Maybach

Maybach is a German luxury automotive brand with origins in the engineering company Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH. The firm was founded in 1909 in Friedrichshafen, on the shores of Lake Constance, by Wilhelm Maybach and his partner Karl Maybach. Initially, the company produced marine and aircraft engines, including powerplants for Zeppelin airships, before turning to automobile construction.

During the 1920s and 1930s Maybach produced a line of ultra-luxury passenger cars, renowned for high levels of craftsmanship, advanced engineering, and exclusive customization. The automobiles—such as the Maybach SW and other model designations of the era—were marketed as top-tier executive cars. In the wartime period, the firm supplied components and engines for German military vehicles. After World War II, the independent operation of Maybach as a car manufacturer ended, and the assets eventually came under broader automotive groups.

In 2002 Daimler AG revived the Maybach name as a standalone ultra-luxury automobile marque, producing large models such as the Maybach 57 and Maybach 62. The revival included highly customized features and bespoke options, with the line also producing the one-off Exelero concept in 2005. The Maybach brand as an independent marque faced selling challenges and was discontinued in 2013.

Daimler subsequently reintroduced the Maybach name in 2015 as a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz under the designation Mercedes-Maybach. This branding is used for ultra-luxury variants of existing models, notably the S-Class and GLS, distinguished by extended rear and front compartments, premium materials, and exclusive badging, rather than as a standalone Maybach model line.