By most accounts, Maybach managed to move less than 300 units in all of 2006. These are low numbers even for an ultra-exclusive personal limo manufacturer. We can personally attest to the Maybach sedan being a very fine road car that is sumptuous and coddling, while simultaneously being capable of amazing alacrity when given the spur. Sure, it couldn't quite keep up with its corporate cousin CLK DTM, but it will more than hold its own against a Silver Spur or Phantom. But even a good car can get a bit stale, and although the line was expanded with the "S" models, the 57 and 62 won't personally guarantee the marque's future. As much as we'd love to see the Exelero reach production (so would The Governator), it's far more likely we'll be seeing a cabrio/landoulet version of the current sedan, and possibly an SUV, as well.

CAR Magazine, in fact, is reporting that the 57 and 62 sedans will go topless, with a power cloth top dropping to expose that huge passenger compartment. They also predict that a version of the corporate Mercedes-Benz GL will get a Maybachover to create the ultimate SUV. Picture a new nose and tail and those Concorde-like seats inside. They guess that these models could quintuple Maybach output by adding 25-50 ragtops and up to 1,500 Sport Utes. We see the cabrio as a must-have in light of the debut of the Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, even if Mercedes brings the Ocean Drive to fruition. The SUV seems like less of a necessity, but with a possible Bentley SUV in the future, this would make sense, too.

[Source: CAR Magazine]