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Maybach sales drop 25%, company insists it’s immune to global economic crisis

 
4 2,860 views Jan 26, 2009

Daimler claims Maybach is not losing money but sales fell significantly over 2008

Daimler claims Maybach is not losing money but sales fell significantly over 2008

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Despite the global economic crisis, no customers have canceled their Maybach orders but sales last year were still down on 2007’s levels. Maybach sold just over 400 vehicles in 2007 but this dropped to 300 vehicles last year, with the United States once again accounting for the bulk of sales.

"There is no visible impact of the financial crisis," Maybach's product and portfolio manager, Thorsten Lenz, told Automotive News. "We have a good order base that will last for a few months."

While Lenz’s comments appear to be peachy, the truth remains that Maybach’s sales are far below capacity, as the company’s assembly plant in Germany has the capability to churn out up to 2,000 vehicles per year. There are also no new models in the pipeline and closest rivals Rolls-Royce and Bentley have both experienced sales levels that almost triple Maybach’s figures.


Despite the gloom, there is some support for Maybach from within Daimler, the ultra-luxury marque’s parent company. According to Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, the brand won’t return a positive return on investment but that “it doesn’t matter” because it has proven that it can 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. Zetsche also claimed that the brand won’t be axed as it was not losing money.





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Comments (4)

  1. ma_Roy avatar Roy Posted: 1/26/2009 2:17pm PST

    Sounds like a case of face-saving to me. If it "won't return a positive return on investment" then that means it's losing money or breaking even. Either way, you should probably axe the brand.
    So, why is this car doing so poorly? Well, the market for chauffeur-driven, previous-generation, ugly cars is lower than ever. I would hazzard a guess that Bentley and Roller sales only picked up when they started appealing to the drivers not the passengers.
    Maybach should just start giving them away for free to rap stars. That might be the best investment.
     
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  2. ma_azlan avatar azlan Posted: 1/26/2009 4:29pm PST

    haha thats right (about the last bit), maybach's just are not bold and powerful enough... compared to a rolls or bently its just too boring. rappers love the rolls vecause of how big and powerful it looks fromt hat grill and how over all massive it is. same witht he bently. but if i just wanted an oversized s-class with a few more gadgets... i wouldnt...
     
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  3. ma_danDAN avatar danDAN Posted: 1/27/2009 1:00pm PST

    Maybach's problem is it is too presidential. If I was a CEO or a President I'd have a Maybach. You can do your work in their, you can relax on the way to a business class flight somewhere but at the end of the day it is like a Taxi for the elite.

    The Phantom and the Arnarge are seen as a step-up. Instead of being in a mobile executive office you are in a luxurious lounge. You could be taking someone on a romantic date or picking up the Queen. However if you turned up in a Maybach the grl may think you have too much money or love work.

    I think Rolls and Bentley (the range above the Continental) wont be dented as much by the economic crisis as it is more an old money/aspirational car. Maybach just isn't that; Maybach buyers are losing their jobs for plunging their companies in debt whereas Rolls Royce buyers are sitting on stacks of wealth...or selling multi-platinum albums.
     
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  4. Anderson Posted: 12/2/2009 1:57pm PST

    honestly people need to realize no one is immune to the economy. without money people cant buy. no one uses credit if they know they cant pay it back, and especially not on highly frivoulous things.
     
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