Resurrected in 2002 as a way for Mercedes to take on rival BMW’s newly acquired Rolls-Royce brand, Maybach has been a sales flop and now Mercedes appears ready to finally admit as much. According to a report by AutoExpress, Mercedes will give the Maybach models a slight update (set to be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show) this year before winding the brand down towards 2014.

Why 2014? Well, that just happens to be the year that the next-generation S-Class is due out, meaning that Mercedes will then look to take some S-Class models further up-market. The 2014 S-Class should also get some impressive technology and AutoExpress claims it will be one of the most technologically sophisticated machines ever built. The rather tabloid-like outlet is also reporting that Mercedes has even approved the Human Machine Interface (HMI) as seen on the F800 Style concept. The HMI system works somewhat like something you might have seen in the Tom Cruise film Minority Report, using a screen and a camera to turn hand movements into actions, such as zooming in on a map with just a gesture of the hand.

Sound a little too futuristic? Well, 2014 is still a long way off.

[Source: AutoExpress]

FAB Design, a German tuner shop famous for West Coast Customs-style rapper-trash modifications on Mercedes vehicles, has outdone itself by blinging out a Maybach 57 S. Notice we said, “ruin” in the headline.. with quotes… as Maybach models aren’t exactly gems to begin with.

Other than the obvious blue paint, the car features ASMA-like fenders that extend the width of the car by 30cm – essentially one foot (although that sounds like an exaggeration based on the photos). Up front a new bumper has some large square cutouts that match the rear exhaust outlets.

Inside the wheel wells are 20-inch rims, with some extra wider rubber that measures 265/30/20 up front and 325/25/20 out back.

FAB Design says that thanks to their engine tuning the car now makes 650hp and 756 ft-lbs of torque and can hit 62 mph in just 4.9 seconds. Top speed is rated at 186 mph – the same speed the Brabus modified Maybach achieved to set a record for the world’s fastest Maybach. Again, it sounds like FAB Design is embellishing.

The interior of the car features white leather and gobs and gobs of blue Alcantara.

On a positive note, the company did make use of some nice carbon fiber details around the door handles and other areas.

FAB Design says just 15 version of this vehicle will be built for customers and while we can see some of them being ordered, with Maybach’s low sales volume 15 sounds like wishful thinking.

FAB Design is usually at the Geneva Auto Show so we’ll be sure to get more info if we can. And if you thought this was over the top, we’re certain Mansory has something just as even more ridiculous in store for Geneva.

[Source: WorldCarFans via Auto Motor Und Sport]

With its debut at the Dubai Motor Show as a “Design Study,” Maybach shocked the world by announcing, shortly afterward, that it would in fact build the 62S Landaulet. This bizarre creation is a genuine limousine (stretching a foot longer than even the Rolls-Royce Phantom) and yet it features a retractable rear roof. This way, passengers can enjoy the sun while the driver can stay focused at the task at hand.

The bizarre design keeps the metal roof structure at all times, so from a side perspective it always looks like a standard sedan/limousine. From behind or on top, however, it is possible to see that the material rear roof folds away behind the passenger compartment.

Driver and passenger compartments are also distinguished by the color of materials used. The driver compartment is filled with glossy black Stromboli leather with piano black accents. As for the passengers, they sit surrounded by Seychelles white leather, with white velour carpets.

The Landaulet is powered by a twin-turbo Mercedes V-12 that makes 612hp at 4800 rpm and 738 ft-lbs of torque at 2000 rpm.

Maybach has not released how many models will be built but the 62S Landaulet is expected to sell for $1.35 million.

Maybach 62S Landaulet

Official release after the jump:

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