Businessman Josef Weikinger from the small state of Liechtenstein (which is sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland), has a penchant for big luxury cars. He has owned many luxury limousines in his lifetime, but none impressed him more than the Maybach 62.
Weikinger bought the Maybach 62 new in April 2004, spending €450,000 ($625,000) on the 6.17-meter-long flagship model of the now defunct brand. By September of 2009, the car had already covered 1,000,000 km (621,371 miles), as Weikinger, the owner of a solar panel glass manufacturing company, had to travel across the continent for contracts.
He kept the car until 2013, when he replaced it with a BMW 760Li. He said he grew attached to the Maybach because he saw no other alternative, describing it as a mobile living room.
Since the Maybach 62 is powered by a 550hp 5.5-liter V12 engine and weighs 2.8 tons (5,600 lbs), it’s easy to imagine fuel bills were huge. Weikinger actually kept track of its expenses and says the Maybach sipped 167,000 liters (44,117 US gallons) of super plus gasoline during 1 million kilometer trips across Europe.
However, it wasn’t a stress-free journey. After 600,000 km, the engine failed and needed replacement. Two months later, the transmission and the front shocks were replaced as well, with electrical problems occurring too. Although he now drives a BMW 760Li, Weikinger says he still regrets that Mercedes-Benz killed the Maybach brand.
By Dan Mihalascu
Story References: AutoMotorSport
Note: Stock Maybach photos
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