Mercedes-Maybach S-Class: Monthly sales in China greater than annual world sales were for Maybach

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The opulent Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is selling so strongly in China that monthly sales are greater than worldwide sales were for the standalone Maybach.

Mercedes finally gave up on Maybach as a standalone brand three years ago after almost a decade of trying to make Maybach in to the German equivalent of Rolls Royce.

The problem for Maybach was that it was pitched against the almost perfect Rolls Royce Phantom, a car with a depth of quality, and history, the Germans could never hope to challenge with the Maybach.

But Mercedes hasn’t given up on the Maybach badge and has now attached it to the S-Class (and will no doubt do the same to the GL to take on the Range Rover), and instead of targeting the Rolls Royce Phantom with their ultra-luxury Mercedes, they’ve taken aim at the Ghost and Mulsanne instead. And it seems to be working.

According to Automotive News, sales of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class in China are so strong that Mercedes are selling more S-Class Maybachs a month in China than the whole standalone Maybach managed worldwide in a year.

In fact, S-Class Maybachs are rolling out to wealthy Chinese buyers – at a price starting from around £150k – at the rate of 500 a month, a figure that’s almost as high as the best ever Maybach annual sales – 600 in 2003 – and twice what the Maybach was selling towards the end of its life.

It seems using the Maybach badge on the S-Class – and lowering its target market from the Phantom – is paying big dividends for Mercedes.