The biggest Benz: 600 Pullman heads to auction

08/07/2019

This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman will be offered by Bonhams at Quail Lodge.

The car of presidents, royalty, presidents for life, more presidents, more royalty and the occasional tin-pot despot, the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman ruled the world for a good two decades. The official car of smoke-filled rooms, the Grosser Benz was seldom seen in this hemisphere for a variety of reasons. But in many parts of the world it’s still the poster car of political power next to which a Rolls-Royce could look like a tiny commuter car.

In a couple of weeks, Bonhams will offer a four-door 600 Pullman at auction, at a time when awareness of this model on this side of the pond remains relatively low.

Powered by a fuel-injected 6.3-liter V8, the 600 sedan debuted at the 1963 Frankfurt motor show positively stuffed with technology that would not become commonplace for years, including an air suspension with variable ride control, multizone air conditioning, four-wheel disc brakes, several power seats and even power-assisted doors and trunk lid. Yes, this was all happening in 1963. The 600 was the standard-wheelbase sedan model, while Mercedes also introduced a heady variety of Pullman limousine versions with four doors, six doors, several different landaulets and a number of other very niche and very handmade variants. In total, 428 Pullmans were built along with 59 landaulets, but the most popular model, by sales volume, was the “basic” four-door sedan, 2,190 of which left the factory over a nearly two-decade-long period. This meant that the annual output was on par with the best British luxury marques of the time and that all cars were built to order.

No revolutions were plotted in the back seat of this Pullman unless we include revolutions in kitchen products — this is a rare U.S.-spec example that was sold new to an executive at National Housewares, which produced exactly what you’d expect. This car was delivered in May 1970 and was optioned in a black exterior color over brown leather, with wood trim, a wine cooler, a Sony television, insulated glass, an intercom system for the powered partition and air conditioning. Curiously, this car also wears flag mounts, which were not a standard item but had to be specifically ordered.

This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman will be offered by Bonhams at Quail Lodge.

While this car spent its early years in the U.S., it moved to Japan and stayed there until 2004 or thereabouts.

“The current owner purchased the car from Japan and commenced an extensive refurbishment and restoration of the machine between 2004 and 2014,” Bonhams notes. “Work was completed by the experts at Star Motors in Endicott, New York, and the pages of receipts on file detail extensive grille-to-trunk mechanical work that includes expansive work to the complicated air suspension and hydraulic systems, an engine rebuild, brake work and so much more. Over $100,000 in mechanical work alone is evidenced.”

Bonhams estimates this Pullman to bring between $225,000 and $275,000 on auction day, which is where the best examples of this model usually trade. It’s easy to spend an amount equivalent to the bottom estimate restoring a neglected example, so it’s always better to buy a car someone has already restored or refurbished as Pullmans have acres of systems.

The hydraulics in these cars alone are the reason why collectors only touch the best examples (even though we’ve seen a number of barn-find Pullmans over the years), and finding the expertise needed to attend to all of their issues can be a tall order as well. This is also the reason why there is no shortage of unrestored examples out there, or cars wearing a very old respray along with a scuffed interior — the money required to do one right can sometimes be in excess of the value of a concours-grade example.

Visit the auction website to view the full list of lots, along with the auction schedule.

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