Luxury Institute Survey Finds Maybach, Rolls Royce and Bentley Earn Top Ratings from Multi-millionaires

NEW YORK--July 12, 2005--Relative newcomer Maybach earned top honors as the most highly regarded ultra-luxury automobile maker by Penta-Millionaires and Ultra High Net Worths (households with a total net worth of $5 million to $25 plus million) who recently rated and ranked America's top ultra-luxury automobiles.

The study, "The Luxury Automotive Brand Status Index" (LBSI), produced by New York City-based research and publishing firm, The Luxury Institute, rated 10 brands (alphabetical order) including: Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Maybach, Mercedes, Porsche, and Rolls Royce.

"Maybach's ability to earn first or second place on all of the four pillars of a luxury brand allowed it to break through despite its relatively low awareness and newness," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "It is clearly an impressive win for Mercedes Benz, which launched the automobile in the hopes of capturing a solid share of the ultra luxury car segment. Still, the resilience of Rolls Royce and Bentley, given the onslaught of models from new competitors such as Maybach, and from traditional competitors such as Ferrari, Maserati, and Aston Martin, is a testament to their ability to adapt while maintaining their heritage and brand identity."

As the voice of the Wealthy, the Luxury Institute asked Ultra-Wealthy consumers to rate each automaker on "Four Pillars of a Luxury Brand": 1) delivering superior quality, 2) uniqueness and exclusivity, 3) whether the brand is used by people who are admired and respected, and 4) the ability of each brand to make clients feel special throughout the entire customer experience. The survey also asked respondents to rate each brand on price worthiness and on change in status over the previous 12 months.

About the Luxury Institute

The Luxury Institute is an in-depth research, subscription-based organization that focuses solely on the top 10% of America's wealthy. The firm provides a portfolio of publications that guide and educate high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. Publications include the monthly Wealth Report, the Luxury Brand Status Index surveys, and the Luxury Best Practices surveys. To reach the Luxury institute, please call 646-792-2669 or go to wwww.luxuryinstitute.com