No, the Maybach world is not like that. My instructions told me to drive past the main terminal and head for the Harrods Business Aviation Terminal, a place of enveloping calm and courtesy. In a trice, my car had been parked for me, I was checked in and a cup of coffee and biscuit were in my hands.

Just a few yards away waited the Airbus corporate jet that was to whisk me from the grey winter skies of England to sunny Málaga to meet the new £289,090, V12, six-litre Mercedes AMG-engined 57 S. Not a head-ducking business jet this but a full-size A319 airliner with a couple of private lounges, each with swivelling seats, a dining table, divans that convert into double beds and the sort of cabin service that is more in the butler category.

And this Christmas treat got better. At Málaga airport, a long-wheelbase Maybach 62 limo (£298,925) was waiting. I relaxed in its air-conditioned back seat, stretched out my legs but could not quite touch the front seat, pushed a button to close the power-assisted side window curtains and was driven very quickly to the Marbella Club Hotel.

For me, all this was quite extraordinary; for Maybach man — and woman — it could all be in a day’s travel. But they might not experience seeing how their luxurious and almost fearsomely quick 57 S tackles a race circuit.

On paper, the car’s specification does appear to be the stuff of motor sport: nought to 62mph in five seconds; top speed of more than 170mph with the electronic limiter at work — probably nearer 200mph without it; suspension stiffened and lowered 15mm compared with the regular 57mm, beefy anti-roll bars and Michelin tyres developed specially for the car.

But there are two other figures to consider: the Maybach 57 S is 18ft 9in long and weighs 2.75 tonnes. Which is why Alexander Ender, the Maybach chief chassis engineer, did the driving, with me sitting awestruck alongside him as we thundered at up to 125mph between the 26 corners of the five kilometre-long Race Resort Ascari track high in the mountains near Ronda, the laws of physics doing their best to hurl the car into the rough. Thankfully, the combination of Ender’s skill and a plethora of electronics kept us on the tarmac.

“This is not a race car but we wanted to build a more dynamic Maybach with all the features of comfort and quality of our other models,” he said as the hefty Maybach howled and hurtled onwards for lap after lap. “The Ascari track shows what we have achieved. The ESP [electronic stability programme] doesn’t interfere too much, but always comes to the rescue if necessary.”

On the road, too, the 57 S is a convincingly rapid mover, sweeping past slower traffic with total authority. Its steering is a little vague but it is surprisingly nimble.

It is a car that is always the centre of attention — despite styling subdued to the point of aesthetic indifference — whether it is waiting at a pedestrian crossing or motoring along, with other drivers looking askance at its shiny presence. The Maybach is lavishly equipped with optional extras including family crests and the owner’s initials. You can have ghastly gold trim instead of chrome, too. Despite these lapses, the 57 S is generally all good taste and craftsmanship. Each engine is individually assembled by one technician and signed by him, and the car’s interior decor includes piano lacquer and real carbon fibre.

For more than 99 per cent of the population, owning the powerful, lavishly-equipped Maybach 57 S is unthinkable and absurd. And the likelihood of its being driven to its full capacity unlikely.

But in the rarefied upper monetary stratosphere in which a very few people dwell, the mere existence of the 57 S, with its price, power and quality, is reason enough to own, to drive, be driven and seen in it.

SHOPPING GUIDE CHRISTMAS GIFTS

EVEN with the Christmas credit card in hand, it is difficult to spend more than the £289,090 cost of a Maybach 57 S unless you buy another Maybach — the £298,925 long wheelbase 62 limousine. But here is our guide to where to start if you want power — and a comfy four seats — at a price with cash left over for some extra presents.

Rolls-Royce Phantom
Incredibly, a cheaper option at a mere £256,000. The change would buy a turkey the size of Hampshire.

Bentley Arnage
Truly elegant and a snip at £180,000, which leaves lots left over for sherry and mince pies, unless you raid the options list. One buyer wanted chilled running water in the car — a tank and tap were fitted.

Mercedes-Benz S600 Limousine
One of the Maybach's gelow-the-salt relatives costing just £98,270 without options, maybe £120,000 with everything, but get the butler to drive it.

BMW 760iL
At £82,925, this is positively working class to the Maybach clan and even grabbing every extra in the catalogue mught bump up the price to a mere £100,000, about a third of a Maybach limo.

Audi A8 6.0
A paltry £75,000, but its comprehensive options list (including a door panel-mounted cigar cutter) takes the potential price to £115,000. Del Boy territory for Maybach owners, though.

Jaguar XJ Super LW
In terms of price like comparing Woolworths to Harrods, yet the long wheelbase Jag's £74,995 represents best value for money of the lot, to the extent that even Scrooge would raise a smile on Christmas morning if he found one of these in his stocking

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