Maybach is Finally a Failure

2011 Maybach 57

So it's been quite some time, but Daimler, the company behind Mercedes-Benz, finally realize that their high-end luxury brand Maybach is sort of a failure. Let's be honest, it's not the best looking luxury Limo on the planet, and as for the asking price, it's just about outrageous! Still, there are some business tycoons and celebraties that love the brand and want it to stay. So, now it's all up to Daimler. They currently have three options open. 1. Aston Martin has decided to help improve the Maybach brand by putting in their take of luxury and power into their cars, if they choose to. 2. Maybach could become a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz itself. It'll be like AMG, only at a degree of high-end luxury and not high-end performance. 3. Daimler might be forced to kill the brand altogether leaving some wealthy tycoons at a loss. As for me, I really don't care what they do. Maybach hasn't really being enticing to me from the start. If I were to become rich & famous and needed a high-end luxury car, I would get either Mercedes-Benz S600, Rolls-Royce Phantom, or Bentley Mulsanne and hire a driver. Or, better yet, I would get a BMW 760Li M-Sport, Aston Martin Rapide, Maserati Quattroporte GTS, or even a Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG and just drive myself to work since I love driving.

The German Jeep

2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Say hello to the all-new M-Class, featuring better looks, better fuel economy, and more technological features. This SUV might be German, but not everything is bespoke. Take the body off of this car and you get the chassis from the current Jeep Grand Cherokee. It seems Daimler and Chrysler are still friends after all. Anyway, more on the car: two new diesel engines are in line for the M-Class. First, there's the base ML250 with a 2.1-liter turbo-4 diesel engine producing 204 horsepower with 369 lb.-ft. of torque. Then, there's the ML350 Bluetec with Merc's new 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine producing 258 horsepower with 457 lb.-ft. of torque. Lastly, there's the ML350 BlueEfficiency with Merc's new 3.5-liter 302 horsepower V6 engine with 273 lb.-ft. of torque. No word on if the ML550 will reach production, but Hybrid and AMG variants are currently in the works. All engines will be mated with Mercedes-Benz patent-pended 4Matic All-Wheel Drive system. Since the new ML is, sort of, a distant cousin to the Grand Cherokee, the car will feature self-leveling Airmatic suspension with a Terrain Response System. Wheels range from 17 to 21-inches and an updated COMAND system will be featured in the interior, now offering Internet Access. All-in-all, I think the M-Class has come a long way since its debut back in the 90's. It was good then. I drove the ML500 from 2003 and was very impressed with it. In 2007, it got a little bulgy, but it was still good. Now, it looks even better. The new ML is set for release this fall.