I don't have the source at hand but I remember DC
saying the main markets are the US and Asia -
which makes sense as many wealthy Germans prefer
not to show how rich they are.

Juergen

"Dori A Schmetterling" <ng@nospam.co.uk> haute in die Tasten:

Good example. I do not like the current italian prime minister at all. In
fact I believe, that he committed several crimes and tries to get away
with it by changing the law. But this does not affect my consumption of
italian wines of all vintages and brands;-). Funny enough: One of the
worst glasses of wine I drank in my whole life was a white californian
wine, which I had for dinner in a restaurant in the SF Bay area.
Obviously the Californians sell their best wines abroad - the Italians do
it just the other way 'round;-)

To come back to the topic: I assume that the Maybach was not primarily
made for the domestic german market. In Germany DaimlerChrysler set up
only two Maybach showrooms in Germany, one in Berlin, one in Munich. I
can very well imagine that Singapore will buy more Maybachs than Germany.

Frank

I suggest you refrain from silly remarks about people's linguistic abilities
until such time as you speak German or French or... as well as Frank or
others speak English.

Furthermore, we are quite aware of the backgound for the "freedom fries"
nonsense in the US.  Pathetic, isn't it?  Just because a few people in the
US disagree with French government's policies you blame the language...

Whether you think Californian wines are better than French wines is fine.
Enjoy your boycott of the products of the world's greatest wine industry.

DAS

"Does not belong to"??? Ending a sentence in a preposition??? Tsk tsk. Shows
your level of intel.....  Get rid of that stupid fly...SWAT!

"The earnest one" <earnest37@sbcglobal.net> haute in die Tasten:

Germans have not developed a genuine word for Pommes frites (fried
potato sticks), they use the original french name. If you look into a
menu in a german restaurant you will find exact these words for it.
"Pommes" or "Fritten" are simple synonyms for the original french word,
which usually are used only in spoken language. The direct translation
of "Pomes frites" is "Bratkartoffeln", but this word describes a
different kind of meal: Sliced potatoes with herbs and pieces of onion,
fried in a pan (not swimming in a pot of boiling oil).

It seems that your knowledge about german culture is as low as your
knowledge about the Iraq war backgrounds. I suggest the following:

1. get yourself a real name
2. avoid mentioning this issue in a newsgroup where it does not belong
to

Frank

Would seem a bit wierd if they call them pomme in Germany since pomme is
French. Pomme de terre is French for "apple of the ground"...or potatoe.
This whole thing about not calling them "French fries" here in the US is a
backlash against the French for their back-stabbling, under-the-table deals
with Saddam in the UN Oil for Food Program. They, along with the Germans and
Russians, were caught red-handed with their hand in the money barrel so
Americans decided to retaliate. Besides, California wines are not only
better but much less expensive than the French stuff. I even prefer German
wines to French, especially the white wines from the Rhine Valley. Ta..da!

Not where I am, it's not.  Nous pouvons parler Francais toujours...

...and we don't have any of that freedom fries nonsense...and, in any case,
in Britain we call them chips.  In Germany they call them Pommes, pronounced
in two distinct syllables (pom-ess).  They don't normally bother with the
"frites" bit.

Why the Americans call them French fries beats me...Not even the Franch call
them "Frites Francaises".

DAS

[........]
.......for the moment its politically correct not to use

..................

<< Chauffeur-driven, dear Jay, chauffeur-driven... >><BR><BR>

ummm... too French :-)

Like the Maybach grill, for the moment its politically correct not to use
French words. I am sure it will change fast, just like the trendy Maybach
grill, and unlike Rolls...

Regards,
Jayanthan (Jay) Bala.
P.S. In the future please use:
[PixMovieMaker@hitpix.net]

Chauffeur-driven, dear Jay, chauffeur-driven...

More seriously, other than some of the detail, I would have thought you get
just about most of this on an S-Class (even bearing your specific comment in
mind).

I have a far lesser car (a 'mere' CLK), but with its relatively 'tiny' 218
hp 3.2 l engine I still get to 100+ mph in a frighteningly short time.  The
noise inside the cabin is somewhat higher, especially as it's a rag-top
cabrio, but I accept that.  The feel is of quality even there, and the ride
is fine.

You have given the Maybach a lot of merit points, very nice, but are they
worth the USD 200 000 plus over the top S-Class?   (Other than the
exclusivity/rarity/look-I'm-rich aspect.)

As I suggested in another, similar thread, admittedly without driving a
Maybach, a top S and an SL together are a better, more economical
proposition than a Maybach.

DAS

[..........]

Finally got time to write something that needs a bit of thought.

You got about two hours to drive the car, I think I had it for three hours or
so. I did not feel the time at all. Its very comfortable, never a felt bumps on
the road, its silky ride is highly memorable; its least fatiguing... time flies
in the car. It accelerates vigorously yet with the civility of a luxury
automobile; no head snapping, yet you feel the pull, very strong like an
aircraft about to be airborne.

During this massive acceleration, you can change lanes, overtake and get back
to your original track--its truly a beautiful experience--its composure stays
calm during all this. Speedometer reads 120 mph within few seconds during that
maneuver, do not feel the speed at all. It felt like 70 mph or so ... except
you begin to feel the cars in the front, traveling in your direction, suddenly
speeding toward you. It can be a bit scary. The breaks are very powerful: In no
time you are following the traffic! Only thought that goes through your mind at
the end of this few seconds is, this is good, I want one! Though, I felt the
steering wheel could be a bit tighter, sport mode or otherwise, it was a bit
too free wheeling or may be I am used to tighter... I am not suggesting we go
back to manual steering ... far from it.

The 57 Maybach, as big as it looks, its a nimble car. Its butter smooth and
crisp in corners as well as in tight parking lots! I was very surprised.
Interior is sweet. Seats, head rest, trims are the worlds best. Its just
perfect. Some part of the dashboard uses real leather, but treated to look like
suede. It makes for great look, but it shows finger marks too easily and that
doesn't look good. I am sure you could lint-free cloth or something and wipe it
down in on uniform direction and it would look super. I think such would be
great on the 63 Maybach as its a driver-driven car, you sit at the back and
enjoy the view.

The 600 some HP engine is well mated and felt precise. Though, it is typical of
the SOHC of Mercedes of today. Somewhat tinny, light weight feeling and not so
refined, reminds me of it as a "lease" car feeling. While the past SL600 or the
S600 engine has a sense of weight and "command" is clearly absent. Paint job is
first class, the one I tested was gray on silver dual tone. Its very classy, I
loved it.

Unfortunately, the front grill is trendy than classy, it looks like they looked
for inspiration form the International truck grill. I wish they designed a
grill for the next 100 years. Head lights are nice, again, I would set the
industrial design of the head lights to something of a classic shape "beaming
with power." Its the eyes of the machine. May be Maybach should call me in to
consult on overall theme/design or the ID of the car.

On U-turns or extreme sharp corners I couldn't break its back loose to swing
the back to reposition the car. May be I should try it again, but there was
something strange: On a U-turn from rest, when I tried to get the back to break
away, the car instead tilted, sort of like sitting on its side feeling. My
speculation is that the six or seven thousand pounds was thrown off and the
self leveling may be doesn't kick in till a certain speed....

It does leave you with a somewhat mixed feeling of spending U$350,000 or so on
it. I am still thinking. I need something, that final oomps, to just walk in
there and buy one. Oh well...

Overall, it is a fine, ultra classy automobile.

Regards,
Jayanthan (Jay) Bala.
P.S. In the future please use:
[PixMovieMaker@hitpix.net]