Maybach's maiden voyage

28 June 2002: The world’s most luxurious new car – the Maybach 62 – this week made its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on board the legendary ocean liner, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth II.

Prior to its world premiere in Wall Street, New York on 2 July, the Maybach 62 travelled by train from the "Maybach Manufaktur" factory in Sindelfingen, Germany to the water’s edge in Southampton. The Maybach is encased in a special glass container and was loaded onto the QE2’s Sun Deck by a floating crane.

After an absence of over 60 years, Maybach has returned with two luxury cars that will continue the tradition of engineering excellence and opulence started in the 1920s.

Powered by a 550 hp, 900 Nm bi-turbo 5.5 litre 12-cylinder engine – the world’s most powerful production unit - the new Maybachs are fitted out in leather, deep carpets and wood trim. Rear passengers are carried in two individual chairs which can be electrically reclined, and include automatically extending leg and foot supports. The on-board telecommunications include two flat panel colour monitors, which can show either television channels or the built-in DVD player.

June 2002