The new boss of Mercedes-Maybach just got his dream job and it’s a full circle moment. Markus Bauer drove Maybachs while working as a chauffer during college.
“I was 18, 19, 20, and I was driving S-Classes and the Maybach first generation,” he told Newsweek. It was so nice to drive these cars, but also to engage with the people, and see the people liking the car as well, and being not only impressed, but also falling in love with the brand.”
His love affair with product had begun. “I just love products. I love everything around it. I love the ecosystem,” he said noting that his move to the head of the table at Maybach is like a dream come true.
Even before Bauer got his job, Maybach was in the throws of a brand expansion. The Maybach SL, the company’s convertible coupé, is now in market and the Maybach VLS full-size van referred to internally as a Grand Limousine, is set to be revealed soon.
Will a Mercedes-Maybach G-Class be a part of a future lineup? “I like how you think,” Bauer noted, before continuing to say that there are no plans to bring one to market. “There are pros and cons to it. Let’s see,” he teased.
The company is expanding its reach beyond cars. Last year, it revealed its intention to create a Maybach-themed, shared-ownership yachting experience. This year, the company had a grand presence on the silver screen, serving up flash as the vehicle of choice in “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
“The question is always, what do you want to do with the brand? Where do you want to go with the brand, right? There’s so many ideas we can put out there, but what we’re trying to do right now really focus on the products we have,” Bauer concluded.
Bauer is not worried about the company’s ramp up of its Manufaktur offering and highest-tier Made to Measure personalization program harming Maybach sales. “I think it perfectly works together,” he said. Noting that choosing paint colors and appointments does not equal the overall upgrade buyers get when they purchase a Maybach, which also includes Maybach-specific driving and handling tuning, among other perks.
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