Highlights
- Excellent history file
- Great service history
- Unbelievable specification, in typical Maybach style
The Appeal
The Maybach name is not one that is said with a light tone, it bears extreme luxury at its forefront, and there is no Maybach more important than the 57. This was the base on which Maybach built its name after the brand's revival by DaimlerChysler AG - deriving from the concept car which was presented in the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, which was a W140 S-Class sedan. It is without a doubt, one of the most world's most luxurious cars. Only the Rolls Royce Phantom comes close to this!
This particular Maybach features the renowned 5.5 litre, twin turbocharged V12 engine producing a stout 543bhp - this is no slouch considering its 2.6-tonne kerb weight! But this is mainly due to the earth-turning amount of torque produced, coming out at 664lb-ft, giving it devastating off-the-line as well as in-gear acceleration.
The History and Paperwork
- Originally registered on the 7th of November 2003
- The previous keeper of the vehicle kept it under his wing for 14 years!
- The vehicle spent some years over in Switzerland from 2011 up until 2018, being maintained exclusively by Pichler GFG
- Recently acquired by the current owner on August 2021
- Fantastic full Mercedes service history, with the most recent oil and filter change taking place in May 2022 at 46,061 miles, at Mercedes-Benz Brooklands
- Also in May of 2022, B&B Automotive carried out a professional respray of the front bumper, front left wing, left rear quarter panel, and the bootlid to rectify some unwelcome scratches and stone chips which were bothersome to the owner. The paintwork is now reported to be in gorgeous condition, as it should be.
- The most recent MOT on the vehicle was done on the 26th of February 2022, passing first time with flying colours
- Following this inspection, the car has not done any significant mileage
- Original booklets and manuals are present, including the white work gloves
The Interior
- Exhaustive specification list
- Light Brown Exclusive leather
- Some light stains in the boot carpet
- Burr wood veneers and metal trim finishers
- Lilt-and-slide glass sunroof
- 21-speaker Bose sound system
- Four zone climate control
- Heated and ventilated front and rear electric seats
- Massage function for front seats
- Rear seat entertainment screens
- Maybach-branded in-car phones and a portable flip phone
- Alpine DVD and CD player
- Refrigerator in the rear armrest
- Rear window blinds
- Folding rear tables
- And MUCH more…
Like any Maybach, there are a plethora of specifications to rifle through, so much so that it feels like everywhere you look, you’re stumbling upon something new. It’s not often you find yourself in a car with rear curtains, a fridge in the back and its own branded set of phones, and headphones might we add. The absolute pinnacle of luxury, and nothing less.
As soon as you open the door to this opulent saloon, you’re instantly drawn to the rich materials everywhere you look. Gorgeous and supple leather, thick carpets, stunning burr wood veneer and dazzling brightwork reminds you that you’re in something special. Sinking into the comfortable, massaging drivers seat you are presented with a gorgeous wooden and leather steering wheel which remains in impeccable condition, which is a theme that continues throughout this 57. The multifunction controls remain functional and easy to read, and the leather and stitching are presented beautifully. Just behind, the gauge cluster shows a mere 46 thousand miles, and showing no unwelcome warning lights - a plain yet beautifully laid out cluster. The front seats themselves remain in gorgeous shape, just some very minor signs of use on the driver seat from the creases in the leather, however it remains plump and supple. The passenger seat, as well as the rear seats, show very little signs of use.
The centre console is a work of art, covered in burr wood veneer and laced with buttons and controls, with some gentle brightwork accents to finish it all off. The control buttons all remain functional and easy to read, and the dashboard leather remains almost untouched with flawless stitching across the board. Door cards are presented beautifully with the same rich materials as the rest of the cabin, the electronic and memory functions can be found just in front of the brightwork handle, and the surrounding veneer is very well maintained.
Moving into the rear of the Maybach, this is where the real party is. If there was ever a car to be ferried around in, this is certainly a top contender. It’s easy to get comfortable with the fantastically opulent electronic seats, both heated, an entertainment screen directly ahead of you, a fridge just under your arm and a retractable table at your disposal. There really is just about every creature comfort you could ever ask for in here - you can even read the vehicle's speed from the gauges mounted in the roof between the two front seats.
It’s no surprise that , when new, this Maybach cost more than the price of your average house… but then again, it probably has more amenities than most houses. Whether it be the desire of being driven around in nothing but sheer luxury, or the need for having the best car on the street (without a doubt), surely you just can’t look past this.
The Exterior
- Finished in single-tone Himalaya Grey paintwork
- Privacy glass in the rear
- Wheels all remain in excellent condition
- Tyres have 5mm of tread on both front wheels, 6mm on the rear wheels and are in very good order
- Iconic Maybach badging remains presents
- Brightwork throughout is in stunning condition
- Recently painted body panels look in fantastic shape
- All panel gaps appear to be of completely factory fitment
- Solar roof panel remains functional
The ‘57’ in the name refers to the length of the vehicle, a staggering 5.7 metres in length. A long vehicle, undoubtedly, but how else would you stretch your legs in the back seats, or shoehorn a V12 in a saloon?
Starting at the front of the Maybach, the headlights remain nice and clear with no signs of any damage, and if you look close enough you can see the Maybach logo engraved into the light lenses - a nice touch. Brightwork on the grill remains very well maintained with a high level of shine, and the paintwork is in fantastic condition with seemingly no stone chips visible here - this is partially thanks to the front bumper being professionally resprayed recently.
Moving around to the side we see the brightwork trim exclusive to that of a Maybach, so that even from the side you know exactly what you’re looking at. The trim itself remains very well presented, and all of the body panels are straight and true without any signs of damage, and factory fitting panel gaps are flawless. All four wheels remain to be in great condition too with no signs of any damage or unwelcome curb rash, and all are shod in Continental PremiumContact M0 tyres in reinforced XL specification.
Around to the rear, that famous Maybach rear light stretches along the length of the rear and under the boot lid - again, another exclusive feature you can only get if you’ve got pockets which go 6 figures deep. The paintwork back here is very much the same, excellent condition with no scratches or dings and retains a lovely level of metallic flake through the paint. It does appear that there is a slight bit of water ingress in the top level rear brake light in the rear window, however this doesn’t affect the look or functionality of the light in any way.
If you’ve got a good eye, you might have spotted that weird panel on the roof behind the sun roof. And yep, you guessed it, it’s actually a solar panel with 30 functional solar cells, which helps power the rear air conditioning and the refrigerator, as well as other rear passenger niceties. A cool bit of tech which proves extremely useful!
Undeniably pretty, and otherworldly opulent inside and out. A Maybach isn’t just a car, it’s a statement.
The Mechanics
- 5.5L Twin-Turbocharged V12
- 5-speed Automatic transmission
- Rear-wheel drive configuration
- 543bhp and 664lb-ft of torque
- Exceptional full Mercedes service history
- General inspection taken out in February of 2022 at CG Motortech, totalling £1,400 of work carried out
- Suspension and exhaust in very good order
- AirMatic Dual Control suspension
- Some light corrosion to the fuel vent lines
Even with such a monumental kerb weight, the twin-fed V12 powers this chunk of opulence off the line to 60 in a staggering 5.1 seconds - which is definitely no slouch, leaving the majority of cars that pull up beside you in the dust. Aided with the snappy and smooth gear changes of that 5-speed automatic transmission, you feel the surge of power never really tails off anywhere.
This particular example has a fantastic, all Mercedes service history, tracing all the way back to its very first service in 2005. It was exclusively cared for by Mercedes-Benz Brooklands up until 2010, where this is the Maybach Centre of Excellence, there really isn’t a better place for the care of these cars. It recently returned back to this service centre after coming back from Switzerland.
In February of 2022, the vehicle went through a general inspection at CG Motortech which entailed a £1,400 bill. This inspection included the re-balancing of the wheels, replacing all 12 spark plugs, air filters and pollen filters replaced, renewal of a headlight bulb and ballast unit, the camshaft position sensor replaced as well as a new battery fitted - ensuring this luxury barge was ripe and ready for anything.
The suspension and brake discs are all in good condition, with the pads being around 60% worn.
The suspension and brake discs are all in good condition, with the pads being around 60% worn.
The owner reports there to be no faults with the vehicle, and it drives as excellent as you could imagine with incredible amounts of power and suspension akin to clouds. There really isn’t much else you could want from a car, it’s got it all.
Summary
Wonderfully refined, opulent, and feature-rich - what’s not to like? This Maybach is a stunning example of a modern luxury saloon, with fantastic maintenance and care taken over the years to ensure this 57 lives a full life and ferries its occupants in the most comfortable manner.
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