Research your Maybach with our VIN decoder

Maybach is a subsidiary of Daimler AG and a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz. Until the 1960s, it existed as a company on its own and produced ultra luxury vehicles. It vied to compete against other luxury car manufacturers such as Bentley and Rolls Royce. The company was named after its founder Wilhelm Maybach, who established the brand in the early twentieth century.

Originally, Maybach did not produce cars at all. Rather, it built engines for airplanes, especially for those used in the First World War. It also produced engines for zeppelins and trains. It would continue to manufacture engines exclusively until 1919, when it showcased its first car. Since then, and until 1940, Maybach focused on producing luxury vehicles in addition to engines. During the Second World War, it became heavily involved in manufacturing engines for the German army’s vehicles. Maybach’s HL230 engines would be used in heavy German tanks, including the Tiger 1 and 2, and the Panther.

Following the Second World, from 1945 to 1960, Maybach failed to produce any cars, partly due to the damage sustained by its premises during the war. However, in 1960, Maybach was acquired by Daimler AG, the same company that owns Mercedes Benz. Following the acquisition, a number of attempts were made at launching successful Maybach car models, such as the Maybach 57 and 62. Though various models would be launched, none were to find success. Instead, sales continued to slump, resulting in huge losses for the company.

In 2013, Daimler AG decided to scrap the Maybach brand altogether. Since then, Maybach cars have been produced under the Mercedes Benz brand, the most notable being the S-Class Pullman. The cars carry the logo and name of Mercedes Benz rather than Maybach. Today, Mercedes-Maybach cars are produced in only two countries: Germany and India. The most recent model to be launched is the G650 Landaulet, also known as the G-Wagen. The Mercedes-Maybach S500 and S600 were produced during 2015 and 2016 and proved to be hugely popular. The brand continues to compete against other ultra luxury manufacturers, including Rolls Royce and Bentley.