Wilhelm Maybach was born in 1846 in the town of Heilbronn, Germany. Orphaned at the age of ten, he attended a progressive orphanage called the "Bruderhaus" in Reutlingen. It was there that nineteen-year-old Wilhelm met Gottlieb Daimler, the design studio director of the Bruderhaus, and the mentor who would change both of their lives.

In the 1920's and 30's, Wilhelm's son, Karl Maybach would build on his father's legacy by designing his own brand of ultra-luxury Maybach sedans.

Seven decades later, in 2002, DaimlerChrysler AG revitalized this Maybach Brand in recognition of Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl, who together played such a monumental role in defining German engineering. The Maybach Family Foundation honors the spirit of Wilhelm and Karl, and their legacy of mentoring in the pursuit of excellence.