In 1921 at the Berlin Motor Show, the advanced design W3, the first Maybach, was debuted and garnered plenty of attention. The idea was to build the most technically advanced vehicle possible, and Karl especially wanted to cater to the wealthy and elite crowd. Every Maybach was designed to be exceptionally unique, with a custom body characteristically designed to the buyer's specifications.
Following several models and projects the Type SW 38 was introduced in 1936. This was the final model to be released before the war, and was available in three versions of the straight six engines, a 3.5 liter, 3.8 liter, and a 4.2 liter. The world was stunned by the Maybach SW 38, which was capable of reaching speeds of more than 120 mph, a speed considered ‘blinding' during the era.
This particular car shown has been owned by the same family since the 1950's. This vehicle underwent a complete restoration to original specifications from 1993 to 1997 by Dave Harp Vintage Restorations in Las Vegas, Nevada and won First Prize when first shown at Pebble Beach in 1997. The car also won Best of Show at the Santa Barbara Concours d'Elegance in 1999.
