Enter the rumormill: Mercedes to absorb Maybach into self

While we won't question the rationale behind dropping over $300-large on a tarted-up last-gen S-Class, Maybach dealers in the U.S. may be asking if it's smart business. According to Automotive News, M-B originally intended to sell 500 Maybachs each year from the over 70 dealers spread throughout the U.S., with each of them required to drop over $500k on a special "studio" where well-to-do shoppers could individually customize their 'Bach. But the results since the brand's launch in 2003 have been less than stellar, with only 778 vehicles finding homes over the last three-and-a-half years.
The question posed by A.N. is whether or not Mercedes will blend the premium brand into its lineup, making an uber-Benz, or if it will continue to run as a separate marque altogether. Discriminating buyers are already voting with their wallets, and as such, the future of Maybach may be up in the air.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]