With no new models in the pipeline and a paltry 146 units sold in all of 2007, there has been plenty of speculation that Maybach could be running at a loss and eventually dropped from Daimler’s portfolio. Considering rival brands Rolls Royce and Bentley are experiencing record sales and growth, walking away from Maybach was an idea suggested by Daimler’s CEO Dieter Zetsche as recently as March.

However, in his latest interview with Automotive News, Zetsche has revealed that Maybach is not running at a loss and the brand won’t be dropped anytime soon. He revealed that there is support for Maybach from within Daimler. Although it won’t make a positive return on investment, Zetsche said “it doesn’t matter” because Maybach has proven that it can build a car to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

The other positive is that development costs for Maybach were relatively low because both the 57 and 62 models are largely based on the last-generation Mercedes S-Class. As for a new model, Zetsche has previously stated that a decision has not been made yet, but will come in the next two years.

Maybach’s most recent model, the 62S Landaulet, has recently gone on sale but is only a handful of cars are expected to be produced. With a brand new Arnage in the works and Rolls Royce set to launch a smaller and more affordable model, competition in the ultra-luxury market is about to get tougher than ever.