What's the ultimate luxury car? A handful of cars jostle for the title and Mercedes-Benz would like to think that its latest offering, the Maybach, will pick up the title. If you have to ask the price, then you really don't want to know but with a sterling price of around £250,000 mooted, it's certain to cost a mountain of euro.
The really big news and we can exclusively reveal it here in Motors, is that Mercedes-Benz here have orders for nine. Naturally their names are closely-guarded secrets. Maybe we will know more when they take delivery.
Right-hand-drive sales will begin in the middle of next year. "We have not yet fixed a price", says Bill Duffy, sales manager of Mercedes-Benz.
What is a Maybach anyway? You have to be of certain vintage to know. For two decades, between 1921 and 1941, it was a badge that adorned very special cars. The flagship Maybach, the Zeppelin, was some 5.5 metres in length and ranked as one of the most prestigious German cars in its time.
The badge comes from Wilhelm Maybach who was a long time companion of Gottlieb Daimler. In 1909, his company was producing power units for the famous Zeppelin airships.
There will be two model variants fitted with a 5.5 litre, 550bhp engine.
Naturally, it's crammed with high-tech features. Rear passengers enjoy individual seats which adjust into a reclining position. The rear compartment is also equipped with two flat-screen monitors which are linked up to a standard-fitted TV receiver and DVD player.
Those who order a Maybach have it delivered to them personally, either by truck or in a special sea or air-freight container. Only 450 service centres across the world will deal with maintenance and repairs. That's real exclusivity and prestige.