After WWI, Maybach couldn't do aviation engines anymore, so the carmaker had to turn its attention towards another rising star of the engineering industry, automobiles.

Karl Maybach designed the Typ 12 as a replacement for the former W3 and W8 models and tried to create the most luxurious vehicle on the market. It succeeded with that, and the Typ 12 also became one of the most expensive cars in the world.