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LOT 136 Black
Beloved by presidents and plutocrats the world over, Mercedes-Benz set out to build the Best Car in the World and with the 600, they succeeded admirably. Known universally as the Grosser due to the massive scale of the car, the 600 was an incredible piece of engineering, without doubt the most technically advanced luxury car of the era. The mighty M100 6.3 litre V8 engine developed 250 bhp and a colossal 369 lbs/ft of torque, more than enough to propel the 600 down the autobahn at a serious rate, keeping drivers of lesser cars watching their mirrors. Every facet of the 600's design was over-engineered, from the powerful disc brakes to the self-leveling fully independent suspension. A complex hydraulic system operated the central locking, bootlid and petrol cap, the power windows and the fully adjustable front and rear seats. Separate heating and ventilation systems for the front and rear compartments was another novel feature. Even the horn was over the top –Jeremy Clarkson demonstrated it was the loudest in the world in an episode of Top Gear. Mercedes-Benz launched the Grosser in 1963 and it remained available to order as late as 1980, with 2,190 short-wheelbase cars, 428 Pullmans and 59 Landaulettes built over that period. Of these, 342 were sold to right-hand drive markets like England and Australia. Famous Grosser customers included the Pope, Prince Ranier of Monaco, Fidel Castro, Aristotle Onassis, Elvis Presley and John Lennon – in the Sixties and Seventies celebrities, pop stars and heads of state all lined up at Stuttgart to own one. Even at the height of the Cold War period, communist leaders like Fidel Castro, Leonid Brezhnev and Pol Pot all strangely favoured what was surely the ultimate in capitalist transportation. Finished in black with parchment leather upholstery, this outstanding and very early 600 is a factory right-hand drive car first delivered to York Star Motors in New South Wales, Australia. The current owner has totally restored the Mercedes-Benz over the last decade, rebuilding the motor in 2006 with new pistons, rings, bearings, valves and chains. The interior received a leather kit from GAHH in 2005 and the black paintwork was also re-done to a high standard. Everyone knows the cost of restoring one can be prohibitive and the only way to purchase a 600 is to find one already done. Sold without registration.
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