crb49

So I go by the SoCal MB Classic Center in Irvine yesterday to take back a core exchange and see a friend who's the parts manager and he introduces me to the GM.

During the conversation the GM asks me if I know about the Exelero. I say, "Are you kidding? Of course."

He says, "Would you like to see it?"

I think he's kidding but before I know it, I'm in the garage looking at the one (and only, by the way.)

I can't believe my eyes. Santa Claus lives. I'm still a little in shock when the GM suggests I climb into the driver's seat. The interior is half Maybach and half Viper. Very civilized but somewhat sinister. As my buddy said, "If Satan owned a car, this would be it."

After I've climbed over the sill and gotten settled in, the GM disappears for a minute, reappears, hands me the key and says start it up.

A sound I haven't heard since the original Muira in the 70's. It actually startled me when it took hold. After it warms up for a couple of minutes. I blip the accelerator and it makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. This thing is menacing. I'm playing with the throttle for about five minutes when I decide I should probably act my age and shut everything down.

After about 30 minutes of great stories and actual facts about the car, e.g. ownership, etc., I remember I have to get back and pick up my wife whom I left in the furniture store. Well worth the possible price tag.

I couldn't/wouldn't wipe the smile off my face for entire drive back to the store.

Christmas is complete.

P.S. Funky photos, to be sure, but beats Clay Vision. Enjoy.

velvet fog

I get four big red X's but you look pretty happy in the 5th picture.

You rock!

mannnu81

same here...4 red X's - nice man, awesome, Merry Christmas

AsianML

I see the last one with you next to the Exelero. You're one lucky man to have seen it in person!!

NdnMbLova

So there is only 1? Interesting....

crb49

Sorry I haven't followed up on this thread. Ended up taking a little R & R. I'm trying another file size for the first pics. I hope they're viewable.
I guess looking back, I did have a pretty big grin at the time. The helmets behind both seats with their own mounting ledge was a very cool touch I hadn't seen before. Talk about some serious driving.

The car count was the first thing I asked the GM in the showroom. One is it. He said one of the most interesting things about being on the inside of this car was all the mis-information swirling around the car. Just last week I heard from a pretty astute car friend that there were plans for limited production of 400. Fun stuff. And so it goes...

John Major

There can't be just one. The rapper Jay-Z owns one. It was in his last video. And no, it wasn't rented. It belongs to him. So maybe there's two. Believe me, I work with Def Jam Recordings (Jay Z's parent label). No one believed it at first until he came to work in the damn thing!

crb49

We spoke about the video and the GM is the one who drove it to the shoot. MB initiated the contact with Jay Z and asked him if they would like to use it in the shoot. I can't speak to him driving it to work. (Although I would find that highly unlikely). I do know that the car is individually owned and loaned/leased (?) out to corporate. Don't know the selling price but was told the build value was eight mil.

And, btw, it looks like it's been pretty used at this point. The left rocker panel was off the car and being repaired after hitting a curb. The show wheels were off the car and one of them had just been brought back after being refinished. It was banged up avoiding a cab coming down a small side street in Beverly Hills on the way to a party involving Quincy Jones. The rims are made out of a solid 55 lb.block of magnesium and the final weight after the cut is 8 lb. Pretty amazing.

XRAYVSN

I didn't realize how low that front grill is. I can't imagine it clearing a speed bump much less a rock in the road.

John Major

I know what you're talking about. But Jay still owns one. May not be that particular one, but he owns one for sure. Thats all he talks about now. Every other word it's, "That's okay, I've got the Maybach coupe now." He's usually just clowning though. Jay has long been a collector of fine cars. A lot of people don't know that. He's a trendsetter. And believe you me, he would pay $8 mil for that car just to be the first one to have it. He's always been like that. I remember way back in the day in Brooklyn (we lived a few blocks away from Marcy projects at the time, Jay's old neighborhood) and he was the first one to have the old Lexus GS300 and then he had TV's in the headrest! Back then that was unheard of. And then I remember he was the first one to wear platinum and to have Cristal champagne in his videos (now all these other rappers do it, no wait, they over do it). People thought he was wearing silver and drinking beer! It was funny. Basically what I'm saying is Jay always has to be the first in his class to do anything. If you look at him now, he barely wears any jewelry, his watch doesn't have a single diamond in it, but it costs about $300,000. Now all the kids are trying to look like him wearing the button ups and the tasteful watches without all the overbearing "bling". He's a trendsetter period. Okay, I'll get off his crotch now. Hey maybe he'll read this and give me a promotion!

John Major

BTW, 8lbs per wheel is sick! They must bend pretty easily. Okay I have to admit, I was in the building when I heard Jay pulled up in the coupe. I didn't actually see it. But I still think he owns one because he won't shut up about it. Damn I can't wait til I can get to that level. I've finally figured what I wanna be when I grow up.

MBTech21

Stop it..no he doesn;t own one..if you want to know how i know that, lets just say a certain Ohio based resident, with connections to JayZ, has already said he will pay whatever to have the first one for sale..and they are NOT!!....yet....
actually crb, not to discount the classic center GM (but here in the US we tend to only listen to MBUSA,,which is not DCX); i believe there is 3; and only because there has been 3 cars in 3 different countries at the same time (Canada, USA and Germany)..which would be a cool trick..if it was the same car. No way there is more than that...too expensive..however, i have always thought that if you build some..people will buy,,,400 may be too many, but 100 or so..man you could charge the roof for them..

crb49

Point taken, MBT. Time will tell.

And so it goes... Geez, this is one of things I love about the car industry.

CY

ummm Jay-Z doesnt own one...Im pretty sure about this.

crb49

The car has a hydraulic lift in the front so it can get enough clearance to drive onto the transport trailers.

John Major

You must not know how Jay operates. I'VE WORKED FOR THE GUY!!! Call Def Jam in New York and California. Say my name. It's got credit! You may be right but believe you me, what Jay wants, Jay gets. Matta of fact, look for me in the new Sammie video. It's called "Come With Me." I casted that whole video along with Fat Cats (Director) and Dallas Austin (if you don't know who that is you're under a very heavy rock). All I'm trying to prove is I'm in this industry everyday. It's my bread and butter.

P.S. Go to www.BET.com and please vote for the new Sammie "Come With Me" video. Nice little ballad. (I'm in the tan corduroy jacket in the rain.)

And for you Dick Vitale fans. Check me out in the Hooters Superbowl commercial we just shot with Dick Vitale. He's one of the best people I've ever worked with. Never seen so many Hooter's girls in one place!

vixapphire

SoCalCLK

Where is ClayJ when you need him?

Tommy_s4

he's currently out buying the wally 118, a special VIP concord jet, and he now ownes 17 of the 14 clk gtr's

gcwaterski

WOW, could we name drop a little more?! Ha Ha Ha
For the record- this is RON BURGUNDY writing this, and I'm kinda a big deal

jerseydriver

man that guy is full of ****

for the record Jay-z does NOT own a maybach coupe. he will be the first one to tell you. MB wanted their car in his video because of other companies doing the same. Ferrari and Zonda both went out of their way for their cars to be featured in a Jay-Z video. MB is playing catch-up

their is a guy, i beleive someone already said this, but he already offered MB 15 million for the coupe and guess what. He doesnt even own it. and he has a whole hell of alot more money than jay-z does.

so for the guy with the magical connection to jay-z who has said a couple different versions of his "story" here, you need to go somewhere because guess what. i really have the connections, i can go to def jam and ask about you. i can get jay-z on the phone, i have been to the opening of the 40/40 in NYC and atlantic city, i can tell you what jay-z likes to drink and its not cristal! so get your bread right before you try something stupid because i will call you out on it. if your true, hey, but if your not, dont try me, i will make you look stupid.

Soon2bMB

i heard that they were doing training in Miami on the car, and Jay-Z's people found out and got a hold of the people and training and worked out something. (forgive me if im wrong, but thats the one story i heard)

whoover

The CNN article identifies photographer René Staud as the car's owner. I think that's the first time I've seen that it's privately owned.

crb49

True. See post#8.

tee_tz

Yes, Jay-Z does not own the Maybach Coupe - at least not yet. This car is not in production yet, or rather ready to sell. And by the way, if it's ready to sell, I'm sure a man called Larry Ellison (Oracle CEO, 9th richest in the world - $19Billion), who loves anything expensive will outbid anybody for this car!

I did see him at the video shot and posted here that the car will be featured in a new video (Lost Ones) several, several months ago. But the car is not his. The car did not turn on, nor did he ACTUAL drive it, which rappers do if it's their car.



Tee_Tz.