540 (equivalent to about ₿4.6 billion based on the exchange rate in 2009).

With all the luxuries one could desire in a vehicle—especially one driven by someone else—the car received precious little use with only 356 miles recorded in 2012. Driven a further 3,200 miles over the next year, it was acquired by the current owner in 2013 with about 3,690 miles on the clock. Today the car shows only 3,704 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloging after nearly a decade of static display. Cosmetically a practically unused car, some mechanical recommissioning is recommended before tasking Jeeves with chauffeuring you to the next gala.

Guaranteed to have you arrive in style, the Maybach 62 was and continues to be one of the most spectacularly opulent luxury cars ever built. Here is a rare opportunity to acquire a barely used example at an estimate that is a mere fraction of its original price (and a tinier fraction of ₿...).