Mercedes-Benz 600

The Mercedes- Benz 600, internally designated W 100, in the 1960s and 1970s was the state and representative vehicle of Daimler -Benz.

• 4.1 Prominent owner

History and Technology

History of development

The origins of the 600ers are in the middle of the 1950s. Fritz Nallinger, a leading developer of Daimler -Benz, pursued the development of a carriage on the status of technical feasibility. So the car was given, among other air suspension, automatic transmission, power steering and brakes. The developers also subjected to a model with a longer wheelbase into consideration. It soon became apparent that an economic success with this car would hardly be possible, since the share of development costs at expected low numbers for a copy at 37,000 Mark would - the finished automobile cost in 1964 56,500 Mark. The Mercedes 600 was also over its entire construction period is always a loss-making business, the operational Daimler -Benz especially for image reasons.

In 1960, the form-finding was completed. With twelve different prototype test drives were taken, after which the exact specifications of the car were established.

Performance in the public

The series debuted in September 1963 at the IAA in Frankfurt. Just two weeks ago had been introduced from around the world of 600 ten journalists. The " Grand Mercedes " was very well received by the public. The first car was delivered of First order, an architect from America.

Karosserievarianten

The four-door sedan is almost two meters wide and 5.54 meters long, the Pullman limousine and the six inner versions are 6.24 m long, still impressive appearances and for many the epitome of representative government body.

The third variant is an open Pullman Landaulet. A total of 49 Landaulet were delivered left-hand drive and right-hand drive 10. The development of a convertible and a roadster was considered, but rejected the plans. Two prototypes of a coupe version were produced. One of Fritz Nallinger was made available, the " Nallinger coupé ", the other was used only for internal testing. The 600 Coupé was regarded as not very well proportioned.

The long version was also offered with six doors and a middle row folding seat, it was intended for customers who travel with personnel or bodyguards.

Of the 2677 cars were produced 429 as a Pullman variant or as a six -door and 59 as Landaulets, they are characterized by a solid roof above the front driver and a convertible folding top over the rear passengers from. There were two Landaulet versions, one with long and one with short rear deck. The new Pullman two vis-a- vis arranged rows of seats are available in the rear.

Special

One of the most special is the Pope Paul VI. built Landaulet. This has four doors, a single chair back, increased by 70 mm roof and a higher floor in the rear. After 20 years of service at the Vatican this single piece of 1985 he returned to Germany and is exhibited in the Mercedes -Benz Museum. For the counts of Berckheim a Landaulet was built with a shortened wheelbase. The work was also considered to produce an ambulance based on the 600, but this was never realized.

Motor

Mercedes- Benz sold in this luxury sedan not only in size and weight ( 2.5 to 3.3 tons depending on the model ) standards. The V8 - injection engine M 100 with 6.3 liter engine was a new development at the forefront of what is technically feasible at that time. The top speed of the shorter four-door car is 205 km / h and acceleration to 100 km / h takes 10 seconds. The Mercedes 600 was at that time one of the fastest production cars in the world and was dubbed as the " Biggest sports cars of all time". The M -100 engine was a few years later using the top model of the series W 109, the 300 SEL 6.3 and has been enhanced in displacement - again the now enlarged Rolls- Royce engine on bidding - and with a Bosch K- Jetronic fuel injection provided, even in the 450 SEL 6.9 installed. Both sedans were motorized in their performance at the time of their respective show how contemporary sports cars.

Specifications

The numbers in parentheses refer to the seven - or eight -seater 600 Pullman and six doors.

Hardware

The features of the sedan included much of what at the time was technically possible and even decades later not self-evident in today's vehicles. Example are: air suspension, a comprehensive hydraulic servo system ( so-called " comfort hydraulic "), an electrically controlled heating and ventilation system, air conditioning, hydraulic adjustable seats, front, hydraulically adjustable rear bench, hydraulic windows and also hydraulically operated sunroofs ( Long Wheelbase was also a rear sunroof can be ordered ). Noteworthy was the almost silent in comparison with conventional electric motors, hydraulics, but quickly lost with the engine off in strength. In the development of the car 15 patents pending.

Interior decoration

The interior of the 600 was simple. The equipment options were numerous ( veneer choice, suede or leather, freezer, car phone, sunroofs front or back), so there are probably no two alike -equipped 600.

Facelift

The facelift while 600 fell over the entire production period of very cautious when it comes to visual aspects. Technically, the 600 was modernized again and again; of clearly visible rejuvenation of the model saw Mercedes -Benz probably especially so as to avoid losses during the very long model run-time owners of the early volumes of image and. The design of the interior, especially the front, roughly corresponded to that of the 1965 S -Class W 108 / W 109 as it was in 1972 replaced by the Substitute W 116 series, the 600 interior looked frumpy in comparison, but was retained - probably rightly suspected Mercedes -Benz in the 600- buyers the most conservative of all buyers.

It only small visible changes have been made, for example, accounted for from 1971, the cinching of the doors. From 1969 ( from 1 January 1970 binding), the previously red-colored turn signal lenses had to be changed at the rear because of the new traffic regulations, which are now prescribed flashing amber lights. This provision had to be transposed to other vehicles of Daimler -Benz. There were other small changes, such as the enlargement of the handle of the cigarette lighter, or replacement of the " bolster " said head supporting the first model years through the head restraints of the model series W 108 / W 109 In the first years of production headrests were behind standard; forward they were extra charged. The door mirrors have also been replaced by the level of the W 108, the hubcaps were given instead of eight twelve vents.

Continuation of the series

Mid-1970s was considered to develop a successor to the 600. The so-called W 100 F should be technically and stylistically similar to the W 116 series and get the more advanced engine of the 450 SEL 6.9. The design represented a compromise between tradition and modern design, however, was not pursued for lack of sufficient sales opportunities.

Prices

In August 1964, the list price for a Mercedes 600 56,500 Mark was ( adjusted for inflation according to today's purchasing power 112 183 euros ). Towards the end of its construction, the car cost according to the price list dated 1 February 1979

• 600 sedan, five / six seats, four doors: 144 032 DM (equivalent to 160,670 euros )
• 600 Pullman long, seven / eight seats; four doors: DM 165 424 ( 184 534 EUR )
• 600 long, seven / eight seats, six doors: DM 175 392 ( 195 653 EUR )
• By comparison, the 450 SEL 6.9, the most expensive model of the former S- class, cost DM 78 960 ( 88 081 EUR )

Importance

Production of the 600 is supposed to be always been a losing proposition over all years because of special customer requests and the continuous manual labor, despite high prices for Mercedes, which was run for reasons of prestige. In addition, the competition to Rolls- Royce and Bentley played a significant role; so enlarged Rolls- Royce 's own engine from 6.2 to 6.75 liters to surpass the 600 with its 6.3 liters - which then in turn to increase the M100 engine of 6.3 liters, as in the 600 and 300 SEL 6.3 installed, led to 6.9 -liter displacement, as it was used in the 450 SEL 6.9.

The 600 did not even reach ten percent of the targeted annual production of 3000 pieces. He remained a very rare car while Rolls- Royce and Bentley - could be sold annually by 3000 car - then two brands of economically independent manufacturer.

On the operational result of Daimler -Benz in the 600 no immediate positive contribution was made. On the other hand, impressed just in the (then almost unrivaled ) newscast daily news of the ARD repeatedly seeing pictures of state guests of the federal government, which were run in the open back 600 Landaulet, the opinion of generations about have to look like a state limousine. For the reputation of Mercedes -Benz 600 was essential.

Trivia

In addition to many other film appearances in the 600 is in a scene from James Bond 007 - On Her Majesty from 1969 to see as the helpmeet of the villains Ernst Stavro Blofeld ( Telly Savalas ) from the rear of a 600, the fresh with James Bond ( George Lazenby ) married Teresa ( Diana Rigg ) shoots. Also in the upcoming film Diamonds Are Forever, Mercedes makes an appearance as well as in Octopussy, in the Louis Jordan goes into a 600 for a lost Faberge auction.

Prominent owner

Its customers included, among others, the following famous people:

• Elizabeth Taylor
• Manuela ( the Berlin pop singer had a red 600 and drove it to the stage their shows at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas )
• John Lennon ( of the car later sold to his fellow Beatles George Harrison)
• Rudolf Schock
• Ivan Rebroff
• Udo Jürgens
• Elvis Presley
• Herbert von Karajan
• Aristotle Onassis
• Coco Chanel
• Max Grundig
• Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
• Johannes von Thurn und Taxis
• Leonid Brezhnev
• Emperor Hirohito
• Les Humphries Singers Les Humphries of the
• Kim Il-sung
• Gustav Schickedanz
• Jeremy Clarkson
• Jay Kay ( bought the car from Coco Chanel )

Many states had a 600 in the fleet, including Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Cambodia, Cuba, Austria and Turkey. In Germany, the vehicles of the Federal Government or the Federal President of Daimler -Benz from the fleet were provided.

The by Leonid Brezhnev during his tenure as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU private Mileage, 1966 built 600 came out in 2008 by the Tax Office Potsdam to foreclosure for € 103,600 to an anonymous.