Description
This is lot number 142 in the Bonhams Zoute sale on October 6th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Chassis number '003' of reportedly eight produced
Staggering price of approximately 850, 000 new
604bhp V12 engine
Outstanding specification
Just over 33, 000 kilometres from new
Offered from a prominent collection in the Netherlands
Dutch registration document
"It's one of the world's most luxurious cars. In fact, only the Rolls-Royce Phantom comes close. It can carry a driver, front passenger and up to three rear passengers on a serene, silent and spacious journey." Autocar magazine on the Maybach 57 S.
Few industry observers would have predicted the revival of the Maybach brand after almost 50 years of dormancy, but that is exactly what Daimler-Benz did in 1997 when it presented a luxury concept car at that year's Tokyo Motor Show. In pre-war days Maybach had represented the absolute pinnacle of automotive technology, producing some of the most advanced, luxurious and expensive cars the world had ever seen, and its resurrection signalled Mercedes-Benz's intention to compete head-on with BMW-owned Rolls-Royce. Although it had not built any cars since 1940, Maybach had lived on as a manufacturer of proprietary engines, latterly as MTU Friedrichshaven, until its purchase by Daimler-Benz in 1960.
The revived brand's new dawn commenced in 2002 with the launch of the Maybach 57 and 62: a brace of high-performance luxury saloons that, inevitably, incorporated a good deal of contemporary Mercedes-Benz technology. The model designations were derived from their approximate lengths: 5. 7 metres in the former's case and 6. 2 metres in the latter's, and both were powered initially by a 5. 5-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine.
An enhanced version of the 57 - the 57 S, for 'Special' - was launched at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show and featured a 6. 0-litre, 604bhp V12 from the group's Mercedes-AMG division. According to Autocar magazine: "Incredibly, it is not so much the engine's massive power that gives the 57 S its character, more the endless reserve of torque, which swells to 738lb/ ft at just 2000rpm to provide the Maybach with devastating off-the-line and in-gear acceleration." A base price of 381, 250 ($417, 402) ensured that only a privileged few would get to experience the 57 S's stupendous performance at first hand.
And if the standard 57 S wasn't exclusive enough, those with sufficiently deep pockets could always order one of German coachbuilder and 'special vehicles' manufacturer Xenatec's Cruisero coupés, a two-door conversion built with Maybach's approval. Of the same length and wheelbase as the 57 S, the Cruisero was one of the longest two-door cars built since the 1970s. Unfortunately, there were insufficient buyers for the million-dollar Cruisero, and reportedly only eight cars had been completed before manufacturer Xenatec filed for bankruptcy.
The car we offer here, Cruisero '003', is one of approximately 8 built. The donor car, a Maybach 57 S with chassis number WDB2400791A002744, left the Maybach factory in 2010 in 'Antigua white' destined for Berlin. '003' was one of the very first cars to have been converted by Xenatec to this stunning 2-door Cruisero coupé, after which the car was delivered in Saudi Arabia still finished in 'Antigua white' with matching blue-piped leather interior and blue dashboard/ inserts. Finished in brilliant off-white, making it ideally suitable for use in countries blessed with a predominantly sunny climate. This car subsequently returned to Europe where it has formed part of an important collection in the Netherlands. Extensively optioned, it currently displays a total of just over 33, 000 kilometres from new on the odometer and is presented in lovely condition. Accompanying documentation consists of NL registration documents; sundry invoices for work carried out; a professionally complied insurance valuation report (2022); and all its original books (including the service book) in their original pouch. A guaranteed head turner, this rare Maybach Xenatec Cruserio coupe is worth closest inspection.
Please note this lot will be subject to additional VAT on the hammer price.
