2002 Maybach 62

A world apart

The new Maybachs are distinguished vehicles which excel in every respect – especially in the interior. Elegance, comfort, equipment and technology are at a previously unattainable level: they meet the most demanding requirements and represent the peak of automobile development.
Merely glancing at the dimensions of these high-end luxury cars shows that the Maybach is a world apart, offering generous space in which the occupants can feel completely at ease:

• The interior length – measured from the driver’s accelerator heel point to the rear seat back - is 2682 millimetres in the Maybach 62.

• The distance between seats (front hip point to rear hip point) is 1133 and 1570 millimetres respectively.

• The distance between the front seats is 840 millimetres – measured from seat centre to seat centre.

The boot capacity significantly exceeds the figures usually encountered in this vehicle class. It is 605 litres – approx. 40 percent more than in other luxury cars. This means that the luggage compartment of the Maybach has enough room to accommodate five large suitcases or four golfbags. Should a Maybach customer require a spare wheel (available at no extra cost) instead of the standard tyre sealing kit TIREFIT, the boot capacity is reduced to 500 litres.

Front seats: integral system on a robust aluminium structure

The seats for the driver and front passenger are based on the integral concept. This means that all the seat belt components are directly connected to the seat structure and can therefore perform their full protective functions irrespective of the seat position. This also applies to the sidebags, which are located in the backrests. In order to control the forward movement of the occupants during an accident the seat backrests and seat frames are capable of withstanding heavy loads. This requires a robust seat base: the base structure for the seat cushion and backrest is a welded construction of extruded aluminium sections and formed steel components which has passed all crash tests with excellent results.

The greatest possible seating comfort is provided by the sophisticated spring core principle with its unrivalled vibration damping characteristics. Polyurethane foam inserts provide the spring core with additional support and work in conjunction with a rubberised hair mat to improve damping even further. The electric seat adjustment and the memory function with five programmable keys are further standard features. The system automatically transfers two individual seating positions – including the steering wheel, mirror and multicontour positions – to the microchips in the two electronic ignition keys, therefore no adjustments need be made after entering the vehicle.

Multicontour backrest: gentle back massage at the touch of a button

Pneumatically adjustable air cushions in the backrests of the front and rear seats and a program-controlled massage function further enhance the seating comfort. Pressing the "Pulse" button fills and empties the central air cushion in the lumbar region at precisely defined intervals and with changing intensity, thereby relieving the back muscles of stress and stimulating the vertebral metabolism in accordance with orthopaedic findings. This gentle back massage continues for five minutes and can be repeated at any time.

On request the rear seats are available with active seat ventilation: eight miniature ventilators in each seat cause air to flow evenly from the perforations in the seat surface via special air ducts and a permeable fabric. This ensures a pleasant seat temperature. The airflow may be adjusted in three stages.

Reclining seats: sit back and relax

Newly developed, reclining seats complete the feel-good factor for the passengers in the Maybach 62. Their special feature is the unique reclining position, which travellers have previously only encountered with the First Class compartments of modern passenger jets. If the rear passenger selects the programmed reclining position by pushing a button, the seat backrest slowly reclines to the rear by up to 47 degrees, and at the same time a thigh support and footrest are pivoted forward from the lower seat section. In this way the passenger is able to enjoy the journey in a very relaxed resting position and adjust the seat to his personal comfort requirements with just a few operating commands. The following individual adjustments are possible:

• The fore-and-aft position of the rear seat can be adjusted by up to 135 millimetres.

• The backrest can be individually adjusted to an angle between 25 and 47 degrees.

• The head restraint is adjustable by 115 millimetres in height, approx. 60 millimetres fore-and-aft and by 25 degrees in angle. The side bolsters are also individually adjustable to improve head support in the reclining position.

• The seat cushion is extendable by up to 60 millimetres in the seated position, and its angle can be varied by 14 to 24 degrees.

• In the reclined position the thigh support can be adjusted by up to 85 millimetres.

• The lower leg support has a two-stage, telescopic length adjustment by up to 240 millimetres. The angle of the lower leg support may be adjusted by up to 75 degrees.

• The footrest is individually adjustable by up to 110 degrees.

Seven electric motors carry out the adjustments in this technical masterpiece – with three operating simultaneously depending on the operating command. An electronic control unit monitors the complex procedure involved and controls the logical sequence. The kinematics of the individual seat components are programmed to ensure that the occupant’s body – including the lower legs and feet – is always fully supported even in positions between the normal seating and maximum reclining positions.

The memory function makes operation of these innovative reclining seats even more convenient, as it allows three individual seat positions to be stored for retrieval. Simply pressing a button is enough to move the rear seat to the most comfortable position for each individual.

Safety: sophisticated integral system with crash-responsive backrest

In addition to maximum comfort the newly developed reclining seats in the Maybach 62 naturally provide the greatest possible safety - in any position. The restraint system with belt tensioner, belt force limiter and sidebag is integrated into the backrest, ensuring that the seat occupant has maximum protection even when reclining. Other safety features include the innovative, crash-responsive backrest, which moves to the upright position in the event of a frontal collision, and a tensioner on the belt buckle which tightens the lap belt during an accident.

Folding table: a stable workplace elegantly surfaced in fine wood

Since the Maybach will not only be used as a prestigious and comfortable luxury motor car by its owner, but also on occasion as a mobile office, the engineers in Sindelfingen have developed a folding table for each of the two rear seats, drawing on the basis of experience gained by their colleagues in the aviation industry. Intricately machined aluminium is used as a material. The table surfaces are of two-part construction and are finished in fine wood, while the undersides are covered in nappa leather. A chromed aluminium frame protects the edges of these high-quality features. Both folding tables are steplessly adjustable for reach and inclination, and are suitable for use as an oddments table, writing table or support for a notebook. They are housed in special compartments on both sides of the rear centre console to save space and may be conveniently raised into position by means of a leather strap.

Rear console: centrepiece for entertainment, communication and pleasure

Numerous stowage facilities allow the rear passengers to accommodate small and larger items conveniently. The cleverly designed interior door panels alone provide ten stowage compartments in the Maybach 62. However, the centrepiece of the stowage concept in the rear of the Maybach is the multifunctional centre console between the seats.

This is where the Maybach engineers have located everything required for the entertainment and convenience of the rear seat passengers: a DVD player, six-disc CD changer, two telephone systems, a refrigerator compartment with its own electric compressor and a sophisticated system which holds glasses and a champagne bottle securely in place Specifically designed for the Maybach, the champagne goblets of fine sterling silver (or other stemmed glasses) are retained by clips which automatically engage over the base of the glass when this is put down. The retaining clips are immediately released if the glass or goblet is lifted slightly.

The rear centre console also contains various stowage compartments and a keypad with controls for the central locking system, the TELEAID system (SOS call), the interior lighting, the intercom system and the rear window and side window curtains. Sockets for connecting a camcorder, MP3 player or video games are also provided.

To ensure that passengers in the rear are always informed about the current vehicle speed, outside temperature and time of day the engineers have developed three attractively styled dial instruments which are integrated in a console in the roof lining.

Partition: glass partition with electrically controlled transparency

If a Maybach 62 customer requires a partition between the front section and the rear of the car, the adjustment possibilities for the front seats are slightly reduced but the unique seating space in the rear remains virtually unaffected. Aluminium, wood and glass are the materials used for the partition: the lower section is a laminated wood-aluminium construction, while the electrically retractable upper section is of laminated glass.

This glass possesses the same special technical characteristics as the panoramic roof of the Maybach 62: electrotransparency. As an intermediate layer the glass has a liquid crystal membrane of electrically conductive plastic whose crystals arrange themselves in such a way that the glass is transparent when subjected to an electrical voltage. When the voltage is switched off the liquid crystals lose their ordered structure and the glass becomes opaque. To allow the rear passengers and the chauffeur to communicate even when the partition is closed, an intercom system is included in the standard equipment of the Maybach with a partition.

Dashboard: hand-crafted for the height of luxury

Even if they drive the vehicle himself, the owners of a Maybach enjoy the same stylish elegance and luxury which makes the rear of this high-end motor car so incomparable. The form and function, aesthetics and appointments in the front section are just as unique a synthesis as in the rear. The surfaces of the interior features are exquisitely finished as hand-crafted masterpieces, with fine leather upholstery, discreet chrome strips, exquisite wood trim and highly polished switches.

The upper section of the dashboard, knee bolster and glove compartment lid feature three-layer padding and feel particularly soft as a result. The first layer is formed of four-millimetre thick foam material followed by a three-millimetre layer of polyester. This is then covered by the actual leather with its striking, hand-sewn double seams. The ventilation outlets feature fine chrome surrounds as a decorative effect. The ventilation grille directed at the windscreen has an additional stowage compartment with room for spectacles.

Instrument cluster: black screen technology for outstanding clarity

The instrument cluster bears elegant Maybach-style lettering on the faces of the fuel gauge and coolant temperature gauge (both left), the speedometer (centre) and rev counter (right). The cockpit instruments are not visible at rest, but only come to life once the doors are unlocked by remote control or the KEYLESS-GO system and the driver takes his seat. This automatically activates what are known as cold cathode tubes and white light-emitting diodes to illuminate the instruments. Thanks to this technology, which replaces conventional bulbs, the displays in the instrument cluster have a particularly brilliant quality. The light intensity is regulated by a sensor as a function of the ambient light conditions.

Directly in the driver’s field of vision lies the instrument cluster’s central display, whose information can be accessed by pressing the illuminated keys on the steering wheel. This information is grouped into eight main menus:

• Mileage recorder (trip and overall mileage)

• Audio equipment (radio, CD player)

• Car telephone

• Auto Pilot System (APS)

• DISTRONIC

• Trip computer

• Fault memory and display

• Individual settings

The driver is able to access various detailed information within the main menus using scroll-keys.

Steering wheel: wood/leather combination, with heating on request

The rim of the four-spoke steering wheel (diameter 384 millimetres) is exquisitely finished in nappa leather and fine wood which are separated by slim chrome rings. The leather segments can also be electrically heated on request. The driver is able to make individual adjustments to the height and reach of the steering wheel using a small lever on the steering column. An electric motor moves it to the desired position.

Centre console: near-perfect in form and function

The centre console is the principal command centre in the Maybach. This is where the driver or front passenger operates the COMAND system and the automatic climate control. The keys for shock absorber adjustment, the DISTRONIC proximity control system, the PARKTRONIC parking aid, the Electronic Stability Program ESP® and the intercom system are arranged on the transmission tunnel trim. Two cup holders are to be found beneath the cover of the stowage compartment in front of the centre armrest.

The cordless front handset of the phone system is located to the right of the centre console; its rear counterpart is accommodated in the rear centre console. The front handset is concealed in a separate compartment between the centre console and the glove compartment and pivots into view at the touch of a button. The covers of the telephone and glove compartments feature soft nubuk leather.

Air conditioning: two separate systems for exemplary climate control

Two things are required in order to equip an interior as spacious as that of the Maybach with efficient air conditioning: a great deal of experience and excellent technology. The Maybach developers in Sindelfingen possess both, and have come up with a climate control system which is second to none. In fact the Maybach is fitted with not just one, but two state-of-the-art automatic climate control systems – one for the front section and one specifically for the rear.

These systems are sensor-controlled to take into account the temperature, the humidity, the intensity of the sunshine and pollutant levels in the outside atmosphere; they are also linked to each other via a CAN databus. In order to achieve the best possible cooling performance the new Maybach features two separate, infinitely adjustable refrigerant compressors. Their high efficiency is illustrated by the example of a measurement carried out at an outside temperature of 48 degrees Celsius and a solar heating effect of 1000 Watts per square metre. Within minutes the climate control systems in the Maybach 62 cooled the interior temperature of up to 70 degrees Celsius (measured at the driver’s head level) down to a pleasant 25 degrees Celsius.

The two climate control systems are able to circulate up to 715 cubic metres of fresh air through the interior of the luxury motor car per hour – this too is a new record in passenger car air conditioning.

Thanks to its high performance, sophisticated sensor system and intelligent control the system in the Maybach enables each of the four occupants to adjust and program the air conditioning to suit individual requirements. In automatic mode the system regulates this four-zone climate control by itself and ensures that the set temperature remains constant and virtually draught-free for every seat. The personal climate control settings for the driver and the three passengers are automatically transferred to the appropriate electronic ignition key for the Maybach and stored in memory.

Rear climate control system: individual settings for each seat

While the front air conditioning unit in the Maybach is located beneath the dashboard, the engineers have accommodated the rear unit in an extension to the front centre console. The rear end of this console also features an array of operating controls for the rear climate control system, allowing both rear passengers to select numerous individual settings: automatic mode, temperature selection, air distribution and also independent blower settings for both sides. Two sensors monitor the temperature in the rear of the Maybach at various points and transmit their data to the electronic control unit, which simultaneously evaluates the information provided by the sun sensor (position and intensity of the sun) and calculates the individual air volume required for each seat.

Air distribution: electric motors for the ventilation outlets

Thermal and airflow calculation models played an important part during the development of this complex and efficient system. Long before the first prototype tests it was with the help of these models that the engineers were able to examine the effectiveness of various ideas and optimise the most promising concepts. The question of the best possible size for the ventilation outlets, and where they were best located, was a major topic for these climatic simulations. The result is a combination of ten outlets for the rear of the Maybach.

With the exception of the footwells, the volume of air can be steplessly varied by control wheel at each outlet. Precise positioning of the closing and distribution flaps is then carried out by electric motors which are controlled by the climate control microprocessor. This makes it possible to vary the air distribution without affecting the volume of air flowing into the interior. The result is rapid cooling of the rear section, without draughts.

If the Maybach 62 is equipped with a partition the ventilation outlets in the B-pillars and rear roof panels are fitted with additional fans to ensure a pleasant atmosphere even when the partition is closed.

Effective ventilation of the front section is provided by twelve air outlets, most of which are pivotable, whose air volume can be finely varied by a control wheel. A total of 14 electric motors inside the climate control unit regulate the airflow as set by the occupants, or when in automatic mode according to a computer programme. As in the rear climate control system the fan speed may be individually adjusted for each side.

Using the handy operating unit in the centre console the driver and front passenger are able to select the interior temperature, air distribution, blower speed (in seven stages) and automatic mode separately, and also control a number of other climate-related functions:

• Defrost setting for rapid defrosting of the windscreen and side windows.

• Air recirculation for the entire interior, including the useful tunnel switch, allowing all open windows and the sunroof to be closed at the touch of a button. During recirculated air operation a pollutant sensor automatically closes the recirculated air flap if the concentration of pollutants in the outside atmosphere exceeds a certain level.

• Activated charcoal filter function for fresh and recirculated air operation to absorb airborne pollutants and reduce unpleasant odours. A pollutant sensor closes the recirculated air flap if the concentration of pollutants in the outside atmosphere exceeds a certain level.

• The dust/pollen filter is active at all times and filters the air entering the vehicle, or – if the recirculated air function is activated – the air circulating within the interior.

• Residual engine heat utilisation, which provides 30 minutes of heating or ventilation for the interior when the engine is switched off.

• Heated rear window with an automatic time interval.

The rear climate control system may also be operated from the front by pressing a button. The system then shows the settings chosen by the rear passengers in the front display, where the chauffeur can adjust them as required.

Ventilation: energy from sunlight

On request Maybach will equip the high-end luxury car with a specially developed solar module, which is accommodated in the front or rear section of the roof, depending on the model version. Covering an area of approx. 0.5 square metres, 30 solar cells convert sunlight into electrical energy and achieve an output of up to 63 Watts. This solar-generated current begins to flow as soon as the ignition is switched off, powering the ventilation fan in the front climate control system. This provides a constant circulation of fresh air in the interior, which means that the dashboard, seats and other interior features become less hot in the summer. At an outside temperature of 35 degrees Celsius the interior temperature is reduced by up to 15 degrees Celsius thanks to this air circulation.

Comfort with style

On the safe side