2007 Maybach 62 Review

The Maybach 62 remains largely unchanged for 2007 although a new high-performance version, the 62 S, has been added this year.

Sophisticated and highly customizable, the 2007 Maybach 62 is a truly remarkable ultra-luxury sedan. Only the Rolls-Royce Phantom nudges the Maybach out of the top spot thanks to its more dramatic styling.

From the 1920s to the '40s, Maybach was a line of custom-built luxury automobiles that seemed indulgent even then. In 2004, Mercedes-Benz resurrected the name and today the brand stands for ultimate luxury slotted well above the Mercedes-Benz brand. Two different Maybach sedans are offered: the 57 and the 62. The numbers refer to each car's length in meters (5.7 and 6.2). The 62 (which happens to be the longest production sedan currently available) applies its extra length toward increasing the amount of room available for rear-seat passengers. From magnetized cupholders to fine wood trim, inside the 62 opulence takes center stage.

For 2007, an S model makes its debut and that car is essentially a performance-enhanced version of the 62. But regardless of which Maybach you choose you'll be treated to plenty of high-grade leather, wood and chrome throughout the cabin. Although the front seats are plenty comfortable, the best place to sit in a Maybach 62 is the backseat. It's a twin bucket arrangement with a console in between that houses a DVD player and a separate CD changer for use in the back, and it even has a refrigerated compartment. Each rear seat offers a wide range of adjustments, and a soft nubuck-upholstered, feather-stuffed pillow is attached to the front of each head restraint.

With a base price that's approaching $400,000, it's pretty obvious that the 2007 Maybach 62 is intended only for the ultra-wealthy. Maybachs are sold through select Mercedes dealerships only, and even then there aren't any cars sitting around on the lot. Each Maybach is built to order and every car takes roughly five months for construction and delivery. As such, there are few cars like the Maybach 62 but its most obvious competitor is the Rolls-Royce Phantom. In situations like these, personal taste and preferences are much more important than feature lists or hard data but each car is fully capable of providing an opulent luxury experience. If we had to choose, though, we'd likely go with the Phantom if only for its more obvious heritage and over-the-top styling. Those who do their own driving, or more to the point, enjoy driving, might also consider the Bentley Arnage. The Bentley is roughly half the price of a Maybach, but the Maybach easily offers more in terms of luxury appointments.

Both the Maybach 62 and 62 S are powered by versions of a Mercedes-Benz twin-turbocharged V12. The 5.5-liter V12 in the 62 produces 543 horsepower while the 6.0-liter version in the 62 S is rated at 604 hp. Both send power to the rear wheels through a standard five-speed automatic transmission. The standard 62 gets from zero to 60 in 5.4 seconds while the S gets there in 5.2 seconds and has a top speed of 172 mph. We're almost certain fuel economy isn't a big concern for Maybach owners but the 62 is rated at 12 miles per gallon in the city and 17 on the highway.

All 2007 Maybach 62 models come with a standard complement of 10 airbags including side airbags in all four seats and side curtain airbags that span both front and rear. Naturally the 62 and 62 S benefit from all Mercedes' current stability and traction control technologies. TeleAid is also standard and is able to automatically summon help when an airbag or emergency seatbelt tensioner is deployed. There's also a rearview parking camera that makes it easier to park the big car without fear of running over something or someone.

As the 2007 Maybach 62 is mainly meant for those intending to have a chauffeur take the wheel, one's focus should mainly be on ride quality. And the 62 does fare exceptionally well in this regard. The driving experience itself is similar to that of the 57's. The V12 provides plenty of thrust and the brakes are up to the task of effortlessly scrubbing off speed. This isn't exactly the car one would want to exclusively drive in tight, urban environments, of course, but then again it's shorter than the typical stretched American limousine.

Each Maybach is highly customizable so there's the possibility that no two 62s will be exactly alike. One of the more notable features for the extended-length 62 is the Business Package, which includes several features that convert the super-luxury sedan into a rolling office. This package includes a dual-port wireless Internet router and a Bluetooth PC card for laptops that lack that feature. There's also a multipurpose rear storage area in the back of the front seats, and a Bluetooth Canon printer integrated into the center console is also offered as a separate option.