Maybach is a luxury auto manufacturer that is based in Germany that was established in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach with the help of his son. The Maybach company was named Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH until 1912. Presently, the company is headed by Chrysler's Daimler AG and is based in Stuggart, southern Germany. To the disappointment of many, Maybach will cease to exist as a brand by the year 2013, citing less-than-ideal sales in the United States and other countries.

Wilhelm Maybach was originally the technical director atDaimler MG until he decided to leave in 1907. Two years later, he started his own auto company which was named "Aircraft Engine Building Company," when translated in English, within which his son Karl was positioned as director. The men renamed the company Maybach Engine Construction Company (English translation) in 1912, at which point in time they were manufacturing rail car engines. Their engines were also used in airships and aircraft during WWI. The Maybachs built their first trial-and-error car in the year 1919 and managed to showcase a production model only two years afterward which attracted great success. This vehicle was the Maybach W3, shown at the Berlin Auto Show. The W3 featured a 5.7L V6 engine, which was later used in Spyker vehicles, as they purchased the technology. The show led to the production of several classic automobiles between 1921-1940, as well as the continuing engine-construction business during WWII.

1929 was, in particular, a great year for Maybach due to its debut of the Type Zeppelin DS8. This luxurious vehicle had a big 7-liter V12 engine that held 200 horsepower and got up to 93 mph. The Maybach Zeppelins were used as hotel taxis and parade cars, as well as performing many other functions. A Maybach engine was used, and it was placed on top of a Mercedes-Benz chassis. These Maybachs cost in the neighborhood of $9,500 (or forty thousand deutsche marks) in 1930 The next Maybach model to cause a sensation was the Maybach SW 38, a smaller car with featuring a swing axle. The SW 38 made a great limo with five seats and two additional folding seats. Following the second War, the company didn't restart its automobile production, so it was rechristened MTU Friedrichschafen. In 1960, Daimler-Benz bought Maybach.

Mercedes-Benz had big plans for the Maybach brand, and the German company essentially brought the manufacturer back to life with the luxurious Maybach 57 and Maybach 62. The sixty-two was slighty longer than the fifty-seven, but both vehicles shared a V12 engine. These vehicles expanded to include 62S and 57S variants, and Mercedes-Benz brought in a Maybach Landualet as well. The newest 2011 model is the 62S Zeppelin variant, which brings back the beloved Zeppelin name. Sadly, with the death of Maybach slated for the imminent future, drivers will no longer have the pleasure of free champagne glasses and wafting perfume in their cabins. They'll probably miss the luxurious wood and leather interiors as well. R.I.P. Maybach, a brand that was killed by direct competitors Bentley and Rolls-Royce and many other brands. You will be missed!