1931 MAYBACH Typ W6, W6 DSG 7.0L 3AT (120 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Two years after the company founder passed away, his son understood that building expensive cars won’t make them survive on the market, and he made the W6 model.

Wilhelm Maybach lived a long life, and, in 1929, at the age of 83, he passed away after short, two-day suffering. Karl Maybach, his son, was committed to continuing his father’s legacy. The company was already produced the DS7. The initials came from the Doppel-Sechs (Double-Six), which designated the V12 engines well known for their smoothness. But the car was very expensive to build, and its sticker price was high enough, so just a few could afford one. Karl Maybach had the idea to offer the already known DS7 with an inline-six engine, which was half of the ones installed in the DS series. The result was named W6.

At the front, the W6 featured a chromed bar between the long wheel-arches that supported the big headlights. Its slightly pinned-out radiator with vertical slats was pushed far behind so it would be protected in the event of a crash. Since the car’s engine compartment was long, it allowed the carmaker to install two spare wheels on each side.

Inside, the leather and wood-trims were blended in a harmonious way dictated by the German luxury brand. There was more room in the back than on the front seats. It was a car where the owner was usually driven around by a chauffeur. But the car had limited success. According to some sources, Maybach produced only 40 W6 units, and most of them were lost during WWII.