ELECTIVE AFFINITIES
To celebrate master German silversmiths Robbe & Berking’s 150th anniversary, Maybach has created a one-of-a-kind S-Class 680. An exclusive model inspired by an elegant 12mR yacht from 1939, a proud member of the Robbe & Berking Classics fleet
by Diego Tamone -
ph. courtesy by Mercedes-Maybach
Nautical Blue Metallic on the upper section, Patagonia Red Bright on the lower—classy tones rigorously separated by an opalite white metallic pinstripe, designed to create a clear demarcation line that emphasizes both beltline and waterline. Aesthetic and functional analogues, their spirit links two worlds, but also two exclusive and unrepeatable objects sharing a common philosophy of life—one perpetually attuned to the pursuit of beauty and uniqueness.
A shared expressive language is embodied by a Mercedes-Maybach S-Class 680, the pinnacle of four-wheeled travel from Stuttgart’s factory, and the “Twelves” Sphinx 12mR-class yacht (a category that reigned for decades in the America’s Cup). This yacht was launched on April 28, 1939 by the Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard and has an adventurous past. It returned to the limelight in 2005 when it was acquired at auction by a trio of sailors, enthusiasts, and philanthropists led by Oliver Berking.
The same Oliver Berking—entrepreneur and fifth-generation descendant of the renowned German silversmith family—heads Robbe & Berking, a company founded in 1874.
Below: The chromatic co-ordination between the one-off Mercedes-Maybach S-Class 680 celebrating 150 years of Robbe & Berking and the newly restored 12mR Sphinx. Opposite page: The elegant encounter between the sedan and the yacht on the dock of the Robbe & Berking Classics shipyard in Flensburg
In 2008, driven by his passion for the sea and classic craft, he founded Robbe & Berking Classics, a shipyard based in Flensburg — close to Germany’s border with Denmark —dedicated to restoring and refitting historic wooden vessels.
The unique connection between Sphinx, one of Berking’s most splendid floating jewels, and one of the most luxurious (and high-performance, powered by a 6-liter V12 engine delivering 612 horsepower and 900 Nm
From the top, clockwise: The central display of the Maybach S-Class 680’s onboard infotainment system; walnut and aluminum inlays reminiscent of yacht decks; the silver-plated champagne flute set by Robbe & Berking. Opposite page: A design narrative expressed through the front-end lines of the Maybach and the bow lines of the Sphinx
of torque) four-door “sport limousines” crafted by the premium spin-off of the three-pointed star brand, is easily explained. Since 2002, Robbe & Berking has been a preferred supplier for Maybach, providing exclusive, custom onboard accessories.
Among these are the two silver-plated champagne flutes aboard this bespoke S-Class 680, specially produced at the end of last year to celebrate Robbe & Berking’s 150th anniversary — a detail increasingly in demand and, in this case, the perfect complement to the crystal-white nappa leather interior, enhancing the refined opulence of the cabin. Equally evocative are the walnut wood panels with aluminum inserts, designed to recall nautical imagery and infuse a touch of timeless classicism into a technologically advanced setting.
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