What should Daimler do with Maybach?

[vabboud]

Re: Can Maybach Be Mended?

the excelero si brutal, but little beyond this
it is loved ebcause it has an identity, unlike the other MM's, although for me a bad identity is nearly akin to none at all
it's more than hideous, and it can't revive a brand on tis own
the maybach nameplate needs a complete refounding, rethinking, not just new models
it's placement has to be reconsidered, and the brand identity remoulded, into somehitn complete
it must either be closer to MB (think of bentley FS) or farthest possible (phantom)
now? it's just a mess

 

[Zafiro]

Re: Can Maybach Be Mended?

Any way you look at it, Maybach has not been the success DaimlerChrysler had hoped for when it revived the old super-luxury badge a few years back. Industry sources – and by industry sources, we mean our magic 8-ball and cabinet of stuffed-animal advisors – all seem to agree that the uber-Mercedes brand is going to need some new models to supplement the 57 and 62 limousines if Maybach is going to live to see another sunrise. The question remains, however, what those new models might constitute.

Earlier reports suggested the possible addition of convertible versions of both Maybach sedans, drawing on the concept previewed by the Mercedes Ocean Drive to revive the "parade car" segment. Another suggestion was the production of a Maybach sport-ute, based on the full-size Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV, but luxed-up and blinged out to the max to make for a super-premium truck destined for the Aspen slopes, Arabian dunes and Hollywood hills.

Newer reports suggest that the next Maybach model could take the form of an ultra-premium four-door coupe to take after its corporate cousin the Mercedes CLS, only positioned significantly higher in anticipation of the arrival of the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera. This uber-CLS would slot in the range below the current Maybach 57, but above the Mercedes CLS and S-Class.

 

[SDNR]

Maybach Plans for the Future with New Models

Maybach Plans for the Future with New Models
May 5, 2007by Justin Couture / American Auto Press

Maybach, Mercedes-Benz's ultra-luxury division, is in a bit of a sticky situation.When Mercedes-Benz decided to start up a new brand to compete with the world's finest luxury cars (Rolls Royce and Bentley), the brand decided to strike at the heart of limousine territory. Using Mercedes' finest engines and their cutting edge technology, Maybach released the 57 and 62 sedans, which could aptly be described as road-going private jets. Despite the awesome power, the amenities and the ability to customize every single aspect of the car, Maybachs didn't catch on, and as a result have underperformed in terms of sales.

The brand is aware of the source of this problem, and seems prepared to do something about it. A source at Maybach revealed that internally, Maybach realizes that there's no issue with the brand itself, but rather it's the design of the product that it sells. A couple of years ago they built a one-off, boldly styled super coupe concept called the Exelero in collaboration withGerman tire-maker Fulda. It might've been a one-off test-bed that ended up as a show car, but the Exelero created more of a stir for Maybach than its existing 57/62 ever did.

Does this mean that there's an Exelero in the future? Not quite, but Maybach has some plans that will expand the brand and hopefully increase its sales. Currently, there are three different types of vehicles that have spurred interest amongst highly favored exotic brands. They are the four-door coupe, initiated by Mercedes' CLS, the limousine convertible, recently shown as the Ocean Drive concept with a three-pointed star on the grille, and the evergreen sport utility vehicle - M-B has plenty of those. Maybach is considering all three for production.

The four-door coupe is the prime candidate for consideration, as it's everything that Maybach feels it needs to succeed. Besides the fact that every automaker from Audi to Volkswagen is interested in producing one of these, Maybach executives know that there's big money flowing from this genre judging by the number of recent entrants intothis segment, such as the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide. This supposed car would be the Maybach equivalent to the Mercedes-Benz CLS, but it would have the underpinnings of an S-Class rather than an E-Class, and power from the AMG-series twin-turbocharged V12. Besides sporting a new and aggressive look, it would most certainly feature the hallmark tinted glass roof.

Because it'll take some time for Maybach to develop its own sport sedan, the brand is looking at a short term solution, a sport utility vehicle. Currently, the Land Rover Range Rover represents the top of the food chain in sport utility vehicles, but that could change if Maybach decides to enter the market. Its product would almost certainly be based on the GL-Class, Mercedes' largest off-roader, but with a much greater emphasis on luxury and power. The final vehicle, and the least likely to be produced is a soft-top four-door convertible, which harks back to the days of the parade car. It's a longish shot, but not out of the question since Mercedes-Benz will be producing a four-door S-Class convertible of its own, based on the aforementioned Ocean Drive concept.

Maybach will have to be careful to distinguish its new models from their Mercedes-Benz equivalents more than it did the 57/62 sedans. After all, its competitors have done a much better job cloaking any components shared with lesser brands, not to mention the many similarities between the 57/62 and current S-Class when it comes to the overall design.

automobile.com

 

[SDNR]

Re: Maybach Plans for the Future with New Models

Damn ...I'm so dumb.

I wonder if a moderator could please merge this thread with Marcus's one CAR Magazine - Maybach at the crossroads -- please add my above post to that thread and delete this thread.


Thank you

 

[Mr. M]

Re: Maybach Plans for the Future with New Models

Damn ...I'm so dumb.

I wonder if a moderator could please merge this thread with Marcus's one CAR Magazine - Maybach at the crossroads -- please add my above post to that thread and delete this thread.


Thank you

Done.

 

[Pagani]

Re: Maybach Plans for the Future with New Models

This article seems to be a recycling of the old one that started this and another thread in this forum.

 

[modena_360stradale]

Re: CAR Magazine - Maybach at the crossroads

I really don't see what else they can do at this point except fold it back into Mercedes and take Mercedes upmarket to fight Rolls/Bentley with the production Ocean Drive and turning the next Maybach into a "600" style Mercedes (ala Rob).

M

That's exactly what they should have done in the first place: made it a 600

But maybe that would dilute the 'grandeur' of the old 600's? I mean..the Maybach isn't the prettiest car around and you'd risk sullying the memory of the 600 by naming the new Maybach after it :/

What do you think?

 

[SDNR]

Re: CAR Magazine - Maybach at the crossroads

That's exactly what they should have done in the first place: made it a 600

But maybe that would dilute the 'grandeur' of the old 600's? I mean..the Maybach isn't the prettiest car around and you'd risk sullying the memory of the 600 by naming the new Maybach after it :/

What do you think?

I think it had to be called something different because calling it 600 would have been confusing .....people would confuse it with the S600 etc. The original 600 was built at a time when branding and marketing were nothing like they are now, a modern Mercedes 600-type vehicle would need to have a very strong identity in the current marketplace ...and although the Maybach vehicle has not been very successful, the brand has certainly been developed very well. I think there is a future for the Maybach brand as long as they get the design of the vehicles right.

 

[PanterroR]

Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

At a time when Rolls-Royce and Bentley are both making record sales, Stuttgart’s luxury-limo brand Maybach seems to be sharing in none of the glory. According to executives at Mercedes-Benz it doesn’t cost much to keep Maybach on the market, but its a very different story when you head down the corporate ladder to over seventy American dealers who spent more than $500,000 in creating unique studios to showcase the car.

Initially expecting to sell over 500 cars a year in the U.S. alone, Maybach has come nowhere close to that figure with less than 800 cars being sold altogether so far. This despite the recent addition of two new models, the 57 S and 62 S (the ‘S’ standing for ’special’).

Rumours suggest that parent brand Mercedes-Benz may absorb the Maybach brand and implement it into its own lineup as a range topper. However management currently seems to be keeping quiet about the whole situation, according to a report by Automotive News. Only time will tell whether the revived brand name will continue to live on, or is put to rest once again.

Source: Motor Authority » Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

 

[coolraoul]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

Mixed feelings about that idea...
Maybach is now established and recognized as an ultra-luxurious brand, and imo less "bling-bling" than the actual Rolls, and more modern than the old-fashioned Bentley. (the froggy-Bentley are much less expensive, not the same battle).

For me, all Maybach needs is a (big) face-lift to give them sex-appeal, a beautiful coupe and/or convertible to get rid of that image of bad-looking limo. For instance a 4-door convertible...

But Merc has image enough to battle Rolls, they had such models in the past, so why not if they face-lift these Maybach and give them the Benz name?

The 4-door convertible is a typical Benz-model for me. Was presented under the Mercedes brand. I think it means that Maybach as a brand is dead, otherwise it would have been the Maybach Ocean Drive. And they can't sell it as a Maybach when the showcar was a Mercedes.

Maybe are they doing that to give a boost to Mercedes' image, more than because Maybach is selling badly (does not cost more to sell it as Merc or as Maybach).

Pity for the Maybach name, and the image it has established.

But maybe am wrong: it is said that a convertible and a smaller Maybach is under development. I howevwer know that Benz develops a kind of CLS that would be more expensive and bigger thant the S-Class... All these facts seems to say that Mercedes will stop Maybach as brand and sell the models as Mercedes-Benz... Maybe "MB Maybach", but "Mercedes-Bens Maybach 62" is a quite long name...

Wait and see... But they have to move, something must be done. For me a face-lift of the current models, and a coupe...

 

[Cashmere]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

I think whats really killing Maybach, is that most ppl have realised that the Maybach is simply a glorified S Class. They Need a new model and it has to be built freshly from the ground up.

I still think they can redeem themselves by putting the Exelero on the production line. Wait and see what happens.

 

[Matt530i]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

Maybach is now established and recognized as an ultra-luxurious brand

I agree that the Maybach has been positioned as an ultra-luxurious brand but I'd hesitate to say that it's established as one.

Yes, they have sold 800 cars so far (I think roughly half in the first year) but I think it has failed to resonate with its target market. Mercedes tried to bring back an old German name and didn't bring any of the heritage back with in. Rolls and Bentley continue to do well because they have stayed true to their heritage.

If you're spending that kind of money, you want something special, not just a dressed up S-Class.

 

[EnI]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

Two proposals:

a) rename Maybach to Mercedes-Maybach , and make it top-end Mercedes models

b) completely redesign Maybach cars - with absolutely no resemblance to MB design

 

[coolraoul]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

Number two for me please

 

[PanterroR]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

b) completely redesign Maybach cars - with absolutely no resemblance to MB design

Number two for me please

Bingo!

 

[LaArtist]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

Mercedes Maybach for me please..thats the best idea imo..
i dont want anything new that i cant stand for under the MB umbrella

 

[SDNR]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

(the froggy-Bentley are much less expensive, not the same battle).

I can't say I agree with this coolraoul. Although the Bentley Continental Flying Spur is a lot less expensive than the Maybach, it offers similar performance and levels of luxury.

I know somebody who was seriously considering buying a Maybach but decided the Bentley was in many ways the smarter option -- I think many people would feel the same.

I think the biggest problem for Maybach is not Rolls-Royce and Bentley .....but rather, the Mercedes S class. The S class is the smartest choice of the whole bunch.

 

[Merc1]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

Correct Rob.

This is the same (now old) dilema for Maybach. If they aren't going to do a totally new and different car for Maybach then kill it off and enjoy Mercedes' new resurgence. The Ocean Drive tells me they're going to drop Maybach sooner or later, but then again Germans are stubborn. Now that Mercedes is making money again, I'm willing to bet that they're pretty far along with something totally new for Maybach so on the other hand I don't think its over with yet. They'll give it one more try.

M

 

[Osnabrueck]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

I think the biggest problem for Maybach is not Rolls-Royce and Bentley .....but rather, the Mercedes S class. The S class is the smartest choice of the whole bunch.

You're right - and therein lies the problem with "Option #2."

Sure, Maybach can be revitalized with a new line of models that bare no resemblance to their Mercedes cousins, but the cat is already out of the bag. The problem is that Maybach launched with its left foot forward - a car that looked all the world to be an S-Klasse on steroids. Just like hatching ducks taking their first gaze at mother, our impression was set: Maybach is Mercedes deluxe.

So if you were sitting on the BOD at Mercedes and were given two options, which one would you take:

1 - "Redeploy your troops" - Roll ultra-premium Maybach development efforts into your existing multibillion dollar Mercedes franchise creating a brand-wide halo that will be worth its weight in PR gold and will likely create an real impact on sales of volume product.

OR

2 - "Victory is the only option" - Spend copious amounts of money developing and expanding the Maybach range in an effort to change opinions and generate new sales despite the probability that the investment will never be recouped.

I think the ovbious answer is #1 - and we can be almost certain that the decision has already been made, since the Ocean Drive concept was shown under the Mercedes badge. From a dealer diplomacy point of view, Mercedes should repurpose the existing Maybach showrooms by turning them into "Mercedes Premiere" or something to that effect. Mercedes could pump some marketing juice into an effort like BMW Individual, and could expand the range of options (and boost the bottom line) for ultra-premium models like the Ocean Drive.

It's the smart move and one I expect to see in the near future.

 

[coolraoul]

Re: Mercedes close to absorbing Maybach?

I agree with you Osnabrueck, Maybach as an independant brand is dead. The Ocean Drive branded Mercedes is an obvious signal...

Maybach was created because the ultra-rich would not buy a 400.000$ Mercedes though, too "common" brand... Contrary to Rolls or Bentley. I don't think it has changed.

Maybe yes, because the Ocean Drive had a good impact and people were thinking it's a good idea and a typical Mercedes, like they produced in the 30's. So maybe a Benz would be accepted by the super-richs, then it will be a boost for Merc' image to have such ultra-luxurious models.

I think that if the product is good, it could work.

The Maybach only failed because it is not very sexy, and not bling-bling either. It is purely a design problem, the brand is okay.

The image of Maybach is however done now: bad-looking over-Mercedes... A new product could surely change this. No need to stop that brand...

The reason I see is to polish the Merc' image. They will need a new product for that. It is obviously the Ocean Drive and the mega-CLS...

It would be fabulous to see Mercedes regaining that image of Rolls-fighter producing the best cars in the world, the most exciting and the most expensives too!!

Just imagine: The 300SL Gullwing, the Ocean Drive, a 5.70m CLS... After that the world's best limo...


RIP Maybach...

PS the Maybach will be collector: around 1000 produced, brand stopped after a few years...