Maybach: At the Peak of Perfection Every auto engineer and designer dreams of building the best car in the world. Yet rarely does this dream become a reality. However, a team of Daimler engineers and designers have now fulfilled this ambition by producing a luxury car uniting the highest standards of comfort with leading- edge technology: the Mercedes Maybach, a realistic and realizable study of the luxury sedan of tomorrow. The Mercedes-Benz Maybach, a design study for an exclusive sedan which provides a glimpse into the technology and fittings likely to be gracing the luxury automobiles of tomorrow. Comfort with Style - Style with Comfort In many respects, the concept of timelessness headed the list of specifications for the Mercedes- Benz Maybach. Its unique, sublime design was intended as an expression of the harmony between a luxury commodity and an object d'art and an exemplification of its permanence. Sumptuous, luxurious fittings were designed to evoke an intimate and classical ambiance, which would retain its modernity for years to come. The impression of the interior is initially dominated by the extraordinary amount of space available. Indeed, rear-passengers may feel as if they were the honored guests to some exclusive salon on wheels. This sensation is intensified by the lavishly appointed interior, luxuriously fitted in choice materials such as cream- colored leather, the finest quality wood, discreet smoked glass, and fine metals, which transform the shortest trip in this luxury car into a singularly exhilarating experience. In the Mercedes-Benz Maybach, unparalleled excellence of craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail are par for the course. The customer himself is to decide on the materials to be used and on the arrangement of the interior fittings. Individual taste and personal preference are to be accorded the highest priority, rendering every Mercedes-Benz Maybach absolutely unique. A glance into the rear indicates just what a breakthrough the Stuttgart automobile developer has made in terms of passenger comfort. Two broad and lavishly upholstered seats for the rear passengers are electrically controlled and can be independently adjusted to a range of different positions so as to allow the comfortable ambiance to be enjoyed in the utmost relaxation. On a par with the standards encountered in the first class cabin of a modern jet, the seats are also reclinable, providing a rare and unexpected level of comfort for automobile travel. Full Control over Daylight Intensity The glass-covered passenger compartment of the Maybach sedan is particularly eye-catching. Lending at once a feeling of roominess and light, the airy and extremely elegant roof is composed of an artful combination of metal and glass in which the influence of modern architecture is clearly visible. In possession of a rare and exclusive view of the scenery gliding by, passengers in the rear can settle back snugly into their seats and just enjoy the ride. They also have full control over the intensity of light in the rear and are able to regulate the transparency of the glass roof so that it is either perfectly clear from the inside or rather semi- translucent like a partially transparent gemstone so as to filter incoming light and produce a soft and pleasantly diffuse illumination inside. Behind this spectacular and incredibly practical feature is a new technique which involves inserting a transparent plate of conductive polymer beneath the glass dome. This plate, which has been fabricated into a fine coffered structure, stretches across the entire vehicle width and becomes more or less transparent according to the applied voltage. In addition, a further electrochromic layer reacts to the level of UV radiation and regulates the amount of heat radiation reaching the interior of the sedan. As a consequence, additional sun blinds are not necessary.