Mercedes uber-luxury counterpart, Maybach, will continue to rival the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, despite reports suggesting the brand was folding.
Although details are unclear, Maybach is a profitable brand despite selling 300 vehicles last year. Daimler's Joachim Schmidt said he sees ample opportunities for growth in China and North America.
The recent revision of the Maybach 62 S will keep the brand fresh until a replacement arrives in 2013/2014. This new model will underpin the current S-Class (W221) and will spin-off several other variants including a short-wheel base, long-wheel base, hybrid, four door coupe and a long-wheel base convertible. The hybrid variant will feature a 7 speed automatic transmission and a 20bhp (20PS) electric motor. This system will allow the car to travel upto 10 miles (16km) on electricity.
Like the current model, a standard and S trim-level will be available. The base model will be powered by a 6.0 litre V12 engine, producing 545bhp (553PS), while the ‘S’ will bump that figure upto 630bhp (639PS). These will be mated to a 9 speed automatic.
