Maybach Maybach 57
2002–2012 · Maybach Maybach 57 — Luxury Saloon, V12 Twin-Turbo, designed by Olivier Boulay.
The Story
The Maybach 57 was Mercedes’ billion-euro bet that it could revive a pre-war legend and out-Rolls Rolls-Royce. It couldn’t. Launched in 2002 as the short-wheelbase, owner-driver flagship of a standalone Maybach brand, the 57 was technically magnificent — a hand-built 5.5-litre twin-turbo V12 limousine with reclining rear seats, solar roofs and refrigerated cabinets — but it made one fatal mistake: it looked and felt too much like the S-Class it was built alongside in Sindelfingen. Critics clocked the shared switchgear instantly, and so did buyers, who could have the Phantom’s coach doors and hand-built-in-England theatre for similar money.
The numbers were brutal. Maybach never approached its ~2,000-a-year target — just 157 cars sold worldwide in 2010 against 2,711 Rolls-Royces — and the brand managed only ~3,000 sales (3,321 built) before Daimler killed it in 2012, reportedly losing some €330,000 on every car. The hot version, the AMG-built 6.0-litre 57 S (604 hp), is the one to have. Yet the afterlife is the twist: the 57 became hip-hop royalty — Rick Ross named Maybach Music Group after it — and after shedding ~75% of its value, the clean 57 S has bottomed and begun to climb, a hand-built V12 flagship now trading for the price of a mid-spec SUV.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Luxury Saloon class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Olivier Boulay
French car designer, b. 9 Aug 1957; led the production design of the Maybach 57/62 at DaimlerChrysler (with Shuichi Yamashita and Anthony Lo). Global design chief at Mitsubishi 2001–04. FLAG: no Maybach-specific (Landaulet/Zeppelin) credit beyond the 57/62 program. Source: Wikipedia Olivier Boulay.
Studio Motors POV
The Maybach 57 is the bargain of the ultra-luxury world and the cautionary tale that built the modern sub-brand: a hand-built AMG-V12 flagship that lost three-quarters of its value, now bottomed. A sorted 57 S is far more car than its price suggests — just price the air/hydraulic suspension into the deal, because it will need it.
The Engine
M285
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Maybach 57
Worth Knowing About the Maybach 57
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- • Daimler reportedly lost ~€330,000 on every Maybach sold — the brand never neared its ~2,000/yr target (157 sold worldwide in 2010 vs 2,711 Rolls-Royces) and managed ~3,000 sales against a ~€1bn investment.
- • The 57 S's engine was hand-built by Mercedes-AMG — a 6.0 twin-turbo V12, 612 PS/604 hp and 1,000 Nm, vs the base 57's 5.5L/550 PS.
- • The car gave hip-hop a record label: Rick Ross founded Maybach Music Group in 2008 in homage to its aspirational luxury.
5 Fast Facts
- • 57 S: 604 hp (612 PS) AMG-built 6.0 biturbo V12; 0–60 ~4.8 s despite ~2,700 kg.
- • ~3,000 sold worldwide; 3,321 built in total (2002–2013).
- • The brand was killed — announced Nov 2011, last car built Dec 2012 in Sindelfingen.
- • Priced like a house: early-2008 US MSRP $366,934 (57) / $417,402 (57 S); the 2003 base launched ~$305k.
- • Value collapse then floor: ~75% gone in three years; average 57 now ~$56k–$65k, clean 57 S past $100k.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
• Samuel L. Jackson — Maybach 57 S, personally specced at the Stuttgart Maybach Centre (2006) [TopSpeed].
• Kevin Durant — 2008 Maybach 57 S (his Rookie-of-the-Year car), sold at Barrett-Jackson Jan 2023 with provenance [ClassicCars.com].
• Jay-Z & Kanye West — a 2004 Maybach 57 bought to destroy for the 2011 ‘Otis’ video; the wreck later sold for $60,000 [Motor Authority].
• Muammar Gaddafi — Maybach 57 S Xenatec Coupé (coachbuilt, 1 of 8) [Motor Authority].
• FLAG: Will Smith / Rick Ross / Diddy / 50 Cent etc. are listicle- or video-prop only — excluded.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Buy the 57 S — the AMG 6.0 V12 car with the lowered, sportier setup is the one collectors want, and the value gap proves it (the only recent six-figure results are 57 S cars and special editions). But it’s the most maintenance-intensive: the air suspension — and on the 57 S the hydraulic Active Body Control — is the #1 weak point (leaks ‘pretty much guaranteed,’ ~$1,200–$2,000+ per strut, ABC work into the thousands), and parts are rare and brutally expensive (owners report $5k+ bills). Early 2003–05 cars have electronics gremlins. Buy on condition and full service history, use an independent Mercedes specialist, and budget for upkeep.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Maybach Maybach 57
- Class
- Luxury Saloon
- Production years
- 2002–2012
- Units built
- 1,771 total (1,104 base + 667 57 S); 57+62 program ~3,321
- Variants
- 57 S (AMG 6.0 V12 biturbo)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- M285
- Displacement
- 6.0 L (5,980 cc); base 57 = 5.5 L (5,513 cc)
- Power
- 604 hp
- Torque
- 738 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 4.8 s
- Top speed
- 172 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 221 hp/tonne · 10 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed automatic (5G-TRONIC)
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 6030 lb
Questions
Maybach 57 FAQ
What is the difference between the Maybach 57 and the Maybach 62?
The Maybach 57 is 5.7 meters long while the 62 stretches to 6.2 meters, adding about 44 cm (17 in) of rear-seat space via a longer wheelbase. Both share the M285 V12 engine family; the model numbers directly reflect approximate length in decimeters.
How much horsepower does the Maybach 57 S produce?
The 57 S uses the M285 6.0-liter biturbo V12 producing 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque paired with a 5-speed automatic. The base 57 used the smaller 5.5-liter version at 543 hp.
How much does a used Maybach 57 cost today?
The Maybach 57 launched above $360,000 but has depreciated dramatically — used examples now trade in a range from low-five-figure deals to low-six-figure prices for well-preserved examples with full service history.
How long was the Maybach 57 in production?
The Maybach 57 was produced from 2002 to 2012, with 1,771 total units built across base and 57 S variants, before Daimler discontinued the standalone Maybach marque.
What is the top speed of the Maybach 57 S?
The Maybach 57 S reaches a top speed of 172 mph, upgraded from the standard 57’s 155 mph limiter, and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.
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