1930 MAYBACH Typ Zeppelin Doppel-Sechs 7 Liter (DS 7) 7.0 V12

Vehicle Overview

Maybach was no longer allowed to produce engines for aviation, so it turned its attention to road vehicles and created some of the most luxurious cars from the ’30s, such as the Zeppelin DS7.

The high-aristocracy still remembered the Zeppelin nameplate, and when they saw it on a car, they didn’t need any further information. While the famous airships represented the most luxurious way to travel in the air, the road version couldn’t be far from that. And it wasn’t.

When Karl Maybach designed the car, it imagined it as a luxury salon on wheels. It offered it in two sizes, with three side windows and wide doors. At the front, the carmaker placed the badge Zeppelin between the fenders in front of the radiator. It was the success badge for those times. Its big headlights and very tall engine compartment offered a commanding view of the road ahead. The side-mounted spare wheels just added more glamour to the luxurious vehicle.

Inside, the carmaker installed up to six seats. There was a bench seat at the front and up to four seats in the back, with two jump seats where the passengers had to stay facing rearward. The most critical seats were on the last bench, where Maybach installed feet rests. As expected, the leather upholstery and expensive wood veneers were standard features.

Under the hood, Karl Maybach installed a V-12 engine. It was the second European vehicle to feature such a “monster” powerplant. It produced 150 hp, and that helped the 2.5-ton car to sprint quickly and provided better performances than most other luxury cars on the market.