1938 Maybach SW38 Special Roadster by Spohn

Following several models and projects, the company limousine, 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.

This luxurious vehicle offered elaborate and extravagant seating for seven passengers. The vehicle was equipped with five standard seats and two folding seats. 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.

Available in various body-types, as was typically standard with pre-war cars, the SW was available in both Sedan and Cabriolet. A total of 520 models were built between 1935 and 1941. Today, only around 152 Maybachs are known to exist, some bringing upwards of a million dollars at auctions. Custom-bodied V12 Zeppelins also can command huge prices as classic car auctions.

A total of around 520 vehicles of the SW38 were built during the production of years from 1936 to 1939. To this day, very few of the SW38 are still around today. The power of the vehicle came from a 3.8 liter engine, with an inline six cylinder engine. The manual transmission offered one reverse gear, and five forward gears. The front and rear doors were both hinged on the center column.

The front seats were individual, and had a robe rail and storage pocket on the rear of the backrest for the convenience of rear seat passengers. Resting atop of the radiator shell was the classy MM (Mayback-Motorenbua) hood ornament. Small rectangular box units were placed on each side of the windshield that contained turn signal flasers that flipped outward when activated. Due side-mount spare times were also featured on the vehicle.

The engine was a four-stroke spark-ignition engine with 6 cylinders. The displacement was 3815 cc, and had an output of 140 hp at 4000 rpm. The transmission was the Mayback DSG 35 double overdrive transmission. The SW 38 carried a wheelbase of 11.08 ft, and had an overall length of 16.40 ft.

Unfortunately, the company's focus was redirected to manufacturing engines for military, marines and rail purposes, and by 1941, production of Maybach automobiles ceased.

In 2003, the Maybach brand was resurrected in 2003 after considerable effort from Daimler-Benz and showcased a lineup that consisted of a pair of luxury sedan models.

Willhelm Maybach was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1996. From 1921 until the WW2, a total of 2,300 vehicles, including show cars and the early W1 and w2 prototypes were constructed. Today, around 150 Maybach vehicles remain

This particular example has a SOHC inline six-cylinder engine with two Solex MMO VS 35 carburetors, a four-speed DSG manual transmission, and four-wheel drum brakes.

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