Maybach 62

Somewhere, people are thinking of ways to enhance what may already be the ultimate experience on four wheels. Somewhere, their colleagues are on standby, ready to travel the world to remedy serious vehicle malfunctions. The ?somewhere? is Sindelfingen, Germany, and the car is the Maybach.

In North America, many had a bad grasp on pronouncing ?My-bock,? let alone understanding the historical significance of the name. Wilhelm Maybach was an engineer who worked closely with Gottlieb Daimler, developing some the world?s first powered vehicles in the late 1800s. Wilhelm?s son, Karl, later oversaw production of Maybachs, some of the most luxurious vehicles produced at the time, until 1941. When Mercedes-Benz decided to pursue an even more upscale clientele with an even more upscale car, they looked to the past and resurrected the Maybach name for the 2004 model year.

Aside from a sinister-looking concept coupe, all production Maybachs are sedans: 57, 57 S and 62. Despite the Mercedes link, the model numbers don?t refer to engine displacement but to length in meters: 5.7 and 6.2. Unofficially, the 57 is for the owner who likes to drive himself and the 62 is for the owner who prefers to be driven. Our feature model, the 62, affords the owner more room to contemplate the good life, not to mention his $386,500 purchase -- before options.

In terms of price and luxury, the Maybach hasn?t much competition outside of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. For now, let?s have a look at how the 62 stands on its own for luxury and practicality, relatively speaking.