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Maybach motors off into history?

The aristocratic Maybach brand might be winding down its business due to dismal sales and no design directive for future models.

In a global market where conspicuous consumption is very much not in vogue, Maybach’s pitiful sales figures have shown its fastidious German quality and opulent luxury simply doesn’t have the old-world cachet of Rolls-Royce or Bentley. Ironically the two British luxury brands are owners by BMW and VW respectively.

Despite Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche having vigorously defended Maybach’s business case as an image building exercise, with profits a secondary consideration, the excuses are wearing thin.

Although Maybach does have relatively low development costs (it borrows heavily from S-Class technologies) it occupies a position above S-Class - effectively placing a price and development ceiling on Mercedes-Benz’s popular limousine.

With the next S-Class due in 2014 billed as being a technological tour de force (as if the current one isn't), Maybach has to make room for the feature driven price escalation of the world’s most popular limousine.

Maybach’s last hurrah will be a grille and headlight upgrade, due to be shown-off at the Beijing auto show in April.

The brand could possibly wrap-up business by the end of this year. Its ungainly designs will not be missed.


 

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