^ Do you remember a few months ago someone posted a report which ranked the manufacturers in terms of technological advancement etc.?
BMW out-ranked Mercedes ...and Rolls-Royce out-ranked Maybach. I'm only stating the results.
Does it means that the cars are more advanced?
No, nobody can deny the fact that the W221 is far more advanced technologically, and also far better build and finished than the 7er.
This study refers to the manufacturung process, which means the productivity of the factories mainly!
Concerning the Maybach, I only wanted to point out the over-engineering of the Maybach that you don't find on the same level on the Rolls.
I never wanted to say that the Rolls is not good, or anything; as a package it is much better thought, much better adapted to the market, and much more emotionally appealing.
It is one of the very best cars ever, even if I don't like it at all it is only a matter of taste. However the Maybach is, from certain aspects, even better. Unfortunately, these aspects are not the aspects that make a car sell...
The problem imo, is that Mercedes only made this car because BMW did it. Benz did not want this car. But it was a matter of proud not to let BMW and VW alone in this market. So they did the Maybach, but not with their heart, not with enough budget or enthusiasm. So the engineers were told to build the better car in the world, but the rest of the team were not given enough time or budget...
They saw it from a very german point of view. They had a look at the Seraph/Arnage, laughed at the technical dinosaur, and made a technically perfect car. However, in their hurry and their unenthusiasm, they overlooked the emotional aspect of the car.
So the Maybach is longer, heavier, more powerful, has more TVs and wood and leather and equipments than any other car. But all this was not thoroughly designed, there is an obvious lack of emotion, sense of occasion...
So this is a fabulous car, there is only one thing is does not good: making you wanting it...And that is the only point that matters in that market...
The Rolls on the other side understood the market very very well. I see it as brash and vulgar, but that is precisely what the market wants...Sense of occasion, look-at-me effect. In our society of superficiality, everybody wants to be seen, and the understated Maybach is totally useless. Nobody cares its fabulous seats and insane interior space and comfort.
They had everything to mark history and remake the W100, but failed miserably because they did not really wanted this car...Did not knew if it was a Mercedes or a Maybach...and underestimated Rolls-Royce and BMW.
I only hope they learned that lesson for the next Maybach!
