Autoblog

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

Jeffrey N. Ross — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Maybach, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Volvo

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.

CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).

Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Continue reading These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybach officially discontinues all models for 2013

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maybach, Luxury

The word "Maybach" has joined the long list of synonyms for the word "kaput." Mercedes-Benz released the price list for the 2013 models of its super-luxury sedans, with the price column simply stating "Discontinued" for each one of them.

The 2012 models, should there be any left for 11th-hour buyers, maintain the increased MSRPs that Daimler slapped on them late last year after it was known the brand would be terminated next year. But you might still be able to wrangle that $100,000 rebate if you ask nicely, or in Russian, or have Rick Ross ask for you.

It shouldn't be too long before we see the ultimate version of the next generation S-Class, the S600 Pullman, that will replace Maybach. Intriguingly, it's said the Pullman will be offered with every S-Class engine, even the four-cylinder diesel.

Maybach officially discontinues all models for 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Biggest Rebate Ever? Maybach buyers to get $100,000 spiff

Zach Bowman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Etc., Europe, Maybach, Luxury

Our sister site, AOL Autos, just dug up one of the largest rebates we've ever seen on a new car. If, for some reason, you must have a Maybach before the brand ceases production altogether, you may in line to snag a tidy $100,000 rebate. Daimler previously let slip that the company will kill the ultra-luxury brand in 2013 and replace it with a new high-end Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman. Given that Maybach models never exactly jumped off of the showroom floor, we're guessing the German automaker needs all the help it can get moving the Type 57 and Type 62.

Even with $100,000 off the sticker price, you'll still need a suitcase full of C notes to take one of these machines home. The entry-level Type 57 commands a $376,300 MSRP while the Type 62 starts at $427,700. Even at those prices, reports suggest the the company lost a staggering $500,000 on each and every model it sold. It's a wonder the marque stayed around as long as it did.

Biggest Rebate Ever? Maybach buyers to get $100,000 spiff originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jay-Z and Kanye's wrecked Maybach fetches just $60,000 at auction [w/video]

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Maybach, Earnings/Financials, Celebrities

Sorry, Phillips de Pury & Company, but you guys evidently had no business auctioning this car at a sale of contemporary art. Because no matter what the dynamic rap duo of Kanye West and Jay-Z did to it, this 2004 Maybach 57 is, first and foremost, a used car. Clearly the art community has voted with its wallets - and decided that the vehicle's value is about what you could make if you parted it out. Frankly, that's sad.

For those that don't remember, the Maybach was heavily modified for use in the music video for the song "Otis," the Grammy Award-winning hit from Kanye's 2011 album Watch The Throne. Despite its overt ugliness, the car certainly has provenance. (Did we mention that the song won a Grammy?) We only hope that whomever ponied up the paltry sum of $60,000 for the "Otis" Maybach is either a real music fan or someone who goes on to resell it at Barrett-Jackson or another car auction where they know how to move the celebrity metal.

Be sure to check out our gallery of the "Otis" Maybach, and click past the jump to watch the music video.

Continue reading Jay-Z and Kanye's wrecked Maybach fetches just $60,000 at auction [w/video]

Jay-Z and Kanye's wrecked Maybach fetches just $60,000 at auction [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daimler increases prices on 2012 Maybach models

Noah Joseph — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maybach, Luxury

That Daimler can't sell enough Maybach superluxury sedans to justify the brand's existence is the worst-kept secret in the entire automotive industry. The numbers don't really make a dent in what its competitors sell, and they are but a drop in the bucket of what the company moves as a whole. That's what's prompted Daimler to seek out more cost-effective alternatives to the current Maybach line, and what's reportedly forced them to move to shutter the brand in the near future.

So you'd think that the prices on buying a new Maybach would be dropping considerably as a result. And you may very well get your local Maybach dealer to cut one heck of a deal to get one of their limousines out of the showroom. But you wouldn't know it from the latest pricing updates released by Mercedes-Benz USA.

Instead of slashing their prices in an effort to turn a profit before shutting down the brand, Daimler has actually increased the MSRPs on 2012 models. Not by much, mind you - about $4,000 across the board (save the $1.38m Landaulet, which stays the same). Of course, that probably isn't enough to deter someone willing to shell out this kind of money from buying a Maybach. But the sheer audacity of raising the sails on a sinking vessel is certainly an interesting tactic to save the ship.

Continue reading Daimler increases prices on 2012 Maybach models

Daimler increases prices on 2012 Maybach models originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz killing Maybach in 2013, replacing with S600 Pullman

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:16:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

According to an unnamed Mercedes-Benz source speaking with AutoWeek, the German automaker is killing off its Maybach line in 2013.

The unsurprising news comes after the brand was resurrected in 2002, but failed to meet sales expectations with its two core models, the Maybach 57 and 62. Further solidifying its fate, a deal with Aston Martin to aid in the development of future Maybachs fell through earlier this year.

According to the AutoWeek insider, the plan is to continue to sell both Maybach models through the end of 2013, after which the fifth-generation S-Class will go on sale. When that happens, three new variants of the S-Class will be available, including an all-new, range-topping S600 that brings back the Pullman moniker and may be better suited to competing with the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce.

Mercedes-Benz killing Maybach in 2013, replacing with S600 Pullman originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybach Cruiserio Coupe bites the dust as Xenatec declares bankruptcy

Noah Joseph — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Maybach, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

You just can't catch a break in this world if your name is Maybach. The superlux Daimler division has had trouble selling enough vehicles to seriously challenge the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce - divisions of arch-rivals Volkswagen and BMW, respectively. It can't seem to broker a viable deal with Aston Martin to produce a new range. Even that one-off Exelero wasn't paid for in full after being purchased by a certain hip-hop artist. Now the last ambitious project by the double-M marque appears to have floundered, too.

As you may recall, a German coachbuilder called Xenatec recently launched an initiative, with Maybach's blessing, to produce a series of hyper-exclusive million-dollar Maybach coupes. The idea stemmed from Xenatec's existing business producing armored luxury cars for those with the means. Unfortunately, the program doesn't seem to have attracted enough buyers to make it viable, and the associated costs have reportedly now bankrupted the company.

All-in-all, eight or so Maybach Cruiserio Coupes are reported to have been sold, with another three in various states of build seeking buyers. We're not sure who would complete them even if they were sold, however, as the bulk of Xenatec's workforce has apparently either quit or been laid off.

Maybach Cruiserio Coupe bites the dust as Xenatec declares bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybach celebrates Daimler's 125th with special edition 57 S

Noah Joseph — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maybach, Luxury

Daimler may not be able to sell very many Maybachs, but there's a flip-side to that equation: Rarity. Exclusivity. Qualities which a Maybach has in spades. But if every tycoon and magnate in your elite neighborhood already has one, and you want to stand out a bit (but not too much) from the crowd, you're going to want something even more exclusive. Like the Edition 125!

That exclamation mark - like the concept currently on display in Frankfurt - is part of the name, not added emphasis on our part, and helps underscore the claim which Daimler lays on the origins of the automobile which it now celebrates a century and a quarter later.

The party starts off with the 57 S model, that being the (relatively) shorter-wheelbase sedan with the twin-turbo V12 that's just had its output increased to 630 horsepower. That's power that'd make many a supercar blush, but Maybach didn't stop there: for the special edition, the automaker gave the 57 a new front grille, a set of high-contrast 20-inch alloys and the signature of Wilheml Maybach (he who helped Gottlieb Daimler invent the automobile) embroidered into the glovebox lid.

The Edition 125! also gets special Tahiti Black and Patagonia Silver color options, part of an expanded catalog of color swatches available for the exterior and interior of the elite Mercs which you can read more about in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Maybach celebrates Daimler's 125th with special edition 57 S

Maybach celebrates Daimler's 125th with special edition 57 S originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenatech turning Maybach 57S into a limited-production luxury coupe

Noah Joseph — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Maybach, Luxury

Maybach 57S Coupe by Xenatech - Click above for image gallery

Daimler's ultra-premium brand Maybach may be able to compete with the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce when it comes to sedans. But with the menacing Exelero concept remaining exactly that, the Double-M marque has nothing to rival the Bentley Brooklands and Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe. Enter Xenatech with the solution you see here.

The German engineering firm is committing to produce a short run of coupes based on the Maybach 57S. The two-door retains the sedan's 5.7-meter length, but the track has been widened and the roof chopped down, moving the B and C pillars aft to accommodate longer doors. Power comes from the same 612-horsepower, 6-liter twin-turbo V12 as the sedan, estimated to propel the coupe to 62 mph in five seconds flat.

Word has it Xenatech has Daimler's blessing on the endeavor, and may even have received cooperation on the adaptation. Only 100 examples are slated for production - each with a price tag of €650,000 ($800k) - from the firm's factory in Weinsberg, near Maybach's own facility in Sindelfingen. Given how slowly 'ordinary' four-door Maybachs have been to move beyond the factory gates, that volume target seems quite optimistic, but the Xenatech renderings shown here at least hold promise. Have a closer look in the gallery below. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Gallery: Maybach 57 S Coupe by Xenatec

[Sources: Autocar and Auto Motor und Sport]

Xenatech turning Maybach 57S into a limited-production luxury coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybach unveils updated range for 2011 [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Maybach, Beijing Motor Show, Luxury

2011 Maybach 62 - Click either image for high-res image gallery

Reports of Maybach's demise may have been slightly exaggerated - for the time being, anyway. The ultra-premium Daimler brand has released updated versions of its range, which is essentially the same vehicle with different configurations.

For MY2011, the Maybach 57, 57S, 62 and 62S feature a handful of cosmetic, mechanical and interior equipment upgrades. The exterior benefits from a new grille (now different between the standard and S models), hood, tail lights and door mirrors, which - in addition to refreshing the limo's looks - also reduces wind noise for a quieter ride. Underneath the new hood, meanwhile, Daimler has optimized the V12 engine for marginally reduced emissions and fuel consumption, and while the standard engine stays pegged at 542 horsepower, the S version gets an 18-horse boost to 630.

Inside there's a partition to separate passengers from chauffeur, and the reclining seats previously available only on the longer 62 model can now be fitted on the passenger side in the rear of the 57 as well. The 62 can be fitted with an electro-chromatic tinting glass roof panel, and customers can also specify a 19-inch rear screen instead of the individual 9.5-inch monitors, on which they can view camera feeds from around the vehicle. The perfume atomizer from the Zeppelin model can also be ordered on the rest of the range now as well, and there's available wireless internet and seat piping either braided or embedded with Swarovski crystals.

The revised Maybach range debuts this Friday at the Beijing Motor Show, where Bentley is also presenting a pair of special editions, Volkswagen its new Phaeton and Audi the long-wheelbase A8 L. If we didn't know better, we'd think the Chinese had a thing for limos. Make the jump for a promo video.

Gallery: 2011 Maybach range

[Source: Maybach]

Continue reading Maybach unveils updated range for 2011 [w/video]

Maybach unveils updated range for 2011 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Project Kahn tries to help the Maybach 57

Noah Joseph — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Maybach, Luxury

Project Kahn Maybach 57 - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you want, say, a custom Chevrolet Corvette or Mercedes-Benz, there's no shortage of aftermarket tuners who'd be glad to help. If your taste (and budget) demand something a little more opulent, however, then there are only a handful of companies at your service. And one of them is Project Kahn.

After taking on the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce, the British tuner has released a catalog of modifications for the Maybach 57. Good thing, too, because the top-shelf Benz could use some help. The package includes special 22-inch wheels designed to accommodate the factory wheel hubs (lest a passer-by mistake this for an S-Class), smoked taillights, tinted privacy glass and an interior that can be fully trimmed to order (not that the standard Maybach couldn't have been in the first place). And with the sky the limit on customization, we're going to go out on a limb here and wager that the price is, too. Images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Project Kahn Maybach 57

[Source: Project Kahn via autoblog.nl]

Project Kahn tries to help the Maybach 57 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Better than a moose head on the wall: Classic Car shelves

Dan Roth — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Classics, Etc., Toys/Games

Now you don't have to leave the lovely visage of your favorite ponycar languishing in the dark of the garage anymore. California Car Cover Company is offering shelves that pay homage to Shoebox Chevies, '59 Caddies, C3 Corvettes and '65 Mustangs, so you now have a boomeriffic place to stash various and sundry little bits that would otherwise clutter a more pedestrian shelf. Prices range from $19.99 to $79.99, far less than even a set of sparkplugs for the old clunker that's spent the last decade and a half leaking on your driveway, and we bet that it'll take less time to mount one of these to the wall than it will to get that old Quadrabog rebuilt and tuned.

[Source: CalCarCover]

Better than a moose head on the wall: Classic Car shelves originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dubious pioneer: Russia's first stolen Maybach

Dan Roth — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:04:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Maybach, Lifestyle

Picture this, you're stuffing your face full of gourmet food, giving your gullet a real workout, and you look up from your plate just in time to see your Maybach speed by. That last bite sticks in your throat, refusing to budge. Whoever absconded with your über-uglified super S-Class boots your driver out the door while rounding a corner. Now would not be a good time to recall that your €530,000 car is insured for a mere €300,000. Whoops. Vikotor Markov was enjoying a meal at the De Marco café when thieves swiped his Maybach 57. While introducing Mr. Chauffeur to Mr. Chlorfoorm is itself a dicey undertaking, Markov's 'Bach is the first to be swiped in Russia. The band of thugs that ambushed the driver and made off with the car is believed to be responsible for multiple luxury car thefts, including a passel of Bentleys. Perhaps it would have been wiser to just take the Metro.

[Source: Luxist]

Dubious pioneer: Russia's first stolen Maybach originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brabus builds its own Exelero, hits 205 mph at Nardo

Noah Joseph — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Maybach, Mini, Brabus

Click on the images to view in high-speed and high-resolution

Remember the Maybach Exelero? The ultra-premium marque from Merceceds-Benz built it almost two years ago as a high-speed test vehicle based on its Maybach 57 luxury sedan, but unfortunately never offered production versions to the public. To the rescue comes Brabus, those whacky German tuners who give the go-fast treatment to everything produced by the three-pointed star, from the Smart ForTwo all the way up to this 730-hp limousine.

Like the Exelero, Brabus' monster is based on the Maybach 57 and was built in order to achieve the highest speeds attainable. To get there, Brabus tuned the Maybach's twin-turbo V12 to the same standard as the CLS-based Brabus Rocket speed record car: that means boosting power from 550 hp to 730, thanks to an increase in displacement from 5.5 liters to 6.3, coupled with a new crankshaft, pistons, cylinder heads... the works. The turbos were beefed up, and along with the intercoolers, a custom exhaust was installed and the ECU was reprogrammed.

The result is a top speed of 330.2 km/h (205.2 mph in American speak) achieved at the same Nardo test track in Italy where the Exelero was put through its places. A far cry from the 218.4 mph achieved by the Exelero, but not to shabby in its own right. And here you thought the S versions of the Maybach 57 and 62 were obscene enough....

Check out the images in the gallery below, and the press release after the jump.

[Source: Brabus]

Gallery: Brabus Maybach 57 @Nardo

Continue reading Brabus builds its own Exelero, hits 205 mph at Nardo

Brabus builds its own Exelero, hits 205 mph at Nardo originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rusty car sells for over $850k

Noah Joseph — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:54:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Supercars, Bugatti

Click image for photo gallery of the Bugatti in Greenwich

Don't go quoting us on this, but this has got to be one of the most expensive barn finds we've ever seen. Christie's sold this 1938 Bugatti for a staggering $852,500 at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance earlier this summer, more than twice the highest pre-sale estimate and close to the price of a new Bugatti.

The car was admitted to the Pebble Beach preservation class, and when its new owner gets it up to spec, it'll undoubtedly be the beauty it once was. The 1938 Type 57C you see here is actually a bit of an amalgamation of two Bugattis that were both owned by the same pre-war collector. The chassis itself belonged to a Type 57 Stelvio cabriolet with bodywork by Gangloff, a coachbuilder based in Colmar near the Bugatti factory in Molsheim in the French region of Alsace. In time for display at the French pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair in New York, the body was switched for that of the Type 57C Atalante (not to be confused with the more rare and iconic Atlantic).

Now of course there's value in classics, but as far as vintage motorcarriages go, this one's in pretty bad shape. Having sat in storage since 1962, the paint is chipped and faded, the chrome is rusty, the tires are history, the engine's grimy and the leather is worn out. A handyman's dream, let's call it. An $850k handyman's dream.

[Source: AutoWeek, Photos: Alex Nunez]

Gallery: 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe

Rusty car sells for over $850k originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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