Maybach to unveil world's most powerful chauffeur-driven saloon

'The Maybach 62 S will be the world's most powerful chauffeur-driven saloon in series production with prodigious power output thanks to the enhanced potency of the twelve-cylinder engine developing 612 hp,' said Chris Vallance, Regional Sales Manager, Maybach Manufactur, Middle East. 'Yet it will also feature a new dimension in travelling comfort, especially for the passengers in the generously proportioned rear compartment of the new high-end luxury saloon.'

Prominent exterior features accentuate the dynamic presence of the new Maybach 62 S and clearly distinguish it from the 62 model. These include a modified front end with a strikingly redesigned radiator grille as well as new, distinctive 20-inch spoked wheels and a modified light-cluster design. Like the 57 S model, the new Maybach 62 S boasts lavish single-tone paintwork in black or silver, both of which are available exclusively for the 'S' models.

Alternatively, customers can now specify a special paint finish in shimmering white. Discreet '62 S' lettering adorns the front wings beneath the A pillars and the boot lid, while a modified rear apron with two integral, trapezoidal exhaust tailpipes hints strongly at the immense performance potential. This dynamic yet elegant appearance puts the Maybach 62 S in a league of its own when it comes to luxurious chauffeur-driven cars.

The contemporary Maybach interpretation of luxury, comfort and dynamism is also reflected in the interior of the 62 S. High-grade materials are hand-finished for a distinctive and particularly exclusive look. Carefully co-ordinated applications of piano lacquer and sporty carbon or anthracite poplar create an atmosphere of dynamic elegance in the rear compartment and in the driver's direct field of vision and activity. Newly designed, high-grade leather upholstery accentuates this overall impression.

Effortlessly superior performance in any situation comes courtesy of a Mercedes-AMG-enhanced V12 powerplant developing 62 hp more than the engine specified for the Maybach 62. The twelve-cylinder engine in the Maybach 62 S has a displacement of six litres and an output of 612 hp by virtue of a twin turbocharger and a water-type intercooler.

The impressive maximum torque of 1000 Nm (electronically limited) is available between 2000 and 4000 rpm. This provides even the most sportily inclined of Maybach drivers with effortless power reserves. With acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in only 5.2 seconds, the new Maybach 62 S impressively demonstrates its outstanding performance potential. The top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h in chauffeur-driven vehicles.

The exclusivity of the twelve-cylinder powerplant is underlined by a model plate on the cover bearing the signature of the Mercedes-AMG technician who assembled it by hand based on the now familiar 'one man, one engine' principle.

The outstanding attributes of the Maybach 62 S set new standards at the high end of the passenger car industry and also continue the tradition of the legendary Maybach saloons which represented the elite in German and international carmaking circles back in the 1920s and 1930s. Even then, many Maybach cars were built and equipped to be chauffeur-driven - a tradition which the 62 S model is proud to honour.

The new flagship model in the Maybach range celebrates its world premiere at the 'Auto China 2006' international motor show in Beijing this month.