Maybach 57. Pinnacle of pathos
The Maybach 57 (the number indicates the overall length in decimeters) is one of the most luxurious production cars in history. Its path from the first sketches, shown back in 1998, to a mass-produced car was long and thorny. The model was introduced in 2002. It was produced until 2012 under the Maybach brand within DaimlerChrysler (2000-2007) and Daimler AG (2007-2012). This luxury sedan is still relevant in our time. Both then and now, the Maybach 57 is the pinnacle of pathos, a premium sedan and limousine, the pinnacle of the German automotive industry in the luxury car segment. The new Maybach 57 is no longer available for sale, but even the ‘old’ models were impressively expensive.
1st generation (January 2002 – December 2010)
The Maybach 57 was built on the Mercedes S-Class (W220) platform. The car turned out to be long, wide and road-hugging. It is 1,950 mm wide and 1,550 mm high, and offers a wheelbase of 3,480 mm. The Maybach 57 looks expensive, solid and pretentious, like a grand piano. At the same time, the car does not feature any excessive details that could intrigue a potential buyer. It is designed for those who don’t need to have lots of eye-catching details to demonstrate their high status.
The model’s interior could satisfy the wildest wishes of the owner. The “simplest” version featured a high quality and expensive trim, comprising valuable wood, natural semi-precious minerals and 24-carat gold instead of chrome. Passengers were offered a minibar, refrigerator, stereo system, video monitors in the backs of the front seats, 4-zone climate control, and so on.
The Maybach 57 featured all the latest technological solutions of the manufacturer. Moreover, its front lighting is still considered a piece of engineering art. The headlights consisted of four xenon floodlights, combined in two blocks, which automatically changed the focal length and the intensity of the light. Of special notice are the independent pneumatic multi-link suspension with the Airmatic electronically controlled shock absorber, the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electro-hydraulic braking system and other units and components. The car came standard with a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine producing 550 hp and a torque of 900 Nm. According to the manufacturer, such a huge monster accelerated to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.
The Maybach 57 featured all the latest technological solutions of the manufacturer. Moreover, its front lighting is still considered a piece of engineering art.
In 2005, the manufacturer unveiled the advanced Maybach 57 S at the Geneva Motor Show, which became even more successful than the original Maybach 57. The car was equipped with a modified 6.0-liter V12 engine with an output of 612 hp, which was later boosted to 730 hp and a fantastic torque of 1,320 Nm. To realize the power potential of the 57 S, Maybach engineers also redesigned all suspension components. The front and rear axles started featuring stabilizers to reduce the roll angle, and the ground clearance was reduced by 15 mm. In addition, the Maybach 57 S received a powerful exhaust system with sports manifolds and catalysts, an optimized intake system and an ignition system.
1st generation, restyling (January 2010 – December 2012)
The restyled Maybach 57 became incredibly luxurious, so it had only one competitor in the world, the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The sedan could be equipped with a base twin-turbo V12 engine with 543 ho or a boosted twin-turbo V12 engine with 620 hp. The standard equipment of the updated model included:
- 19-inch wheels;
- active self-leveling suspension;
- adaptive cruise control;
- a hatch above the front seats;
- rear electric sun visors;
- seats with power, heating, massage and memory settings;
- tilt-adjustable steering wheel;
- four-zone climate control;
- refrigerator and many more options!
In 2010, the manufacturer presented the Maybach 57 Zeppelin special version, which was a kind of ideological reference to the iconic Zeppelin of the 1930s. It was slightly more powerful and featured special design elements reminiscent of the legendary past of the Maybach brand.
As for safety, in addition to the fact that the Maybach 57 was strong as a military armored car, it was also equipped with a full set of modern safety functions, such as:
- side airbags for front and rear passengers;
- full-length side airbags;
- anti-lock braking system;
- traction control;
- stability control;
- front and rear parking sensors and more.
The Maybach 57 has an incredibly strong body. It fully complies with the most stringent active and passive safety requirements while delivering outstanding shockproof performance.
