Mercedes to axe Maybach by 2013

Monday, November 28th, 2011 at 11:06 am , filed under Cars by Mike Alter

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Reportedly, Mercedes will axe its luxury Maybach in 2013, with a new Mrecedes S-class. It’s no secret Maybach has been a major flop for Daimler, with the brand’s annual sales figures for its 57 and 62 sedans falling far short of original projections.

They said the small empty space left by Maybach’s sedans will be filled with a new S600 Pullman model based on the upcoming 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The new Mercedes flagship sedan will offer two smaller wheelbase models, a standard and long-wheelbase, in addition to the range-topping Pullman.

Daimler was believed to have been planning a successor for the Maybach 57 and 62 based on a new platform to be shared with Aston Martin, though the project is thought to have proven too expensive for the German auto giant. Daimler is now expected to focus more on its core Mercedes-Benz brand, pushing it further upmarket and adding new models.

Mercedes has never been shy of in-car technology, and the new S-class is expected to be a tour de force of electronics and gadgetry. Hybrid engines – in which electric motors will augment modular V6 and V8 traditional power plants – have already been tipped, along with a host of safety and entertainment options in the cabin. Sales should be considerably stronger than those of Maybach, which reportedly failed to even achieve its 800 per year target.

The current Maybach 57 and 62 are expected to be offered for sale through until early 2013, about the same time deliveries of the new 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class should commence. So far this year only 180 Maybachs have been sold worldwide.

Maybach cars found some favor among the custom-obsessed, thanks to Mercedes’ willingness to modify and tweak vehicles according to buyer whim; its hefty power-plants and brutal looks also saw third-party firms try their hand at customization, such as Xenatec’s outlandish Cruiserio. The brand rode a short wave of popularity among rap artists, though was subsequently usurped by Rolls Royce’s distinctively luxe Phantom and later convertible variants. Even so, rap’s target audience generally lacked the cash to follow the trend.

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