In the niche, rarefied world of super-luxury saloons, legroom is one of the most important yardsticks that buyers use to make their choice. We are used to conceiving of cabin space and car size in millimetres (mm), but there is this super-luxury car brand that actually uses metres as a measure for the dimensions of its car!

The Maybach from Mercedes-Benz has two basic models the 57 and 62, and the numbers as nomenclature represent the length of the two cars – 5.7 metres and 6.2 metres.

The Maybach saloons were first launched in India in 2004. The new, refreshed Maybach 57 S and the Maybach 62, which were showcased at last year’s Geneva Motor Show, have now been launched in India, and have been priced at Rs 4.85 crore and Rs 5.1 crore respectively.

The new Maybachs look younger and more distinctive than the predecessors. The powertrains have been tweaked for performance and emissions, the body sports new paint finishes and the interiors of the models get even more luxurious options to choose from.

Exterior

A large new chrome radiator grille confidently emphasises the legendary saloons’ exceptional status. The new dominant grille is produced in two different variants. In the Maybach 57 and 62 models it has 20 fine logitudinal bars, and in the Maybach 57S and 62S twelve solid double louvres and a ‘shadow strut’ flag up the vehicle’s power.

The designers have also elevated the modified bonnet and given it sharply defined contours. A restyled, horizontally structured bumper trim gives the Maybach saloons an even broader look. Daytime driving lights featuring LED technology and bordered with a chrome insert have been integrated into the outer air intakes.

New high sheen 21-spoke 19-inch wheels in titanium silver for the Maybach 57 and 62 models also add to the distinguished look. The Maybach 57S and 62S models will in future be sold as standard with new 12-spoke 20-inch wheels in noble sterling silver.

The new Maybach’s exterior mirrors with optimised aerodynamics for less driving noise harmonise with the striking front design, whilst their large surface offers improved vision.

Interior

The rear reclining seat which till now has only been available in the Maybach saloons with a long wheelbase, can now be installed in the Maybach 57 and 57S models. The craftsmanship of the seats for all the models has also been enhanced. The look of the seat upholstery layout has been refined and given additional piping. On request the piping can also be hand-braided or adorned with valuable Swarovski elements. In the upper part of the seat backrest a redesigned badge in 925 sterling silver with the lettering ‘Maybach Manufactur’ is meant to indicate the love for detail in this luxury saloon.

For the very first time there is an extremely high-quality flacon perfume atomiser exclusively developed by Maybach is available on request. Till now is was reserved only for the special Maybach Zeppelin model, limited to just 100 units. As an option a large, high-resolution cinema screen with a 19-inch diagonal can now be fitted to the centre of the of the partition - which can now also be personalised with motifs of the customer's choosing - with an overview camera, through which the rear passengers can keep an eye on the traffic in front of them without being seen themselves.

With the help of a new WLAN router it is also possible for passengers to enjoy wireless internet access during the journey in the car. The state-of-the-art connection uses the fast transmission standards HSDPA, UMTS and GSM/EDGE. There are three new interior appointments with different leather, carpet and headlining colours. New trim in selected dark brown bird’s-eye maple, which can be combined with brilliant porcelain piano lacquer in the Maybach 57S and 62S.

Performance

The output of the six-litre, twelve-cylinder engine in the 57S and the 62S has been increased by 13 kW to 463 kW (630bhp) with a torque of 1000Nm. The Maybach 62 features the 5.5-litre V12 that generates 550 PS of peak power at 5,250 rpm and a peak torque of 900 Nm within a 2,200-3,000 engine rpm range.

However, Maybach developers have managed to reduce the consumption figures of the engine from 16.4 litres/ 100 kms to 15.8 lit/100 kms. The CO2 emissions have also been brought down to 368 gms/km from the previous level of 390 gms/km. The output of the 57 and 62 models remain unchanged, though the consumption and emission levels have similarly been improved. All the Maybach twelve-cylinder engines meet the EU5 standard.

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