Maybach Collectors Open Up a Museum
Giancarlo Perlas June 13, 2016Anna and Helmut Hofman own 18 Maybach cars—roughly 10 percent of the world’s remaining classic cars. What does one do when you have that many classic cars with no one to take them every day for a spin?
The Hofmans have an answer: open a museum.
Helmut Hofman first fell in love with the Maybach when a friend decided to court an older lady, and gifted her with a Maybach. Curious, Helmut asked the man if a briefcase of money doesn’t suit the lady enough? His friend answered that to show his love and devotion, he must give something that is part of his family—the Maybach is one.
Since then, Helmut went home with a burning passion to own every Maybach he can. The first one was sourced from Canada through the help of a German doctor who listed the registered Maybachs.
Like a hunter, Helmut searched for all the types of Maybachs he would like to own. The longest hunt was a black, two-door Cabriolet. Because the original owners knows how valuable the Maybach is, it took time for Helmut to convince him he’s the rightful buyer.
But the most interesting Maybach story is his white, two-door Zeppelin Cabriolet, which was sold to Karl Maybach’s friend in the 1930s in Venezuela, and traveled every year onboard a ship from South America to Europe until 1939.
Helmut, however, isn’t done yet. He’s now hunting for his “heart’s desire”—the W5 vehicle from Emperor Haile Selassie. The bad news? It might not be existing anymore.
But for Helmut, he knows Wilhelm Maybach is probably looking down at him and appreciating the work he has done on his masterpieces.
