French registration in progress

Chassis no. 100.015.12.001779 Engine no. 100.980.12.001846

-One of 21 cars built to this specification, with 4 doors, 1/3-length hood and left-hand drive

-Supplied new to the presidential garage of a well-known country in West Africa

-Completely restored by the Atelier 600, an international specialist in the model

-Exceptional condition

-Perhaps the most exclusive vehicle, the most synonymous with power, in the history of the car

 

The Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet is one of the most prestigious and exclusive official cars ever built. Its lines were the work of the famous French designer Paul Bracq, and it embodied a stylistic vision of rigorous and timeless elegance, intended for the highest echelons of international power, heads of state, royal families and the most influential people of its time.

The 600 represented the absolute pinnacle of automotive luxury and of Mercedes-Benz’ expertise from 1965–1981. It would be 2002, when the Maybach 57 and 62 were introduced, before the same level of luxury would again be found in a car. In four-door configuration with a one-third-length rear hood, the most ceremonial Landaulet version, it was built on the long-wheelbase (3900 cm) Pullman chassis, offering a colossal amount of rear space for use on the most demanding formal occasions. This layout allowed the rear-seat passengers to enjoy a partly open roof, giving them total visibility during official journeys, while retaining an exceptional level of comfort and privacy.

Each car was assembled entirely by hand by the company’s best craftsmen in Stuttgart, following a strict set of requirements and with virtually unlimited possibilities for personalisation. With no set production standards for this model, each Landaulet was created as a unique item, comparable in the way it was built to a high-end watch or a bespoke private jet.

Technically, the 600 was set apart by its exceptional mechanical refinement. It was powered by the famous 6332 cc V8 with mechanical fuel injection, producing some 250 bhp, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. As well as performance, the engine prioritised flexibility, silence and a creamy power delivery, ensuring remarkably smooth journeys despite the car’s size and weight.

Its ride comfort was of an exceptional standard thanks to its central high-pressure hydraulic system, which controlled the windows, seats, doors, boot lid and hood with absolute precision. In addition to this, it had automatically self-levelling hydraulic suspension, ensuring perfect stability at all times, literally giving the feeling of travelling without any effort, regardless of the load carried or the condition of the road.

The version presented here, a 4-door Landaulet with a one-third-length hood and left-hand drive, produced from 1965–1971, is one of the rarest in the entire W100 range, with just 21 examples built. This extreme rarity, combined with its status as a ceremonial vehicle and its historical significance, make it of major importance in the international classic car market.

The example presented here was supplied new at the start of 1971 in a known country in West Africa, as is shown on its ‘Datenkarte’, and immediately joined the fleet of cars in the presidential garage. A great many of the 59 examples built were in fact supplied new in Africa and the Middle East, as well as in Malaysia. This majestic 600 was delivered with many special items of luxury equipment: integrated front and rear cameras with a CRT screen integrated into the wood trim of the division behind the driver, a television and VHS video player, a Sony stereo cassette deck, a foldaway central table, two bars (one of them refrigerated), pop-out glass holders in the rear doors, a telephone in the centre armrest and flag holders on the front wings.

Nearly all the 600s sold new in Africa returned to Mercedes’ factory in Stuttgart 15 or so years after they had been delivered to be completely refurbished. This was the case for this car, which returned to Germany in 1987 for a complete ‘rebuild’ of the entire car. After this mechanical work, Mercedes sent the car to Carat Duchatelet in Belgium for a full restoration of the upholstery and woodwork. The work done at the time was exceptional, with upholstery trimmed in beige leather throughout, and beige carpets. A plaque from the company, based in Liège, is present in the car, together with a booklet from Carat Duchatelet describing all the work carried out.

Following this complete restoration, the car was shipped back to its original presidential garage. The bill at the time amounted to some 3 million French francs! In 2014, when the odometer was reading 27,000 km, it was acquired by its current owner, a great fan of the Mercedes 600. It arrived in France on 5 February 2014. Its proud owner used it regularly after a full mechanical check-up. In 2016, he decided to have it completely restored. For this work, he sent the car to the international specialist in the model, the Atelier 600, not far from Paris. Everything was completely rebuilt, from the engine to the hydraulic and pneumatic systems, all 16 engine mounts and 8 ball joints, the brakes, suspension and cooling system. A new windscreen was fitted and the hood refurbished, whilst keeping the mica sections, which were in very good condition. In short, nothing was left to chance, including the upholstery and chromework. It must be said that this work was remarkably detailed and precise, and the Landaulet is now in outstanding condition, having been restored to an exceptional standard.

 

The ultimate symbol of power and heads of state in its time, the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet remains to this day one of the most desirable cars ever built, combining Paul Bracq ’s magnificent design, advanced engineering, regal comfort and extreme exclusivity, in a manner seldom matched in the history of the car.