Friday, 21 March 2014

Mercedes-Benz 600 W100



One of the rarest Mercedes-Benz to be found on the road today, the Mercedes-Benz 600 W100 is a car that was used for heads of states during it’s time. There were only less than 3,000 units ever built ranging from the short wheel base (SWB), the long wheel base (LWB) and the landaulet.

The Mercedes 600 had many famous and infamous owners as it was a symbol of wealth and power. Some of the notable owners were John Lennon, Hugh Hefner, Elvis Presley and Rowan Atkinson but the Mercedes 600 also caught the eye of several dictators familiar to us such as Saddam Hussein and Ferdinand Marcos.

Being a car that was indeed ahead of it’s time, the Mercedes 600 boasted the largest engines built by Mercedes-Benz then, which was the fuel injected M100 6.3 litre V8. It also featured a hydraulic pressure system that powered almost everything from seats to windows. It was also installed with an adjustable air suspension which could be adjusted from inside the car. Just imagine, this sort of technology even existed back then in the 1960s.

Despite not many built, there are a few fine examples here in Malaysia. Can’t wait to see one in real? Just hang on till the next classic car exhibition here in Kuala Lumpur which is normally held towards the end of the year, chances are you’ll see at least one. This happens to be one of the classics that I love but unfortunately the prices are still a little too steep for me at the moment.

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