For many decades, the undisputed king of luxury was Rolls-Royce, churning out exorbitantly priced cars that only the richest of the rich could ever get their hands on. Then, in the early '00s, Mercedes decided to enter the fray, debuting new standalone models from a freshly-revived Maybach. Maybach used to make luxury cars way back before the Second World War but had then been bought by Merc and lain dormant until their revival.
Maybachs were (and still are) designed to offer everything a millionaire could want, with the finest materials and top-tier German craftsmanship. They're a celebration of excess, but they don't quite hold up to the outstanding experience of Rolls-Royce ownership. These Maybachs are all fit for a king, but arguably it's still Rolls that has the edge in the battle for best ultra-luxury manufacturer...or does it?
8 Fit For A King: Maybach 57
Maybach's first revived model after its decades of inactivity was this, the 57. Launched in 2002, the name represents the length of the car in decimeters. That makes it 5.7 meters or two-and-a-half Smart cars long, for reference.
It wasn't a strong seller, eventually being pulled from sale in 2013. At that time, it was reported that the 57 and 62 models combined only sold one-fifth of the numbers Rolls-Royce was producing with its similar-sized range.
7 Fit For A King: Maybach 62 Landaulet
The bigger of the two standalone Maybachs, the 62, had a Landaulet version that was designed to give owners the open-air experience without any of those pesky issues with convertibles like wind or, you know, actually having to drive their own vehicle.
The body style is a reboot of a shape that was popular in the 1920s and '30s, but it didn't fare too well in the modern-day. Only eight examples were ever sold, with the rapper Birdman and producer DJ Khaled both claiming ownership of these luxury limos.
6 Fit For A King: Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
After the demise of the first two standalone models, parent brand Mercedes wisely decided against launching any new ones. Instead, they turned the Maybach name into a top-spec version of Mercedes' own flagship S-Class sedan. One of the reasons the original Maybachs didn't sell well was their visual proximity to the much-cheaper S-Class of the time, so combining the two seemed like a good idea.
They were largely right, as the Maybach S-Class is a better seller, with production continuing to this day. It still retains all the hand-crafted construction of the original Maybach models, but just with a more well-recognized nameplate as its base. Prices for the car start at just over $200,000 in the US.
5 Fit For A King: Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600
With the never-ending popularity of SUVs, it was inevitable that eventually, Maybach would release one. The direct competitor to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the GLS certainly has the imposing road presence expected for a car of this nature.
As lavish as its interior is, several reviewers reported quality control issues with early examples of the car. To make things worse, it's been reported that the actual driving experience of the car is very underwhelming; certainly not Mercedes' best work. Still, for an ultra-luxe German front-room-on-wheels, the GLS is hard to beat.
4 We'd Rather Own: Rolls-Royce Wraith
Most of Rolls-Royce's offerings cater to the assumption that the owner is going to be chauffeured around, so the focus for luxury and space is on the rear seats of the car. The Wraith was launched in 2013 as a driver-focused alternative, for those who prefer to be in control of their own transport.
It sports the same BMW-sourced V12 as in several other Rolls models, but only has two doors and focuses the car's features towards the front two seats. As far as luxurious driving experiences go, this is about the best option on the market right now.
3 We'd Rather Own: Rolls-Royce Phantom
The headline act for Rolls' lineup is the Phantom. It's huge, insanely expensive, and sports every extra that the manufacturer could fit in it. This is the car for those who want maximum space, maximum prestige, and features like a built-in champagne cooler with Rolls-Royce embossed crystal glasses.
As would be expected for such an insane piece of machinery, the price for one of these is staggering. The car starts at $435,000, but most owners will spend tens of thousands more than that personalizing the car to their tastes.
2 We'd Rather Own: Rolls-Royce Ghost
The Ghost was conceived as the smaller, less expensive version of the Phantom, for those who want a Rolls without having to drop half a million dollars on the car. It has marginally fewer features than its bigger cousin, but it's still an insanely luxurious car.
Prices for the Ghost start at $332,000, which is still a huge amount of cash but a relative bargain compared to the Phantom. Given how similar it looks in appearance and size, most car fans probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two anyway.
1 We'd Rather Own: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Designed as the ultimate luxury SUV, the Cullinan was the result of the world's current insatiable appetite for SUVs. It's chock full of wood and fine leather, with every small detail down to the very last stitch carefully considered.
Reviewers who've driven the car say that it's surprisingly good to drive too, not by any means an enthusiast's car but then it's not built to be. Any buyers who feel a standard Cullinan is too common can opt for the limited-edition Black Badge version, which offers greater customization options and a princely price tag of $480,000.