Maybach is synonymous with technical perfection and excellence in luxury.
The story of the Maybach marque can be traced right back to the origins of the automobile itself. Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler were in fact the brilliant minds behind the first motorcycle -
the “Reitwagen” of 1885 - and behind the first four-wheel car in the world, the Daimler Motorkutsche of 1886.Wilhelm Maybach’s superior engines were soon used to power boats, airships and, eventually, the first Mercedes. The era of mobility, on water, on land, and in the air was well and truly under way.
The story of the Maybach marque can be traced right back to the origins of the automobile itself. Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler were in fact the brilliant minds behind the first motorcycle -
the “Reitwagen” of 1885 - and behind the first four-wheel car in the world, the Daimler Motorkutsche of 1886.Wilhelm Maybach’s superior engines were soon used to power boats, airships and, eventually, the first Mercedes. The era of mobility, on water, on land, and in the air was well and truly under way.
While Wilhelm Maybach was a pioneer of the automotive industry –recognized internationally for his development of technically advanced engines - his talented son Karl Maybach concentrated his efforts on satisfying the rising demand for luxury vehicles, realizing exclusive saloons that ensured
the ultimate levels in comfort, personalization and performance too.
After gaining international experience as an engineer, Karl Maybach was nominated technical director of the business at the Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH in 1909. This company had been newly-founded by Wilhelm Maybach and Count Zeppelin with the aim of principally producing
airship engines.
In 1912, the company was moved to Friedrichshafen and its name was changed to Motorenbau GmbH Friedrichshafen. Maybach’s father and son were both shareholders holding 20 per cent each. Subsequently, in May 1918, the company was restructured into Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH due to Karl Maybach’s decision to dedicate his efforts on the production of automotive engines firstly and then, eventually, on complete automobiles.
Towards the end of the early part of the 1900s he designed the “W2”, a lowrevving 5,7 litre six-cylinder engine which developed 70 hp. There were grounds for optimism when a famous Dutch vehicle factory of the time, Trompenburg, placed a large order for Karl Maybach’s “W2” engine.
Unfortunately, shortly afterwards, Trompenburg went into bankruptcy which forced Karl Maybach to make the decision that if he wanted to install his engines in motor vehicles he had better build those vehicles himself.
His “W3” - a large tourer fitted with a further refined “W2” engine - was out in time for the Berlin Motor Show of 1921. This luxury vehicle boasted a new technical concept: unusual dimensions and an advertising slogan which stressed one of the car’s main features; “Take to the hills - without
changing gear”.
Maybach-Manufaktur became an increasingly attractive partner for coachwork specialists. The company stepped up its collaboration with Hermann Spohn of Ravensburg who built both customised and standard sophisticated bodies. During the following years, Karl Maybach provided several new engines and vehicles; majestic, comfortable automobiles, as personalised as the taste and the wallet of the customer would allow.
The new decade was enlighted by a shining star, the legendary “Maybach Zeppelin”.
This vehicle was a leap into a new dimension and set new standards in terms of size, engineering, performance and ride comfort; even by today’s standards, the “Maybach Zeppelin” is a dream car. The second version released the “Maybach Zeppelin DS 8”, produced from 1930 – 1939,
had an 8-litre V12 engine with an output of 200 hp; a semi-automatic 5- speed pre-selector transmission; vacuum-assisted four-wheel brake: unrivalled characteristics that made this awesome car the epitome of the luxury tourer.
True to the family creed of creating only the very best from the very best, the talented Karl Maybach kept on developing further luxury models, which were appreciated by the elite of the time, right up to the beginning of WWII after which automobile production was not resumed.
the ultimate levels in comfort, personalization and performance too.
After gaining international experience as an engineer, Karl Maybach was nominated technical director of the business at the Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH in 1909. This company had been newly-founded by Wilhelm Maybach and Count Zeppelin with the aim of principally producing
airship engines.
In 1912, the company was moved to Friedrichshafen and its name was changed to Motorenbau GmbH Friedrichshafen. Maybach’s father and son were both shareholders holding 20 per cent each. Subsequently, in May 1918, the company was restructured into Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH due to Karl Maybach’s decision to dedicate his efforts on the production of automotive engines firstly and then, eventually, on complete automobiles.
Towards the end of the early part of the 1900s he designed the “W2”, a lowrevving 5,7 litre six-cylinder engine which developed 70 hp. There were grounds for optimism when a famous Dutch vehicle factory of the time, Trompenburg, placed a large order for Karl Maybach’s “W2” engine.
Unfortunately, shortly afterwards, Trompenburg went into bankruptcy which forced Karl Maybach to make the decision that if he wanted to install his engines in motor vehicles he had better build those vehicles himself.
His “W3” - a large tourer fitted with a further refined “W2” engine - was out in time for the Berlin Motor Show of 1921. This luxury vehicle boasted a new technical concept: unusual dimensions and an advertising slogan which stressed one of the car’s main features; “Take to the hills - without
changing gear”.
Maybach-Manufaktur became an increasingly attractive partner for coachwork specialists. The company stepped up its collaboration with Hermann Spohn of Ravensburg who built both customised and standard sophisticated bodies. During the following years, Karl Maybach provided several new engines and vehicles; majestic, comfortable automobiles, as personalised as the taste and the wallet of the customer would allow.
The new decade was enlighted by a shining star, the legendary “Maybach Zeppelin”.
This vehicle was a leap into a new dimension and set new standards in terms of size, engineering, performance and ride comfort; even by today’s standards, the “Maybach Zeppelin” is a dream car. The second version released the “Maybach Zeppelin DS 8”, produced from 1930 – 1939,
had an 8-litre V12 engine with an output of 200 hp; a semi-automatic 5- speed pre-selector transmission; vacuum-assisted four-wheel brake: unrivalled characteristics that made this awesome car the epitome of the luxury tourer.
True to the family creed of creating only the very best from the very best, the talented Karl Maybach kept on developing further luxury models, which were appreciated by the elite of the time, right up to the beginning of WWII after which automobile production was not resumed.
