3 days ago
The Future of Mercedes-AMG Is Maybach-less
Michael Schiebe is running two divisions of Mercedes-Benz that have unique buyer sets, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach. AMG is the performance arm of the company and Maybach has super luxury vehicle buyers. Though they have one brand boss, they won't ever combine.
"We will never, ever put those brands together, because they are different brands, and they are very special, and they are unique," Schiebe told Newsweek. The publication named Schiebe its World's Greatest Auto Disruptors Visionary Disruptor of the Year this year.
Maybach and AMG are on similar paths, tasked with redefining themselves in customers' eyes as the brands find themselves part of the larger Mercedes-Benz technology and sustainability stories. While AMG is tasked with pushing the performance limits of the possible, Maybach is redefining what limits are for the company's most exclusive client set.
Making a car an AMG or a Maybach isn't just about slapping upgraded finishes or parts on an existing Mercedes-Benz model. "Just to give you an example, when we turn an SL into a Maybach... We have different components in the car, different software, different suspension. We define certain criteria that a Maybach needs to fulfill to be a real Maybach, and if it doesn't fulfill this requirement, it does not qualify. We will never, ever sacrifice our high ambition for the requirements we have," Schiebe explained.
Big Pilot's Watch and the Mercedes-AMG G 63.
Big Pilot's Watch and the Mercedes-AMG G 63.
Mercedes-AMG
As the next generation of Mercedes-Benz cars comes to market, fresh platforms and power approaches will allow Maybachs to take on new levels of luxury. "I would say they should stay tuned when it comes to technology, because all the next generations of our existing portfolios and new cars, our job is to make it a Maybach. It doesn't matter whether it's an S-Class or it's a GLS, or whatever future portfolio position. They will become more comfortable than they are today," Schiebe said.
"If you buy Maybach, you don't want to have the mainstream car. You want to differentiate yourself. This is why Maybach cars will never be like high-volume cars. It's a very, I would say, unique customer group. They want to show that they differ or differentiate themselves from mainstream customers. This is why, of course, the Maybach is also in a different price league than just our mainstream cars."
Customers should not expect Maybach to be anything other than true to itself while pushing forward. "Talking about the future, I would say it's part of our job to constantly review the portfolio," Schiebe said. "I would say we can go further down with our [special] editions. We have been very successful with the Virgil Ablow edition... I see there is further room for, let's say, very special, low volume, very specific editions," Schiebe divulged.
The Limited Edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh debuted in 2022 and was based on the S-Class sedan.
The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series parked in Ibiza.
The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series parked in Ibiza.
Mercedes-Maybach
Schiebe also hinted at a "small volume, special series" that is in the works, but refused to say which of the five Maybachs currently for sale (EQS Sedan, EQS SUV, S-Class, GLS-Class and SL-Class) would be part of the project.
"[Special editions] fulfill different roles," Head of Mercedes-Maybach Daniel Lescow, told Newsweek. "Certainly, they help to draw attention to the brand, especially if we do it in a combination with the collaboration. It is a part of the brand building that is a building block."
"Fortunately, we have seen the brand awareness rising over the past years. That's a very, very positive development. These editions certainly have a play in that... Customers who really want to go for that very, very, very special offer, and they find this in the editions," Lescow continued.
Mercedes-Maybach will enhance the luxury of its in-person experience, a process that has been underway for the last decade. "We started with the atelier in Shanghai, which is a dedicated brand space. It's important to have people there, sales personnel, that can fully indulge into the Maybach world and are able to explain not only the car, but also the brand philosophy and the brand history. And this space in particular is the essence of the brand aesthetic. If you enter that space... you immediately get an understanding what the brand stands for," Lesow said.
Much of the atelier experience comes down to appealing to a customer's senses — whether it's the smell of one of the brand's signature scents, the taste of a made-to-order espresso, the feel of supple leather options for the interior of a bespoke model or show cars that serve as inspiration.
Maybach has their sights set on a level of service you'd find at a high-end hotel or restaurant. "You come in, we know you as our customers, and we treat you like in a five-star restaurant. We know what you want before you come to us and then we're going show it to you," Schiebe explained.
Bottles from the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Parfumerie collection.
Bottles from the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Parfumerie collection.
Mercedes-Maybach
Brand centers are designed to go further. The company is opening its first in Seoul, "A space in the middle of the very busy Gangnam area, a very stylish area in the middle of the top shopping [district]. This will be a very, very important expression of the brand," Lescow said.
With its upgraded client services offerings, the Maybach brand is looking to raise the bar on super luxury car buying, besting those long considered the leads in the business, like Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and Bentley.
