This ultra-luxury sedan was the shorter of the two modern Maybach flagship models revived under DaimlerChrysler in the early 2000s. Although the reborn Maybach marque was shown to the public in 2002, the car itself reached the market as a 2003 model and became the driver-focused counterpart to the longer-wheelbase 62. It was positioned at the very top of the luxury-car market and was conceived as a modern interpretation of the historic Maybach nameplate, which had last appeared on automobiles many decades earlier.
The model’s early years established the basic formula: a large, hand-finished sedan aimed at owners who preferred to drive themselves rather than sit in the rear. Later updates broadened the range with more performance-oriented variants and special editions, including the 57 S and limited-run Zeppelin derivatives, while the standard car continued as the core entry in the lineup. For the 2011 model year, the car received a visible facelift and revised interior details, but its character remained that of an understated, highly exclusive flagship.
Production of the modern Maybach passenger-car range was ultimately wound down after a relatively short run. Mercedes-Benz announced in 2011 that Maybach production would end by 2013 at the latest, and the model line remained in production only through the 2012 model year. As a result, this nameplate represents the first and only modern production period for the sedan before the Maybach badge later returned in a different form on Mercedes-Benz S-Class derivatives.