1932 Maybach Zeppelin DS 8 Convertible Sedan

The giant Graf Zeppelin airship of 1928 was powered by the 12-cylinder Maybach engine, but the first Maybach motorcar to use the same Doppel Sechs (Double Six) engine was introduced in 7-liter form a year later. The name 'Zeppelin' was reserved for the fabled 8-liter-engined DS8, first shown at the Paris Auto Salon in 1930. This colossal automobile, weighing over 6,600 lbs, was fitted with Maybach's revolutionary pre-selector transmission, which made driving the huge car a whole lot easier, and it was bodied by Karrosserie Spohn of Ravensburg, Germany. The sporty four-passenger cabriolet was purchased by J.B. Nethercutt in 1968 after having been located in Warsaw, Poland, by his British friend Leonard Potter. Mr. Potter then assisted in bringing the car through the 'iron curtain' to Hamburg, Germany, and eventually to England, from where it was shipped to the United States. The acquisition process took over a year, and involved miles of 'red tape' and several trips to Warsaw, Poland to complete. The Maybach was restored to its original splendor after its arrival at the Nethercutt Collection and has been shown at many Concours around the country. It was recently freshly restored.