Friday 23rd September 1921

The Maybach W3 was unveiled at the Berlin Motor Show and immediately attracted considerable attention due to its advanced technology. The in-line, 6-cylinder, 5.4-litre petrol engine rated at 70 bhp could propel the car to a top speed of 68 mph via a rear-wheel drive, setting a top-speed threshold highly uncommon at the time. In 1929 the Maybach 12 was released, to be followed a year later by the Maybach ‘Zeppelin’. Production of Maybach models ceased in 1940, but the marque was briefly revived when Daimler presented a luxury concept car at the 1997 Tokyo Motorshow. Production models based on it were introduced in two sizes – the Maybach 57 and the Maybach 62, reflecting the lengths of the cars in decimetres.