The design philosophy of Lotus is “Performance through light weight”, a philosophy first adopted by the founder of Lotus, Colin Chapman. The motto drives Lotus to obtain very high performance with lightweight cars in spite of their relatively modest power outputs, with a strong emphasis on driving purity and dynamics.

The result is a sports car that in production form in 1996 weighed in at just 720 kg (1,500 lb). Compare this to a Porsche Boxster which is also considered to be an extremely lightweight sports car but weighs nearly twice as much — 1,250kg (2,756 lb).

As a result, the Elise’s acceleration, braking, cornering, and fuel consumption (all of which are improved by reductions in a car’s weight) was nothing short of astonishing in spite of the fact that the engine put out a relatively modest 120 bhp (89 kW). Compare that to 201 bhp (149 kW) produced by the 1997 Porsche Boxster.

Although high-tech, it represented affordable cost of ownership for sports car lovers on a budget who still wanted performance and looks.

Besides the “standard” higher-performance variants listed below, Lotus also released some limited edition models such as Sport 135 (1998/9) with approx 145 bhp (108 kW), Sport 160 (2000) with 150–160 bhp (112–119 kW) and Sport 190 (allegedly 190bhp / 142 kW). These were more competent on track with sports suspension, wheels and tyres, seats according to model. There were other special editions which were basically cosmetic treatments such as the 50th Anniversary Edition (green/gold) celebrating 50 years of Lotus cars, the Type 49 (”Gold Leaf” red and white two-tone), and Type 72 (”JPS” black/gold) to recall their successful Grand Prix car type numbers.

The Maybach 57 (chassis no. W240) and 62 (chassis no. V240) were the first automobile models of the Maybach brand since the brand’s revival by DaimlerChrysler AG (now Daimler AG). They are derived from the Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept car presented at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. The concept car was based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan.

DaimlerChrysler AG attempted to buy the Rolls-Royce/Bentley marque when Vickers offered the company up for sale. When this attempt failed (they were outbid by Volkswagen, and BMW later exercised an option to acquire the Rolls-Royce car brand) they introduced the Maybach as a direct challenger in 2002. Both models are variants of the same ultra-luxurious automobile. The model numbers reflect the respective lengths of the automobiles in decimetres; the 57 is more likely to be owner-driven while the longer 62 is designed with a chauffeur in mind. The engine is a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12, generating 550 hp.

Series production start-up at the new Maybach “Manufaktur” facility as of autumn 2002
The Maybach badge, rich in tradition – a new interpretation Customised Saloon equipment and design Mercedes innovations for greatest comfort and safety Stuttgart, Aug 20, 2001

We proudly announce the rebirth of one of the most distinguished and exclusive car brands in the world: Maybach.
A synonym in the 1930s for superior quality and exclusive style, from now on this name steeped in tradition is being used to designate the new luxury car brand in the Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car and smart division at DaimlerChrysler. The Stuttgart automotive group has scheduled the presentation of the new Maybach saloon for autumn next year.

“We’re using the name Maybach to emphasise the unique character of our future premium-quality product,” Board Member of DaimlerChrysler AG, with responsibility for the Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car and smart division, “and to carry on the tradition of a legendary brand, whose exciting cars were the ultimate in design and technical perfection in the years between 1921 and 1940. We are pursuing these very same goals in the development of the new Maybach. Based on state-of-the-art Mercedes technology, the vehicles will set new standards in the world of premium cars, thus paying due honour to the great name of Maybach”.

The logo is also a reminder of the earlier German luxury car brand. In a modern interpretation, it takes its lead from the striking emblem which once used to adorn the radiators of these much-admired cars: “MM” once stood for “Maybach Motorenbau” — and in future it will mean “Maybach Manufaktur”. Situated on the radiator grille of the new Maybach Saloon, the silver badge harmonises perfectly with the luxury car’s body lines.
Including Maybach, a total of six passenger car brands are now owned by the DaimlerChrysler Group: Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, smart, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

Even at the beginning of the last century — when motor cars were in their early infancy — the name of Maybach was closely associated with the still relatively new Mercedes brand. In 1900 Wilhelm Maybach, technical director at Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and long-time companion of Gottlieb Daimler, developed the first Mercedes; with its front-mounted aluminium engine, twin camshafts and advanced-design honeycomb radiator, it was a milestone in automotive engineering of the day and paved the way for all modern passenger cars. That is why in France the inventor of these developments became respectfully known as “roi des constructeurs” — king of the design engineers.

In April 1907 Wilhelm Maybach left the company in Stuttgart and devoted his efforts to the design of large engines for Graf Zeppelin’s airships. His company “Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH” later became “MTU Friedrichshafen”; today, this company belongs to the MTU/Diesel Engines unit of DaimlerChrysler.
In 1921 Maybach’s son Karl began production of luxurious and technically perfect motor cars at Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. His flagship was the powerful twelve-cylinder model, the Maybach Zeppelin DS 8, the biggest German luxury car of the 1930s. Maybach body shells were manufactured by renowned German specialists, based on individual customer requirements. Hence, every Maybach was a unique creation, reflecting the individual style of its owner; no two cars were alike.

Maximum individuality, stylish elegance and strongly-stated exclusiveness with maximum comfort — these are the aims of the newly-founded car brand Maybach in the DaimlerChrysler Group.

Detailed attention to every single customer and the fulfilment of the most demanding individual requirements will be given priority. For this reason, Maybach saloons will not be designed by referring to a catalogue or to a list of standard equipment; instead, a detailed exchange of ideas will first take place between the customer and a customer consultant. The customer can choose from a unique range of the finest materials, exclusive colours and innovative technical details, ranging from individually designed trim, through inlaid work, to high-specification business equipment in the rear. This means that every example of the new Maybach is a unique, valuable, custom-made piece.

A purpose-built Maybach service centre is planned in Sindelfingen, with the laying of the foundation stone taking place this year. This service centre is to function as a “Centre of Excellence” and will serve as a model for other special Maybach consultancy centres to be set up by DaimlerChrysler in certain countries. All these centres will be in close contact with the Maybach “Manufaktur” and the development centre in Sindelfingen, so that designers and engineers can be involved in the individual design process of the luxury saloons at any time.

Manufacture at the DaimlerChrysler site in Sindelfingen is thus in keeping with the high standards associated with the brand. It provides the flexibility needed to fulfil individual equipment requirements and ensures crafted perfection of the highest order. No more than seven cars a day will be produced at the Maybach “Manufaktur”.

In addition to the greatest possible individuality, aesthetic appeal and precision, the new luxury car brand in the DaimlerChrysler Group is banking on its technical supremacy — and is here also in line with the tradition of the legendary Maybach saloon cars of the 1930s.
Development work on the Maybach is in the hands of the best engineers at the Mercedes Technology Center (MTC) in Sindelfingen, which means that the new brand benefits from a smooth transfer of expertise. In important areas such as safety, reliability, functionality and long service life, the Maybach also offers tried-and-tested Mercedes qualities.

Maybach customers can choose between two body variants. In the chauffeur-model saloon with its long wheelbase, they can enjoy unequalled quantities of space and matchless comfort. Rear-seat passengers can adjust their individual seats to a comfortable reclining position, thus ensuring a particularly relaxed ride thanks to automatically extending leg and footrests.

A newly developed V12 engine with bi-turbo-charging works away under the luxury car’s bonnet, providing superior performance while at the same time meeting the high comfort requirements of the new car brand.
Manufacture: Flexible manufacturing of between 1000 and 1500 luxury cars a year.
The Maybach “Manufaktur” will come on-stream in autumn 2002, with the capability to produce up to 1500 Saloons a year in flexible manufacture. The biggest markets for the luxury car are the USA, western Europe and Japan.

Maybach 57

The Maybach 57 is the base variant of the Maybach lineup. It is 5.73 meters long (hence the 57 designation).

DaimlerChrysler revealed the Maybach 57 S at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It uses a 6.0 L version of the V12 engine manufactured by Mercedes-AMG. Power output is 604 hp (450 kW) and 738 ft·lbf (1000 N·m), providing a sub-5 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h). It also rides 0.5 in (13 mm) lower on 20 in (508 mm) wheels. The North American unveiling was at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006.

The S stands for “special” and not for “sport”.
Maybach automobiles are priced to directly compete with Rolls-Royce. The below dollar and other currency equivalents are based on March 28th, 2007 exchange rates:

Maybach 57 – $335,500 (£170,796, or €251,396) ($465,500 with all options + taxes, delivery)
Maybach 57 S – $377,000 (£191,923, or €282,492) ($507,000 with all options + taxes, delivery)

No Brabus Maybach prices have been given yet.

Options, taxes, delivery, etc., can cost approximately US$130,000 alone.

The tuning firm Brabus, famous for high-performance and stylistic aftermarket modifications to Mercedes-Benz and Smart automobiles, produced a version of the 57/62 in 2004 which adds significant performance, features and style to the models. Electronically limited to a 300km/h (186.411 miles/hour) speed limit, these large vehicles produce 1026 N·m of torque and accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

This makes the Brabus Maybach arguably the fastest super-luxury motorcar in the world, a trend which was started in 1968 by the Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3.

Make no mistake, the Lotus Turbo Esprit was not just a slightly modified Esprit, nor just an easy and conventional way of gaining incremental sales for Lotus. In the Hethel scheme of things it was very important and technically very significant, if only for the fact that it was chosen to spearhead a new assault on the United States market in 1983. It is tempting to suggest that if only Lotus had been able to give the car a different body style, they would certainly have been justified in giving it an entirely different name as well. Under the skin, which was extensively retouched by Giugiaro, there was a new chassis-frame, new rear suspension, new aerodynamic features and a turbocharged version of the 2.2-litre 16-valve engine, which produced no less than 210bhp. For this amazing car, Lotus claimed a top speed of 152mph —and it meant that they had produced their first true Supercar. By any engineering standards, the Turbo Esprit was, and is, a phenomenal motor car. However, like the original Esprit, it was first shown to the public a long time before deliveries could possibly begin. The occasion of the car’s launch was an extravagant party at the Albert Hall, in London, hosted by Team Lotus’ Grand Prix sponsors at that time, Essex Petroleum, in which one of the three prototypes was displayed in the dramatic Essex blue, silver and red livery. Although the Turbo Esprit was the first Lotus actually to be exhibited with a 2.2-litre engine, the normally-aspirated version of this unit had already gone into production for the S2.2 models. Even so, because of the rush to show a Turbo Esprit at the Albert Hall, the planned release of non-turbocharged engines was overshadowed for several months.

Lotus’ own press material stresses the scope and nature of the new car’s development: ‘… this new addition to our model range is not an Esprit with a bolt-on Turbo pack, but a fully developed and redesigned motor car in its own right.’ So much of the car was new, indeed, that it would probably be easier to list what was not changed, modified or improved. For a start, there was a new design of backbone frame, prepared not only because Lotus wanted to provide an altogether more integrated structure than before, and to accommodate a new rear suspension, but also because they wanted to leave enough space for the still-secret V8 unit to be fitted one day. Lotus made no secret of the existence of a large-capacity V8 engine in their development programme, which explain6 why the engine bay of the new frame was wider and the general layout so much more sturdy.

At the front of the car, the independent suspension — now with more Lotus-sourced parts than ever — and rack-and-pinion steering of existing Esprits was retained, but at the rear there was a new layout. Earlier cars had used the simplest possible linkage, in which the fixed-length driveshafts doubled as upper transverse links. The disadvantage of this was that comenng stresses were fed into the final drive housing, found their way to the rest of the engine/transmission assembly and did little to minimize harshness and vibration in the structure. For the new car, there was a new linkage, with a wide-based lower wishbone and an upper transverse link, which allowed the driveshaft to have sliding joints and to carry out only one function; coil spring/damper units, of course, were also retained. Development of the new car began before the end of 1977, and if so much effort had not needed to be diverted into the DeLorean project, it would certainly have been announced months earlier than was the case. Even so, the M72, as the Turbo Esprit was known — M7 1 was the project including the V8 engine, by the way — progressed from ‘good idea’ to production car in little over two years. Apart from the new chassis and suspension, early decisions had to be made about the body style and the changes to the engine.

Compared with the bodyshell on normal Esprits of the period, there were many obvious changes and additions, mostly made for good aerodynamic reasons. The main shape and structure was unchanged, but differences were obvious from all angles. At the front, there was a larger wrap-round bumper allied to a deep new spoiler. There were matching skirts along the sides, under the doors, complete with NACA-type ducts moulded in to direct cooling air towards the engine compartment. At the rear there was a sizeable and completely functional spoiler above the tail-lamps and number-plate, a large bumper matching the front component and extra skirting under the tail. Above the engine bay, instead of glass there was Venetian-blind-style black louvring. In addition, not only to make the styling even more distinctive, but to optimize the roadholding, there were 1 5in diameter alloy road wheels of a new style, with 7in front and 8in rear rims and Goodyear NCT tyres. Most Turbos have been sold on BB’s wheels, but a few early cars were supplied with three-piece Compomotive rims instead. To produce the new Type 910 engine Lotus redesigned the Type 907 from end to end, and the final product differs in almost every detail from normally-aspirated Type 911 (Talbot Sunbeam-Lotus) and Type 912 (S2.2 Lotus) units. The finalized engine had its Garrett AiResearch turbocharger mounted above the clutch bellhousing, behind the cylinder block, and boosted inlet air to the Dellorto carburettors to a peak of 8psi above atmospheric pressure. To compensate for this, and to optimize all settings, the nominal compression was reduced to 7.5:1 (from 9.4:1) and there was a different camshaft profile. A feature not always noticed by the pundits was the dry-sump lubrication system.

The result of a great deal of development work was not only a very powerful engine — peak power was 210bhp (DIN) at 6,250rpm and peak torque 2001b.ft at 4,500rpm — but one which was extremely flexible, having mostly ‘non-turbo’ habits. Its behaviour was so unexpectedly good, for instance, that Motor Sport headlined its test, ‘The perfect driving machine?’, while Autocar called the very same car a ‘paragon of the turbocharged’. To deal with all this power, the only important changes were to the clutch — whose diameter was increased by an inch — and the brakes, which were larger — but not ventilated — at front and rear. Inside the car, it was still the same basic layout as before, with no more space for stowing oddments, cases or especially children(!) though there was a new and plushy type of trim and padding, while the Essex cars were given air conditioning as standard and a complex Panasonic radio cassette player mounted in the centre of the roof panel; unfortunately this was FM (VHF wavelength) only, so was disliked by most customers and was dropped when the Essex Commemorative run was complete. Although the Essex Turbo Esprit, price £20,950, had been announced in February 1980, deliveries did not begin until August that year, immediately after the summer holiday shut-down. However, although development work had been completed to ‘Federalize’ the sensational engine, the Turbo Esprit, as already explained, was not sent to the United States at this stage. In its first calendar year, 1980, therefore, a total of 57 Turbos were built, of which 44 stayed in the UK

Apart from the price of the Turbo — which in January 1981 had not changed from the launch figure — another feature which seemed to disturb some potential customers was the flamboyant Essex colour scheme. Very wisely, therefore, Lotus decided to offer a more conventional machine once the intended 100 Essex cars had been built. From April 1981 a Turbo Esprit in conventional colours, but still with all the appropriate body panels and decals, was made available for £16,917, though part of this huge price reduction was due to the fact that air conditioning was now an optional extra. Demand perked up almost at once, and in spite of the generally reduced level of Lotus sales in 1981 and 1982, Turbo production rose to 116 in 1981 and 205 in 1982. In 1982, the Turbo was the fastest-selling Lotus model, backed up by the normally-aspirated Esprit S3, of which 160 cars were built. The glamorous publicity occasioned by the use of Turbo Esprits in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only did no harm at all! Lotus had had several traumatic experiences in trying to sell and support cars in the United States, but Mike Kimberley thought that a new deal would offer the best of all possible worlds. Before the end of 1982, a new company, Lotus Performance Cars, was set up on the East Coast, headed by John A Spiech, previously General Manager of Ferrari, North America – a 1,000 cars per year operation —and it was suggested that 350 cars would be sold in 1983, with 700 projected for 1986.

As Mike Kimberley told me: ‘We have a special car for this market, which is really a brand new model, with a new set of body moulds, a lot more space, foot boxes and headroom, and so on. We’re going in for the first time ever with a clean market. There hasn’t been mid-engined Lotus for sale over there since 1981, and the Turbo was never launched over there, so it’s all new. Even though the 1983 Federal Turbo Esprit kept its original project number of M72, it was new or modified in many respects, and factory personnel were very excited about its prospects, especially as the peak power output had needed only minor trimming. Lotus viewed the realignment of £/$ exchange rates as an unqualified bonus for them as exporters. Early in 1983 they were expecting to price their Turbo Esprit at $48,000, compared with the $60,000 asked for the equivalent two-seater Ferrari 308. ‘And,’ as Kimberley quoted with glee, ‘our car will do 0—60mph in 6.5sec in full detoxed trim, whereas that Ferrari takes 8.3sec.’ After March 1983, all Turbo Esprits were built with conventional wet-sump engine lubrication. The dry-sumping introduced in 1980 was always agreed to be a real safety-conscious ‘belt and braces’ job, and prolonged testing convinced the engineers that it was not really needed.

The success of this car, and the almost universal praise for its engineering, behaviour and detail fittings, all go to prove that at this price a customer is more interested in ‘the right specification than in mundane practicality. If he is not in the Turbo Esprit price class, he simply would not appreciate that the extrovert good looks also have a functional effect on the car’s aerodynamics, but he would appreciate the intercooling effect of the finned manifolding from turbocharger to carburettor plenum chamber, the remarkable grip and handling and the excellent lie-down driving position. And if he were a Turbo Esprit enthusiast, he would make sure that he never went kerb-hopping to cause punctures anyway. To avoid confusion in future years, the existence of the Bell & Colvill Esprit Turbo must be mentioned at this stage. Bell & Colvill, based at West Horsley, in Surrey, are Lotus dealers, and in 1978 they announced their own privately-financed turbocharged conversion on the basis of the Esprit S2. This car, of course, was the 2-litre model, and the turbocharging layout was entirely different, having been developed by Stuart Mathieson on his own account. In this conversion, priced at £2,000, there was a single and very large SU carburettor upstream of the Garrett AiResearch turbocharger, which fed the fuel-air mixture at a maximum boost of 8psi to the engine, whose nominal compression ratio had been reduced to 7.5:1 by the use of new pistons. Peak power was quoted at 210bhp at 6,000rpm, while peak torque was 2021b.ft.

Although it was neither as flexible, nor as refined as the factory Turbo which was to follow, the Bell & Colvill car was undoubtedly very fast, with a claimed top speed of more than 150mph, 0—60mph in 6.2sec and 0—100mph in 17.2sec. The only way that one could identify this car externally was because B & C had added ‘turbo’ decals to the front and sides of the car, near the factory’s own ‘Esprit’ decals. Esprit Turbo in the mid-Eighties From 1983 to 1986 the Esprit Turbo was virtually buried under the tide of controversy which surrounded Lotus, their finances and their many commercial problems. Somehow, though, customers rose above all this and ordered the car in increased quantities. The Esprit Turbo was Lotus’ best seller in each of those years — and in much-modified early-Nineties form it was the only car which kept Lotus afloat. The corporate upheavals have already been summarized in Chapter 3. In the autumn of 1983 the Turbo was modified by being given a rather more spacious boot compartment, but there was also the introduction of an intriguing option, a removable glass panel in the roof. It made a good car even more versatile.

In 1983, 343 cars were built and no fewer than 418 would follow in 1984. In all this success, the building of Lotus’ 30,000th car, in May 1984, passed almost unnoticed. Except that the new eight-year anti-corrosion warranty was applied to the Turbo’s chassis from late 1984, there were to be no more significant changes until March 1986. That was the year in which not one, but two powerful new derivatives were launched: one for sale to the USA and other ‘strict-emission’ markets; the other for sale to the rest of the world.

In March 1986, at the Geneva motor show, the Turbo HCPI (HC = High Compression, with Petrol Injection) was unveiled. The compression ratio had been increased to 8.0:1, maximum boost pressure was up, and not only was this the first Lotus to use injection — the familiar Bosch K-Jetronic layout — but it also had a catalytic converter in the exhaust system. The packaging engineers had done their best to make the cockpit more roomy, for the seats had been widened and lowered, while the footwell area had been enlarged. Not only was the engine more powerful and more torquey than before, but the chassis had been improved with wider-section tyres (195/60s at the front, 235/60s at the rear), while there was a new front spoiler and a larger radiator intake. To drill home the message this car also had HCPI decals. The ‘Rest of the World’ derivative of this car, titled Esprit Turbo HC, was put on sale in October 1986. It shared the same high-compression head of the HCPI, but retained its Dellorto carburettors and was not fitted with a catalyst. Like changes made to the normally-aspirated Esprit at the same time, the latest HC also had an uprated cooling system and adjustable-rake seats. It was a more expensive car than before – £24,980 in the UK, which was an increase of £l,540 on the original type. Compared with the earlier Turbo there had been a 10 per cent torque increase, which made an immediate and obvious difference to the performance. When Autocar tested the car in 1987, it was summarized as: ‘In many areas … a very practical supercar … a remarkably satisfying device with which to cover long distances quickly. But with many less expensive sportscars now offering similar performance, the Lotus begins to look a little less attractive than it did three years ago. The same cannot be said for its styling, however, which remains truly exotic.’ By that time, however, the original-shape Esprit was only a few months away from the end of its long career, though Lotus managed to keep this secret well hidden until the very last month. In the autumn of 1987 the old car was discontinued and a new-style, more rounded, X180 model took over.

The Turbo version was also to feature in the James Bond movie “For Your Eyes Only” (1981).

The Lotus Esprit Turbo Technical Specification
ENGINE

Transverse, mid, rear-wheel drive
Head/ block al. alloy/al alloy. 4 cylinders in line.
Bore 95.3mm, stroke 76.2mm,
capacity 2174cc.
Valve gear 2ohc. 4 valves per cylinder.
Compression ratio 80 to 1.
Electronic breakerless ignition.
Twin Dellorto DHLA 45 carburettors
Garrett T3 turbocharger.
boost pressure 9.5psi (0.67bar).
Max power 215bhp (PS-DIN) (160kW ISO) at 6000rpm.
Max torque 2201b ft (298 Nm) at 4250rpm.
TRANSMISSION
5-speed manual
Gear Ratio
Top 0.82
4th 1.03
3rd 1.38
2nd 2.05
1st 3.36
Final drive ratio 3.88:1.
Transaxle: Renault UN1-16 all – Syncromesh
SUSPENSION

Front, independent, double wishbone. co-axail coil springs, telescopic dampers, and-roll bar. Rear, independent, upper and lower transverse link with radius arms, coil springs, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar.
STEERING
Rack and pinion.
Steering wheel diameter l4ins,
2.9 turns lock to lock.
BRAKES
Front l0.1ins(258mm) dia ventilated discs.
Rear l0.8ins (275.9mm) dia discs.
Vacuum servo.
WHEELS
Al alloy,7ins rims front. 8ins rear.
Goodyear Eagle NCT tyres
size 195/60VR15 F,
235/60VR15 R.
DIMENSIONS
Length: 4330 mm
Width: 1860 mm
Height: 1150 mm
PERFORMANCE
Maximum Speed: 153.5 mph (247 kpm)
Acceleration: 0 – 60 mph, 5.4 Seconds
Standing mile: 13.7secs, 103mph
standing KM: 25.0secs, 129mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Overall mpg: 19.6 (14.4 litres/100km)
Fuel tank: 18.0 Imp galls (82 litres)
Mileage recorder 4 per cent long
CLUTCH
Pedal 15lb; Travel: 6.O ins
Single Dry Plate 235 mm diameter, diaphragm spring cover assembly, hydrolic operation
WEIGHT
kerb 3052lb/1386kg
distribution % F/R 51/49
Test 3434lb/l559kg
Max payload 501lb/227kg
COST
LOTUS ESPRIT TURBO NEW IN 1988 – £29.950.00

The car’s design was the result of a competition amongst students at the Pforzheim Polytechnic Department of Transport Design, which has worked on show vehicles for Fulda in the past. The design of 24-year-old Fredrik Burchhardt was chosen, and his work was co-ordinated with that of the Maybach design centre in Sindelfingen. The project, based on the Maybach 57 limousine, required a certain amount of re-engineering; the A-pillar and doors had to be shifted rearwards, and the steering column, pedals and gearshift all re-located. The standard 550bhp V12 engine was bored out to 5.9 litres, and tuned for 700bhp and over 738lb ft of torque. With final dimensions of 5890mm long, 2140mm wide and just 1390mm high, the car was kitted out with a full-spec interior, including leather, neoprene, aluminium and carbonfibre finishes.

Maybach says the car, built by Stola in Turin, is “a one-off vehicle created to showcase the new ultra-high performance Exelero tyre range from leading tyre manufacturer Fulda”; it’s not the first time the two companies have teamed up, as back in 1938 Fulda demonstrated its tyres on a Maybach SW 38 limousine. There are, however, “no plans to produce the model in series”, though it has been certified for on-road use.