Car History. 07 The Meeting of Daimler and Maybach

 After meeting Lenoir in France and returning to Germany, Daimler began working around the end of 1863 as a Technical Manager at the Bruderhaus Mechanical Engineering Factory in Reutlingen, Germany. Bruderhaus, meaning “House of Brothers,” was like an orphanage school that took care of children who had nowhere else to go.

Bruderhaus in Reutlingen

Daimler lived a relatively quiet life there, making concrete plans for the direction he wanted to pursue. One day, while Daimler was working in his office, Gustav Werner, the founder and supervisor of Bruderhaus, came to visit him.

Daimler greeted Werner warmly.

“Mr. Werner, welcome.”

“Hello, Mr. Daimler. I hope I’m not disturbing you while you’re busy.”

“It’s quite all right. Please, have a seat.”

As Daimler guided Werner to a seat, Werner looked around the office. Piles of design drawings and unidentified machines surrounded the room, most of them marked with labels.

“Mr. Daimler, your office looks truly lively.”

“Haha! I’ll take that as a compliment. Compared to what I aim to achieve, I still lack the skills, so I am studying in various fields.”

“Amazing. I’ve heard that your skills are second to none in the world, and yet you still study. That is admirable. You must be trying to create something extraordinary.”

“Well, I don’t know if what I intend to build is extraordinary. But regardless of others’ evaluations, it is my own small dream, and I will certainly achieve it.”

“With your passion and drive, I have no doubt you will succeed. But isn’t it difficult to pursue such dreams entirely on your own? From what I see, it would help greatly if you had someone to support you and share ideas.”

“Yes, having such a person would be very helpful. But finding someone like that is not easy.”

“Often, what you seek is closer than you think, Mr. Daimler. May I recommend someone?”

Daimler did not understand what Werner meant by “closer than you think.” At the factory where he worked, there were no particularly skilled engineers.

“Mr. Werner, is there really an engineer here who could share ideas with me?”

Werner smiled gently and replied.

“Not an engineer. He is a 17-year-old apprentice currently studying industrial design, physics, and mathematics at a public school.”

Daimler was stunned. Not even an engineer, but a mere student—an apprentice—being recommended as someone capable of discussing technical matters with him?

“Who on earth is this person? Are you saying this apprentice has such extraordinary ability?”

“Not yet, but with a little more training, I believe he will become a remarkable engineer.”

Although Daimler had not known Werner for long, he was aware Werner was not the type to make empty claims. Since Werner spoke with such conviction, Daimler thought this apprentice must indeed possess some exceptional qualities.

As Daimler pondered, Werner continued.

“This young man was born in Heilbronn in 1846. He became an orphan in 1859. At that time, his relatives were unable to care for him and his five sisters. They even placed an appeal for help in the local newspaper, the Stuttgarter Anzeiger. Eventually, with the support of an organization, he came to the Bruderhaus.”

Daimler, abandoning his own thoughts, became increasingly absorbed in Werner’s story.

“One day, I noticed that broken clocks and small machines left unattended at the Bruderhaus had somehow been repaired and were working again. I had never called a repairman, and there were no skilled workers in our quarters capable of such repairs. Over time, more and more machines at the Bruderhaus began working again. At first, I thought someone might have been helping us, but among the visitors, no one could have done such repairs. So, I began to keep an eye on the students.

Then one sunny day, I saw a boy in the courtyard tinkering with a broken clock. Without any special tools, he was fixing it. After some time, he picked up the repaired clock, noticed me in the courtyard, smiled, and handed it to me. The clock was working perfectly. When I asked if it had been broken, he said yes. When I asked where he had learned to fix it, he said he hadn’t learned from anyone—he had simply examined broken clocks in the past, understood how they worked, and then figured out how to repair them. It was truly astonishing.

To test him, I once took him to a nearby museum and showed him the inner structures of various household items. Later, I gave him some broken machines from the Bruderhaus. A few days later, he had repaired them all and they were working normally. I realized then that this boy possessed extraordinary understanding and imagination regarding mechanisms. While most orphans at the Bruderhaus receive only basic education and training before entering society, I decided to personally sponsor him so he could receive advanced technical training at a public school.”

After hearing Werner’s long story, Daimler asked:

“What is this boy’s name?”

With a knowing smile, as though anticipating Daimler’s interest in this prodigious youth, Werner answered:

“His name is Wilhelm Maybach.”

In the 1890s, at the center of global automobile production, one man was called the “King of Automobile Design.” His name was Wilhelm Maybach. For those who know, the name “Maybach” is also that of one of today’s most prestigious luxury car brands.

To briefly explain, the Maybach automobile brand was revived in 2002 by Daimler Chrysler as an ultra-luxury, handcrafted car to rival BMW’s Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen’s Bentley—one of the world’s three greatest luxury cars. To present the ultimate luxury car, Daimler condensed 100 years of automotive development history, using the finest technology. Over five years, no fewer than 238 engines and 41 test cars were built.

Maybach cars boast fearsome specifications in terms of price, performance, and service. The Maybach emblem features two interlocking “M”s within a rounded triangle. Depending on size and performance, there are four models: 57, 57S, 62, and 62S. The 62S, at about 6.2 meters in length, represents the special extended version.

The 62S was specifically designed under the assumption that an owner would have a chauffeur. It provides maximum comfort for rear-seat passengers with spacious interiors and numerous options. For example, the standard panoramic sunroof can adjust transparency to completely block out light, allowing passengers to control interior brightness. The suspension system monitors the vehicle’s movement every 0.05 seconds and automatically adjusts height to ensure the smoothest ride. Owners can also choose from nearly 2 million custom option combinations. As a result, no more than five cars are produced per day, with each taking 5–6 months to complete.

The price ranges between $600,000–$700,000 USD. Despite its massive weight of 2.8 tons, it is powered by a 5.5L V12 twin-turbo engine producing 550 horsepower, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds. With a maximum output of 612 horsepower and an incredible torque of 101.9 kg·m, the car uses a proven 5-speed automatic transmission for durability and efficiency. Yet, the greatest strength of Maybach lies in its unparalleled service.

Maybach Coupe Exelero

Maybach 62 S Zeppelin 

Maybach does not display cars for the general public; they are sold only through Maybach Sales Centers, with each customer assigned a dedicated manager.

Worldwide, there are only 12 Maybach-Mechaniker—special service experts trained directly at the German headquarters—who provide one-on-one, personalized service to Maybach owners around the globe. These specialists, nicknamed “Flying Doctors,” spend about 200 days a year traveling worldwide by plane. Formed with the brand’s revival in 2002, these experts all have at least 10 years of experience as Mercedes-Benz technicians and participate not only in service but also in vehicle development, giving them exceptional understanding of Maybach’s mechanisms.

This ultimate luxury car brand, Maybach, was created by Karl Maybach, the son of Wilhelm Maybach. In the 1930s, Karl Maybach built the finest luxury cars of his time, having inherited all his automotive knowledge and skills from his father.

And the man who first guided Wilhelm Maybach onto the path of automobiles was none other than Gottlieb Daimler.

Daimler and Maybach.