November 2, 2007 12:39 PM by Zack Newmark Filed Under: MaybachConcept Car
After months of speculation, the rumors are finally confirmed about the Maybach 62 S Landaulet concept. Maybach's concept car, expected to debut at the Dubai Motor Show on November 13, has a very cool rear folding roof, while the driver's compartment remains completely enclosed.
Although there was some speculation that 20 of these would be produced, Maybach is calling its concept a "one off." Maybach will likely wait to see how much interest is generated from their real clientele before putting the Landaulet into limited production.
Taking just 16 seconds to retract, a switch in the driver's center console triggers the electo-hydraulic roof to fold back behind the rear partition, but not into the trunk. The driver may also hide the folded roof with a specially fitted leather cover. Meanwhile, the side walls remain, making it retain the basic shape of a limousine. Maybach also claims that the interior cabin is completely wind and weather-proof when the roof is sealed.
To keep rear passengers comfortable when the top is down, two newly developed automatic climate control systems control the cabin's weather, even if it is cold and blustery outside.
Its rear section is covered in white leather, white fabric, and white velour, with a choice between black piano lacquer trim, or black granite with gold detailing. The driver's cabin is all black leather, with black piano lacquer. A liquid crystal partition separates the front from the back, with rear passengers being able to make the separation opaque at the push of a button.
Rear reclining armchair seats, and an intelligent system to hold glasses, goblets, and a champagne bottle will hopefully help any fool become a Lothario. Add into the mix a DVD player, six CD-changer, and cooler, and you wind up with one hell of a nice way to get home from the airport.
LINGUATRONIC voice control is included, but we're not sure how well you will be heard when you ride with the top down, blaring Busta Rhymes.
This Landaulet concept gets an uprated V12 engine, co-designed by AMG. The 6.0 litre machine cranks out 612 horsepower, and 738 ft-lb of torque from 2000 to 4000 rpm and from 4800 to 5100 rpm. With twin turbochargers and water intercooling, this engine is a step up from the V12 found in the 62 S - the most powerful production limo.
Riding on ellectronic air suspension, the Landaulet concept has a shiny Antiqua White exterior, with newly designed white 20-inch wheels. The car's suspension comes from an AIRMATIC DC, and an Adaptive Damping System, to provide what Maybach claims to be a comfortable and stable ride. Twin callipers in the front, and internally ventilated disc brakes all around, the braking system is comprised of five different components, all developed at Mercedes-Benz.
The Maybach 62 S Landaulet is the kind of car, that inspires you to yell out, "That's it, baby, when you've got it, flaunt it, flaunt it!"
Maybach shows one of the world’s most exclusive luxury cars
Majestic open-air experience with the ultimate in luxury and comfort
Folding roof for pampered rear-seat passengers
Appointments in the rear include white leather, piano lacquer and exquisite black granite
With this study of an open-top landaulet, Maybach has re-enlivened the great art of building majestic automobiles. True to the tradition of exclusive landaulets, the roof of this sparkling white one-off study can be opened fully at the rear, while the chauffeur’s compartment remains completely enclosed. The passengers are then able to enjoy the clear, blue sky above. Seated in opulent armchairs upholstered in white leather, they are treated to a majestic open-air experience currently unrivalled by any other automobile in an environment of the utmost luxury and exquisite style. Romance close to the heart of nature is harmoniously combined with the ultimate in comfort and technological sophistication. With this unique study, Maybach is once again demonstrating its expertise in building the world’s most exclusive luxury cars.
Large folding roof for passengers in the rear
In technical terms the Landaulet study is based on the Maybach 62 S – which can claim to be the world’s most powerful series-produced chauffeured saloon. Maybach technicians have removed the rear roof module in order to afford passengers an unobstructed view of the sky above. The side walls remain, and have merely been invisibly reinforced with an integral tubular steel structure. As these measures have not altered the silhouette of the luxury saloon, the generously dimensioned doors and the complete interior with its reclining seats remain unchanged.
When closed the black soft-top of the Landaulet rests on the frame formed by the roof bows, and is wind and weather-proof. When requested by the passengers, the chauffeur operates a switch in the centre console. The roof then opens electro-hydraulically and is gently deposited on the parcel shelf in the rear, together with its integral rear window of single-layer safety glass. Opening and closing the roof takes 16 seconds. The chauffeur is able to enclose the folded roof with a fitted leather cover, which both conceals the roof mechanism from view and completes the overall picture of outstanding elegance.
White paintwork and wheels
This impression is accentuated by the shining white paintwork of the study, an exclusive finish named antigua white. Visual highlights are provided by 20-inch wheels specially designed for the Landaulet study. These are also painted in white with high-sheen spokes, and are accompanied by white indicators in the front and rear light clusters in dark red.
Black for the chauffeur, white for the passengers
In addition, the already luxurious driver’s compartment of the successful Maybach 62 S has been enhanced in a number of important respects. All the interior trim is now surfaced in black piano lacquer, and for the extensive leather appointments Maybach has used particularly exclusive, glossy stromboli black leather.
In contrast Maybach has fitted the passenger compartment almost completely in exquisite seychelleswhite leather. The footwell and roof liner of this high-end luxury landaulet are also in white – the floor is carpeted in white velour and the roof lined with white fabric. A dramatic contrast is provided by inserts and decorative trim in glossy, black piano lacquer or exclusive black granite with numerous gold inclusions.
Generous spaciousness and first-class comfort
Outstanding comfort is assured by the generous spaciousness of the rear, which the Landaulet study has adopted unchanged from the Maybach 62. Passengers are welcomed into the interior by two large, single seats. These elegant seats also allow even very tall passengers to enjoy a reclining position which travellers normally only encounter in the first-class armchairs of modern passenger jets.
The study is designed as a chauffeured vehicle and features a partition. The upper section of the partition is a glass panel which the passengers can render opaque at the touch of a button, thanks to a liquid crystal membrane embedded in the glass.
Two ultra-modern automatic climate control systems, whose parameters have been adapted to the Landaulet study, ensure that open-air travel remains a pleasure even under adverse climatic conditions.
State-of-the-art entertainment and communications
As in the Maybach 62 S, the rear console is the centrepiece for entertainment, communications and travelling pleasure. This is where Maybach engineers have grouped everything relating to the entertainment and pleasure of the rear-seat passengers: a DVD-player, six CD-changer, a cooler compartment with its own electric compressor and an intelligent system which holds glasses, goblets and champagne bottles safely in position.
Engine and suspension
The Maybach Landaulet study is powered by the uprated V12 engine which Maybach engineers have developed further for the Maybach 57 S and Maybach 62 S together with the specialists at Mercedes-AMG. Thanks to twin turbochargers and water intercooling, the V12 develops a maximum output of 450 kW/612 hp from a displacement of 5980 cubic centimetres. This is continuously available between 4800 and 5100 rpm, and the engine also delivers an impressive maximum torque of 1000 newton metres between 2000 and 4000 rpm.
The electronically controlled air suspension AIRMATIC DC (Dual Control) and the Adaptive Damping System (ADS II) endow the Landaulet with outstanding levels of ride comfort, at the same time demonstrating that even a prestigious vehicle such as this can exhibit extraordinary agility and dynamic performance.
In addition to large, internally ventilated brake discs – with twin callipers at the front – both the study and the Maybach 62 S are equipped with two electro-hydraulic Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC™) braking systems working in tandem. Together with ESP®, ASR, ABS and Brake Assist, this provides the Landaulet study with the very latest in effective, high-tech handling control systems.
Innovative technology from the sister-brand Mercedes-Benz
Like all Maybach saloons, the Landaulet also benefits from the unrivalled experience of the sister-brand Mercedes-Benz in the development and production of high-quality cars in the luxury segment. Important innovations from Mercedes-Benz, successfully developed further for the Maybach saloons, are standard equipment in every Maybach and are of course also on board the Landaulet study – examples include the electronically controlled air suspension AIRMATIC DC (Dual Control), LINGUATRONIC voice control and the control and display system COMAND APS.
PagodaWarrior
November 2, 2007 1:43:59 PM
Booyaka Booyaka. I reckon 20 units will be sold out within days!
I respect the whole bit about giving a nod to the marque's history and such.. but Gennadi's design was so much sexier. Then again, I have a bit of a fetish for huge convertibles.
Buy the S65 AMG instead, much cheaper, better, and still have lots of cash left over for something else. =). It's nice, but if sales are like the previous, I'm sure this one is not going to sell very well.
The Phantom needs to step it up now. I like this approach more than that big-ass coupe they drew up a few weeks ago. This is far more creative and elegant.
honestly , one can't help but imagine that little Austrian corporal on board waving to a mesmerized crowd along Brandenburg Gate should he survived the war . this sight alone should make prospective buyers of this otherwise excellent vehicle cringe at the thought of such perceived association .
come on now , Rolli . . . can you not see this automobile's predecessor parked alongside ? these are the same vehicles that were being used during those frenzied Nuremberg Rally parades . MB had the good sense of rendering this latest model with a coat of white finish in order to sharply deviate today's customers' attention from this vehicle's unfortunately questionable past. i am being anti- Nazi , but certainly not being anti-German .
Booyaka Booyaka. I reckon 20 units will be sold out within days!