Maybach adds flavor and shine
For the first time, wealthy owners of an updated German limousine can request a quality perfume bottle for their car. With the push of a button, the flask sprays the fragrance of the owner's choice throughout the cabin.
The perfume dispenser is one of several luxurious new touches. Customers can also order hand-woven seat piping with Swarovski crystal inserts, wireless internet access and a 19-inch high-definition color TV for rear passengers. Self-absorbed owners can even engrave their name on the rear glass privacy screen.
While only a handful of cars are for sale here, Mercedes-Benz Australian spokesman Petr Fadeev says short-wheelbase and 57 long-wheelbase versions of the 62 and S versions are still available.
“We have a dedicated Maybach department to deal with customers who need a car,” he says. Due to the unlimited choice of paint, upholstery and finish options, customers receive a personalized guide to the finishing process.
Globally, Daimler's super-luxury flagship has never been as successful as the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The Phantom vastly outsold the German car worldwide. Even the $695,000 "baby" Ghost already has over 30 loyal Australian buyers.
In an effort to move the Maybach even further away from the long-wheelbase premium S-Class sedan, Mercedes has spruced it up with new wheels, paint schemes and other cosmetic touches. The grille is larger and now cuts into the bumper to give the car more presence, and LED daytime running lights have been added under the bumper.
Power has increased from 13kW to 463kW/1000Nm for the V12 in the 57 S and 62 S, but the standard 57 and 62 make do with a 410-litre twin-turbocharged Mercedes-Benz V900 engine with 5.5kW/12Nm. However, the Euro 5 12-cylinder engine has been redesigned to improve economy and reduce emissions.
Fadeev says few buyers prefer the top-of-the-line 6.0-liter S-Class 65 AMG, which costs $482,900. “It's really two completely different cars with different buyers,” he says. "Maybach is twice as expensive."
Only 2004 Maybachs have been sold since the local launch in March 10, according to VFACTS sales figures. If the bottle of perfume does not exceed the limit, Maybach buyers will also receive a four-year/unlimited warranty as a guarantee, which includes all planned services.
