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Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche has further fuelled rumours over the future axing of the Maybach brand by admitting that such cars may not suit future customers of luxury cars.

Zetsche, speaking at the Frankfurt motor show, revealed that he believed that the tastes of luxury car buyers will change after the current economic slump.

Describing one key sector of buyers as the ‘new elite’ he revealed that they would have more modest and discreet tastes and so would not desire a Maybach.Read the full article

Well this hasnt stopped Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin and possibly Bugatti launching new supersaloon cars.

Maybe its just because people dont want a Maybach?

 A  family friend, featured in the Sunday Times "Rich List" drives a Golf if wanting to be ignored and an Arnage for other purposes.

"Zetsche, speaking at the Frankfurt motor show, revealed that he believed that the tastes of luxury car buyers will change after the current economic slump."

 

I am not so sure.....it is more the case that Maybach look too ordinary, too bland compared to, say a Rolls. And THAT is the real reason why Maybach will ultimately fail where Rolls Royce are not.

 

Maybach should never have been re-launched, a tarted up S-Class , what was the point, why would you buy one of those over a Rolls!

 Good decision Merc, drop Maybach!

The relative success of the Phantom show's that it is possible to sell such vehicles but the Maybach looked dated from day one, The coupe concept produced for Fulda probably would have created more interest in the brand but it hasn't really progressed since the launch of the 57 and 62.

I couldn't give a sh%t.  Would anyone have noticed anyway?

 Good riddance.

ewallace1:

I couldn't give a sh%t.  Would anyone have noticed anyway?

Simon Callow might, but as you say, who else gives a dam.

I'll be sorry if the Maybach brand is dropped - it adds seasoning to the super luxury division, even if the product isn't the same quality as Rolls Royce.

As others have pointed out in this blog, there is opportunity to sell at that level, but Maybach have fallen down - unnecessarily - in several areas:

1) They started to panic when BMW started selling more 7 Series than they were selling S Classes, and panicked properly when BMW announced they had purchased Rolls Royce and intended to 'move the brand up market and restore it to its glory days'. Mercedes saw their title as most prestigious manufacturer dissappearing and rushed the Maybach to market as a response, which forced them to use existing, partially obsolete parts/drivetrain to make the cars. And that was years ago - no new models since, unlike RR. Result: the game was not moved on, only the prices. Solution: bring out a new, more relevant, relatively compact 4-door coupe with as much luxury as Rolls Royce but with more of an atmosphere of power and authority.

2) They don't know whether they are Arthur or Martha. The website has poncy music, smooth talking geezers in tweed talking about history and videos of the golf and polo they sponsor. The car, apart from its size, looks understated from outside. This would be great if it was the Lexus website.

What they need to make the brand about is power. Just power. I don't mean horsepower - I mean social power, physical power, financial power. The sort of power so many people yearn for - the sort of crushing influence that comes of obscene amounts of money, a ruthless background, the right connections and a private army - with nuclear capability. The car that hit the nail on the head was the Excelero, but they just didn't learn.

Solution: supercharge the 6.8 litre V8 and shove it in a new, more relevant, relatively compact 4-door coupe etc. Lose the geezer in tweed and get Conan the Barbarian talking about the joy of crushing your enemies, burning their houses, slaughtering their livestock and hearing the lamentation of their women.

I exaggerate of course, but the point is Maybach have a financially solid future if they will only stop trying to be Rolls Royce, drop any pretensions to dignity and chase the highly lucrative rapper/sports star/Middle East/China/India markets with a proper 'f**k you peasants, look at me now, I've got power' product.

 Madonna reportedly has a Maybach - enough said!

DKW:

the point is Maybach have a financially solid future if they will only stop trying to be Rolls Royce, drop any pretensions to dignity and chase the highly lucrative rapper/sports star/Middle East/China/India markets with a proper 'f**k you peasants, look at me now, I've got power' product.

 

Some would argue that's exactly what they have done which is why they're not selling as well as Rolls.