The new Maybach Zeppelin - The reincarnation of an automotive legend

TORONTO , Feb. 11 /CNW/ - The Maybach brand is introducing the new Maybach Zeppelin to spearhead its luxury sedan model range. The new model, which is celebrating its Canadian premiere at the Canadian International Auto Show, represents the absolute zenith in the high-end luxury sedan segment. This makes it a worthy successor to the legendary Maybach Zeppelin, which was revered worldwide as the ultimate in high-class automotive engineering in the 1930s. The hallmark features of the new Maybach flagship include: a stunning paint finish featuring a shoulder line in a contrasting colour, exquisite, meticulously crafted interior materials and a long list of optional extras including a world first - a highly sophisticated perfume atomizer. The new model's performance even surpasses the rest of the Maybach range, making it the most powerful Maybach ever. In a nutshell: the Maybach Zeppelin epitomizes stylish elegance and the art of vehicle manufacture at its most refined as no car has ever done before. The new Maybach Zeppelin is being built in a limited edition of just 100 worldwide.

Even today, the name "Zeppelin" has an incomparable ring to it in the realm of high-end luxury cars. Maybach is once again building the Maybach Zeppelin for drivers who are seeking something extra special, even in this most luxurious of automotive segments. The Maybach 57 Zeppelin and Maybach 62 Zeppelin stand out for their exquisite elegance, inventive ideas, phenomenal performance and exclusivity with only one hundred of these special models made worldwide.

Even greater power for the Maybach Zeppelin

The Maybach 57 S and the long-wheelbase version, the 62 S, serve as the technical basis for the new range-topping model. Supreme performance is assured in both cases by the 6.0-litre V12 biturbo power unit under the hood, which now delivers 631 hp and a peak torque of 738 lb-ft.

A two-tone exterior identifies the new Maybach flagship

Whatever angle it is viewed from, the new Maybach Zeppelin radiates character and the sort of style which appeals to all the senses. From the outside, the luxury brand's new model can be recognized by its two-tone special paint finish. The shoulder line is painted right through to the background of the headlamp assemblies in Rocky Mountains light brown, which forms a stylish and scintillating contrast to the Taiga black finish used for the rest of the vehicle body. Dark red tail light units and a fine vertical partition in the tailpipe add striking visual touches at the rear. Additional paint finishes are also available.

The Maybach Zeppelin's newly designed 20-inch wheels in a Chrome Shadow finish complete the picture. These were first painted with a black undercoat, before having a silver topcoat applied using an elaborate painting process that causes the tone to gradually increase in darkness from the outside in.

The streamlined exterior mirrors, which produce even less wind noise, are new to Maybach. They have a more angular design and are separated from the door frame by a slender arm, giving them a more expressive look. They also feature an enlarged mirror surface together with incorporated indicators in the shape of a horizontal "V" for even greater perceptual safety.

The curving "ZEPPELIN" lettering that appears below the distinctive double "M" emblem on the radiator grille and on the trunk lid instantly gives away the elite status of the new Maybach Zeppelin.

Finest-quality leather and high-gloss piano lacquer trim

Inside the new Maybach Zeppelin, a luxurious combination of appointments in California beige and deep Stromboli black leathers form a delightful contrast. The lustrous deep black tone of the leather harmonizes beautifully with the exquisite black piano lacquer finish of the trim elements. The precisely crafted contrasting topstitching in the dashboard and on the doors reinforces the Maybach Zeppelin's sense of exclusivity. The unique diamond quilting pattern on the seat cushions and backrests together with the black piping gives the opulently styled seats a character all their own. Completing the luxurious cabin is the occupants' feet rest on genuine lambskin carpeting.

The limited-edition special models bear a number of discreet identifying markings in the interior too. The centre console in the front, the partition screen that is available as an option for the Maybach Zeppelin 62, plus the silver champagne flutes included as standard are all marked with the lettering "MAYBACH ZEPPELIN", while the door sill panels as well as the sterling silver key ring are engraved with the word "ZEPPELIN".

World first - a system for a fine interior fragrance

Customers are also able to opt for an especially refined equipment detail that is exclusive to the Maybach Zeppelin - an imaginatively designed, extremely high-quality perfume atomizer, the only one of its kind in the world. It easily eclipses all previous efforts to produce something similar, both in terms of its visual appeal and its operation. Its sophisticated technology and premium fragrances create a unique aromatic experience in the Maybach Zeppelin's interior at the push of a button - stimulating the senses of the occupants not with an overpowering perfume, but with a soft, delicate scent.

The system's core component is an internally illuminated Plexiglas sphere on the rear centre console, into which Maybach Zeppelin owners can insert a vial of their preferred fragrance. A compressor then directs a gentle flow of air into the Plexiglas sphere, fanning the vial's perfume molecules into the vehicle interior.

The ingenious control understands the human sense of smell

The perfume atomizer can be activated either from the driver's seat or by means of a button in the rear centre console, with an additional thumbwheel in the rear for sensitive aroma control. The chosen fragrance gently wafts into the passenger compartment within ten to twelve seconds. On models with a partition screen, only the passengers in the rear are able to activate the atomizer.

The aroma experts took the human sense of smell into consideration when designing the control mechanism. As the nose adjusts to smells in such a way that it no longer perceives them after a short while, the perfume atomizer switches off after approximately ten minutes. Once the system has switched off, the fragrance - which does not seep into the interior's materials or the occupants' clothes - quickly evaporates. Reactivating the atomizer later allows the experience to be enjoyed all over again.

Artistic, hand-blown vials and specially developed fragrances

The system comes supplied with two select fragrances, which have been exclusively developed for the Maybach by a renowned perfumer from global fragrance specialist Givaudan S.A.: one light and refreshing, the other slightly heavier and woodier. Maybach Zeppelin owners can also use other fragrances, or even have one specially developed and enjoy the luxury of immersing themselves in their very own, personally designed aroma. The fragrance holders are easily interchangeable. The atomizer option includes a total of three artistically-designed vials, which are hand-blown by a well-known glass artist.

The elaborate, silent-running perfume atomizer system is a patented Maybach innovation.

About Mercedes-Benz Canada

Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of the four brands within the Mercedes-Benz Group in Canada: Mercedes-Benz, smart, AMG, and Maybach. Headquartered in Toronto , Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,250 people in 19 locations across Canada . Through a nationwide network of 14 Mercedes-Benz owned retail operations and 39 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 26,942 vehicles in 2009, the best year ever reported for Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

For further information: JoAnne Caza, [phone], [email protected]; Michael Minielly, [phone], [email protected]; Further information from Mercedes-Benz is available on the internet at: www.media.mercedes-benz.ca