The new Maybach Zeppelin represents a successor to the legendary Maybach Zeppelin, which was revered worldwide as the ultimate in high-class automotive engineering in the 1930s.
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Back in 1930 Karl Maybach had developed a luxury car, the likes of which had never been seen before. Maybach derived the design of its mighty twelve-cylinder drive unit from the same engine he had developed to power the daring airships of aviation pioneer Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin.
Inspired by the Count’s visionary personality, he christened Germany’s first ever series-production twelve-cylinder car "Zeppelin", and offered it to a highly discerning (and solvent) clientele with a displacement of either seven or eight litres (150 hp or 200 hp).
Even today, the name "Zeppelin" has an incomparable ring to it in the realm of high-end luxury cars. As the flagship model in today’s range of Maybach Saloons, the new Maybach Zeppelin does justice to its branding. The name is not merely intended to rekindle memories, after all: as in bygone times, Maybach is once again building the Maybach Zeppelin for distinguished drivers who are seeking something extra special, even in this most luxurious of automotive segments.
Not only do the Maybach 57 Zeppelin and Maybach 62 Zeppelin stand out for their exquisite elegance, inventive ideas and phenomenal performance.
The Maybach 57 S and the long-wheelbase version, the 62 S, serve as the technical basis for the new range-topping model. Supreme performance is assured in both cases by the 6.0-litre V12 biturbo power unit under the bonnet, which has been further refined by Mercedes-AMG and now delivers 471 kW/640 hp (+ 28 hp) and an electronically limited peak torque of 1000 Newton metres. The models’ extra-special status is documented in befitting fashion by a plaque in the engine compartment, which is engraved with the inscription “MAYBACH ZEPPELIN – ONE OF 100â€. If the customer so wishes, a reference to their vehicle’s limited nature can be included in the passenger compartment too.
Needless to say that both versions of the Maybach Zeppelin have extraordinary performance capabilities. The decidedly sporty Maybach 57 Zeppelin for owners who enjoy taking the wheel themselves races to 100 km/h from standstill in 4.9 seconds and attains an electronically governed top speed of 275 km/h. The Maybach 62 Zeppelin, which is conceived first and foremost as a chauffeur-driven car, completes the 0 - 100 km/h sprint in 5.1 seconds and has a limited top speed of 250 km/h.
Whatever angle it is viewed from, the new Maybach Zeppelin radiates character and the sort of style which appeals to all the senses. From the outside, the luxury brand’s new top-of-the-range model can be recognised by its two-tone special paint finish which is applied in a long series of steps. The shoulderline is painted right through to the background of the headlamp assemblies in Rocky Mountains light brown, forming a stylish and scintillating contrast to the Taiga black finish used for the rest of the vehicle body while reinforcing the impression of three-dimensionality too.
Naturally, customers may also specify any other paint finish of their choice for their Maybach Zeppelin. Dark red tail light units and a fine vertical partition in the tailpipe add striking visual touches at the rear. ■