Maybach Lives! Forbes Reveals US Sales Figures

By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG Maybach USA

TUCKED inside yet another in-this-economy-would-you-believe? article in Forbes, reporter Hannah Elliott revealed a choice factoid about Maybach Manufactur that’s been conspicuously absent  for some time.

Namely, 2009 Maybach sales figures.

Daimler, AG press releases (in)famously lump Maybach sales in with Benz S-Class and SL-Class stats; perpetuating blogosphere urban legend that snarkly suggests Maybach hasn’t actually sold any cars in some time.

Some unconfirmed reports indicated that Maybach may have sold a total of 300 units worldwide in 2008; down by 50% from the division’s initial high of around 600 following the 2002 launch.

However, if Ms. Elliott’s fact finding proves accurate, we now know that not only is Daimler’s super luxury patient very much alive… it is, in fact, breathing on its own!

The number speaks volumes:

“Daimler’s Maybach, with no new models planned for 2010, sold only 57 vehicles in the U.S. through November.”

Only fifty-seven 57s, 62s, and dictatorial Landaulets?

In the super luxury world of $340K+ chariots, that ain’t bad. If true, that would mean gross US sales of roughly $20 million.

Granted, rival Rolls-Royce sold Americans six times as many Phantoms last year. And we still must ask whether $20 million+ in North American sales is enough to float Daimler’s land yacht subsidiary…

Likely not. And lest Maybach buck its downward sales trend, 2010 could be the marque’s final year.

But eight years after Maybach’s splashy NYC-Cunard launch, and (dare I mention?) in this economy, that Maybach USA moved as many units as it did last year is quite encouraging.

Thanks, Max!