Maybach - history of brand
Maybach's cars: Some 1800 luxury cars in 20 years
Geneva, Feb 27, 2002
Between 1921 and 1941 Maybach-Motorenbau produced a total of some 1800
cars. In addition to the vehicles recorded in the company's statistics,
another five to ten exhibition cars were built a year. Today, 152 Maybach
cars still exist across the world.
1919: W 1
The W 1 was a test car based on a Mercedes chassis and was not put into
series production.
1920: W 2
This was the designation code for an engine of which 1000 units were
ordered for use in the Spyker 30/40 Dutch luxury car. However, not all
the engines ordered were actually purchased, the financial consequences
forcing Karl Maybach to build cars himself in order to use the unsold
W 2 engines.
1921: W 3
The first W 3 from the Maybach company made its debut in 1921 at the
Berlin Motor Show. Its six-cylinder in-line engine had displacement
of 5740 cc and developed 70 hp. Unit figure: 305 vehicles.
1926: W 5
The W 5 followed in 1926, and was also powered by a six-cylinder in-line
engine (6992 cc displacement, 120 hp). Later, this model was also offered
with an over-drive transmission system as the W 5 SG. Unit figure: 248
vehicles.
1931: W 6
The W 6 was produced from 1931 to 1933 with the six-cylinder engine
from the W 5. From 1934 it was also available with a twin overdrive
transmission system (W 6 DSG). Both variants had a longer wheelbase
than the W 5. Unit figure: 90 vehicles.
1930: DS 7 and DS 8
The Maybach "Zeppelin" was introduced in mid-1930 with a 7-litre,
twelve-cylinder V-engine which developed 150 hp. The precursor to this
model was the Maybach 12 (1929). The later DS 8 variant with 8-litre
displacement developed 200 hp and was offered as a chassis from 1931
for 29,500 Reichsmarks. Unit figure: 183 vehicles.
1930: DSH
The DSH ("Doppel-Sechs-Halbe" – "half a twelve-cylinder")
was built from 1930 to 1937. It was powered by a 5.2-litre, six-cylinder
in-line engine generating 130 hp. Unit figure: 34 vehicles.
1935: SW 35 - 42
The SW 35 (1935), SW 38 (1936) and SW 42 (1939 to 1941) models with
swing axle were the last Maybach cars built. They stood out with their
six-cylinder in-line engines with 3.5, 3.8 or 4.2-litre displacement,
and all developed 140 hp. Unit figures: SW 35/38 – 707 vehicles;
SW 42 -133 vehicles.
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