Maybach's clutch was a cone clutch, which consisted of a conical male part (the driving member) and a conical female part (the driven member). The male part was attached to the engine's crankshaft, while the female part was attached to the transmission. When the clutch was engaged, the two cones would come into contact and friction would cause them to rotate together, transmitting power from the engine to the transmission.
Cone clutches were not very efficient, however, and they were eventually replaced by disc clutches, which are still used in most vehicles today. Disc clutches use two flat plates (discs) that are pressed together by springs. When the clutch is engaged, the discs come into contact and friction causes them to rotate together, transmitting power from the engine to the transmission.
