David LaChapelle, the noted photographer and apparent horn-dog, has composed a couple of his characteristically surreal images using Maybach Zeppelins (old and new) as a prop/inspiration.
The company revealed the shots in association with Art Basel Miami Beach, the same art festival that Audi used a s a backdrop for the reveal of its new A8 sedan.
The image above, which depicts the current Zeppelin, uses the time-honored arty backdrop of utter desolation juxtaposed (art folks love that word) against the pristine car.
The second image, which we've chosen to put after the jump because of its, er, racier nature is what Maybach refers to as a "surreal tablaeux" which is a charmingly inoffensive way to describe what appears to be a New Year's Eve orgy. Maybe we should instead think of it as an exploration of indulgence. Yes, that's better.
You know you're going to make that jump, don't you? We also have a gallery of behind-the-scenes moments in the production of the two shots. Enjoy.
Curious whether the new 2010 Honda Accord has an optional neck massager? How about the tow rating on the Ford F-150? And what about those European cars, they're always adding some new totally nonessential technological "feature."
Now there's an easy way to find out. Our 2010 Buyer's Guide lists every model change from every manufacturer. From colors to options to full redesigns, it's all there.
You may have seen some of these before. Rich guys like to show off you know. Regardless, these ultimate garages still stir the soul in a way only serious car enthusiasts can truly appreciate. There's a 25 page string on Luxury4play.com if you want to see more.
Say what you will about Chevrolet (and you will), but it has for decades led the industry in production of sometimes-tasteful, often-not special editions of its cars. In this way, Chevy is very much like the Bugatti Veyron, Maybach and Mercedes-McLaren SLR. Otherwise not so much.
This marks the first time Chevrolet won't produce an Indy pace car replica on the years when the Camaro has paced the race ('67, '69, '82, '93).
This may or may not have something to do with the fact that the company will produce an unspecified number of Bumblebee replica Camaros, timed to go on sale when the second Transformers movie opens this summer.
Here's your chance to vote for your favorite special-edition. Will it be the 2010 Bumblee Camaro? The 2010 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Camaro that won't exist? Or the 1974 Oleg Cassini American Motors Matador?
Haven't heard much about Maybach recently. Maybe that's good?
Found this over at Motor Authority.com. It's a Maybach 62 that's been stretched to become a Maybach "72;" as if the standard-fare 62 wasn't long enough... It's a 2004 model, and it has less than 500 miles on it.
Cost? A cool $780,000. That includes the conversion, which almost doubled the 62's $390K base price. It's the perfect ride for an exclusive private school senior prom.
So, we're in the midst of the worst financial mess since the great depression, and Bentley and Bugatti are thinking of pairing up, and taking on Rolls-Royce? Are they nuts? Or are they and their customers just sooooo wealthy that they're immune to everything that's going on around them? So what if they or their customers drop a few million on the stock exchange? That must be chump change to these guys.
Shades of the '60s-era 600 Pullman, in which I have two comments:
First, this premium limo is a Mercedes and not a Maybach. Does that further signal that the Maybach brand is headed for the crusher?
Second, are we beginning to seeing a trend here in which head-of-state-like limos--as well as premium cars in general--also have to be ballistic-resistant? Both BMW (here) and Mercedes (here) are offering this feature as a factory option. In the past, armored cars were farmed out to speciality shops; not any more. It's certainly a sad commentary of the times.
There is growing speculation in Europe that Daimler could become a target for a takeover.
Sources close to Daimler management told the Financial Times that company executives indeed are very concerned about a possible takeover because of several recent events. The article cites the following as factors that are intensifying concern over a possible Daimler takeover:
• the "audacious" move by Schaeffler, the privately owned maker of ball bearings and car parts, to take over its larger rival Continental. Potential Daimler suitors could come from emerging markets - or even Daimler's home turf;
• Daimler's warning last month on likely lower future profits;
• Daimler shares prices that are down by more than 45 percent in the past 12 months, reducing its market value to the equivalent of $59 billion;
• the collpase in value across the entire auto industry and the industry's "grim outlook" that has put the worth of the world's still largest automaker, General Motors, at barely $6 billion;
• the lack of "an anchor investor" to ward off unwanted suitors as BMW has with the Quandt family as controlling shareholders. Daimler's only large shareholder is the Emirate of Kuwait, with a stake of 7.6 percent as of the end of April. The rest of its stock is free float, split between institutional and private investors. A new investor might be lured to strip Daimler of its 8.8 billion euros of net liquidity or urge it to split off the truck division, as some of its minority shareholders have long demanded, the paper noted.
Paging Jay Leno! Darth Vader's ride is up for grabs!
The Maybach Exelero was created as a rolling test bed for Fulda Tires, to test the outer reaches of production tire capability. At one point it was wearing huge 23in 315/25 rubber. Top speed of this car is 218.38 mph. So Jay (or anyone), if interested, catch this exclusive sale before some über-rich oil sheik does.
Maybach's sustainability as a brand is much in doubt. Last year they sold only 146 units worldwide, which is only 10% of what was expected. This is especially grim news when you consider the record amount of Rolls-Royces being sold. Besides the ultra-limited-edition Landaulet, there are no other new models scheduled for introduction...
Or so the saying goes; Maybach, an automaker arguably on the ropes, is pulling out all the stops as they've given a production okay for the Landaulet. A concept study was recently shown at the Detroit auto show.
Despite having an official presence in Australia, not one Aussie opted for this luxury road yacht. That's right, not one new Maybach was sold in Australia during 2007. Amazing—and especially amazing considering Rolls-Royce has a long backlog of orders with their competing Phantom, with 17 sold in Australia last year. No, not a huge number but considering the MSRP and the population of Oz, not bad I'd say...
There have been rumors of a possible Maybach Landaulet for some time, and now some images and info have made their way up to the Net. The "design study" (uh... "concept") is reportedly going to be shown at the upcoming Dubai Motor Show. It's based on the long-wheelbase Maybach 62...
Latest figures from the Roller dudes show that quarterly sales are 22% ahead of 2006 sales, and the new Phantom Drophead Coupe is backlogged until the end of 2008. The sedan is sold out until at least the second quarter of next year.
Word is out that Maybach is cutting 29 US dealers from their total of 71. There have been rumors for some time that Mercedes-Benz would be doing something drastic with the Maybach brand, as sales are nowhere near where they had hoped they would be. Many feel that the Maybach is nothing more than an über-Mercedes, but with an über-über price tag.
So is this the beginning of the end for Maybach?..
