Maybach Maybach Zeppelin
2009–2012 · Maybach Maybach Zeppelin — Limousine, V12 Twin-Turbo, designed by Olivier Boulay.
The Story
If the standalone Maybach was going to die, it would at least go out at the top. The 2009 Maybach Zeppelin was the high-water mark of the W240 — a limited edition of exactly 100 cars, offered as both the short-wheelbase 57 Zeppelin and the long 62 Zeppelin, and the most powerful Maybach sedan ever built: the 6.0 twin-turbo V12 turned up to 640 PS (631 hp), 28 PS beyond the already-monstrous S cars. The name was no accident — it reached back to the pre-war Maybach Zeppelin, the 1930s V12 grand car that made the marque legendary.
The details were pure end-of-an-era excess: a special two-tone finish (the launch cars wore ‘Rocky Mountains’ brown over ‘Taiga’ black), 20-inch chrome wheels, dark-red taillights, California-beige quilted leather, lambskin carpets, piano-black lacquer, silver ‘Zeppelin’ champagne flutes — and a world-first perfume atomiser, an internally-illuminated Plexiglass sphere on the rear console into which the owner drops a vial of one of two bespoke Givaudan fragrances, wafted into the cabin in ten to twelve seconds. Three years later the brand was gone. The Zeppelin is the W240 to collect: the rarest, the most powerful, the one that knew it was the last.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Limousine 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 Zeppelin is the standalone Maybach’s grand finale — the rarest, most powerful and most theatrical W240, right down to the perfume sphere. If you’re going to own a modern standalone Maybach, this is the one history will remember; buy the most complete, best-documented car you can find.
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 Zeppelin
Worth Knowing About the Maybach Zeppelin
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- • Limited to exactly 100 cars worldwide, split between the 57 Zeppelin and 62 Zeppelin.
- • It introduced a world-first perfume atomiser — an internally-illuminated Plexiglass sphere on the rear console holding a vial of one of two bespoke Givaudan fragrances (one light and refreshing, one woodier and heavier), wafted into the cabin in 10–12 seconds.
- • At 640 PS (631 hp) it was the most powerful Maybach sedan ever — 28 PS up on the 57 S/62 S — and revived the pre-war 'Zeppelin' name that made the marque legendary in the 1930s.
5 Fast Facts
- • Exactly 100 cars worldwide.
- • 6.0 twin-turbo V12 raised to 640 PS / 631 hp, 1,000 Nm — the most powerful W240 Maybach.
- • Offered as the 57 Zeppelin (€406,000) and 62 Zeppelin (€473,200), 2009 German list ex-VAT.
- • Signature kit: 'Rocky Mountains'/'Taiga' two-tone, 20" chrome wheels, dark-red lamps, California-beige leather, silver 'Zeppelin' champagne flutes.
- • The world-first in-car perfume atomiser, by Givaudan.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
• None individually verified — at 100 cars worldwide the owner roster is largely undocumented in reliable sources.
• FLAG: no named owner of a 2009 Zeppelin clears a solid sourcing bar; treat any celebrity claim as unverified.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
An ultra-rare, top-tier W240 where the 100-car status IS the asset. The 57 Zeppelin is the lighter, faster car (raised limiter); the 62 Zeppelin is the full chauffeur limousine — pick by use, but both are scarce. Mechanically it carries the same fragilities as the 57 S/62 S (air/hydraulic suspension, dense early-2000s electronics, expensive low-volume parts), so buy on condition, completeness (the Zeppelin-specific trim, flutes and atomiser) and documented history. Values hold up far better than an ordinary 57/62 on rarity alone.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Maybach Maybach Zeppelin
- Class
- Limousine
- Production years
- 2009–2012
- Units built
- 100
- Variants
- Offered as 57 Zeppelin & 62 Zeppelin
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- M285
- Displacement
- 6.0 L (5,980 cc)
- Power
- 631 hp
- Torque
- 738 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 4.9 s
- Top speed
- 171 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 231 hp/tonne · 9.6 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed automatic (5G-TRONIC)
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 6030 lb
Questions
Maybach Zeppelin FAQ
Why is the Maybach Zeppelin named after airships?
The Zeppelin name revives a pre-war Maybach model lineage — the DS7 and DS8. The link is historical: Maybach built engines for German Zeppelin airships before World War I, making the Zeppelin name a tribute to the company’s aeroengine heritage.
How many Maybach Zeppelins were produced?
Maybach limited the Zeppelin to 100 units total, available in both the 57 and 62 body styles. It debuted at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and was discontinued with the rest of the W240 range in 2012.
What makes the Maybach Zeppelin the most powerful W240?
The Zeppelin’s M285 6.0-liter biturbo V12 was tuned to 631 hp, making it 27 hp more powerful than the standard 57 S and 62 S. It was the highest-output Maybach offered during the W240 era.
How does the Maybach Zeppelin differ from the 57 S and 62 S?
Beyond the 27 hp power increase, the Zeppelin added California beige leather with Stromboli-black stitching, piano black lacquered trim, Zeppelin-etched champagne glasses, chrome 20-inch wheels, and signature dark-red taillights.
How do I find a Maybach Zeppelin for sale today?
With 100 units built and production ending in 2012, Zeppelins rarely surface publicly. Specialist brokers with access to private collections and international wholesale networks provide the most reliable path to sourcing one.
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