Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser: The Ultimate Benz of the 20th Century
This custom-built Grosser was once for the most powerful people in the world, and is worthy of all your staring.
Today, the world of ultra-luxury cars is an incredibly crowded field. Do you want a personalized Rolls-Royce? A candy-colored Lamborghini? One-of-one bespoke Ferrari? Or maybe something even rarer, like a Koenigsegg? If you’re a full-fledged member of the 1 percent, it might be hard to find something that conveys the power and prestige you want it to.
Of course, in the late 20th century, it wasn’t nearly as difficult. That’s because from 1963 to 1981, the world’s most powerful people could buy the Mercedes-Benz 600 “Grosser,” the most exclusive and expensive car in the world. Take for example this Grey-Blue Metallic Grosser from ClassicCars.com
The modern-day S-Class may be safer, faster, and more reliable, but come on, it has nowhere near the presence of this Grosser. For the well-heeled with good taste, the big Benz was the only car to own.
From the ad: “The cast of characters that would own one or more 600’s is legendary – from George Harrison, Coco Chanel, Elvis Presley and Elizabeth Taylor to an ensemble of Political leaders such as Chairman Mao (reportedly owning 25 examples) The Pope, Kim Jong-un, Fidel Castro and Leonid Brezhnev. In short, it was quite a cast of characters indeed.”
In recent years, you can add Jeremy Clarkson and Jay Leno to this list.
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While it isn’t explicitly listed in the ad, motivation comes from Mercedes-Benz’ M100 V8. This mill was good for 300 horsepower—not bad for the 1960s. The cars were built to customers’ specifications, but this example has Becker Grand Prix cassette decks mounted front and rear, a massive sunroof, and a console-mounted refrigerator.
This particular car has been with its owner for 12 years. This is a good sign, as the car’s air suspension and hydraulic systems (which control everything from gearshifts to the power windows) are notoriously high-maintenance. With pre-war Benzes, W198 and W113 SLs rocketing into the stratosphere, this ultra-luxury cruiser is a lot of car. Without a doubt, it’s one of the greatest cars Mercedes ever built. You’d better believe we’d have one in our dream garage.
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