Mercedes 600: 60 Years of Germany's Best Car? 

Is this the best German car ever produced?

Sadly, Mercedes-Benz is a very different company today. The uncompromising desire to build the best cars in the world is no longer the motivating force behind today's vehicles.

The Grosser will never be surpassed for its presence and status. A true icon.

I recently had the opportunity to sit in a new Maybach. It is unquestionably a marvel of technology and brings comfort to an amazing level. what I can say as the owner of a 600 is that given the choice of one or the other today, I would take the 600, The 600 cannot compare to a modern day Maybach in terms of luxury and even technical advancements. Here is the big difference….When you see a Maybach drive by, your immediate reaction is “there goes a rich person”. When you drive by in a 600, the reaction is “ there goes a special person”. The 600 has many features that are common today in the least expensive of cars. But, there were no other cars in the early 60’s that had them. Mercedes was a true innovator. The technology in the 600 would not be copied by others until many years later. The 600 was and still is a special car that is owned and driven by special people. To drive one is to understand this.

For my entire life these 600 Mercedes have been my favorite and nothing can replace them in class and comfort!

Well，Mao personally didn't have the 600, he rode in hongqi like the rest of Chinese leaders ,but china did have two 600 pullman, both were serving for foreign Office and one was for the delivery of foreign guests(but mostly they rode in hongqi as well) the other was for the head of the foreigners office,Chen Yi ( who was among the many important founders of PROC)，but his car was I believe originally given as a gift by west Germany and was given back to Germany again in late 80s and early 90s. At that time, a guy from Volkswagen came to provide technical support and saw this car so he asked whether he could buy it, but Chinese was like, "take it, it's for free".

I rode in one in Beirut in the 1970s and was amazed at how smooth the ride was. Beautiful, breathtaking car- It's angles are beautiful and in my opinion beats Rolls Royce any day! The car has a timeless look and I wish they would still keep making it.

Great video! I took the photo of Amin’s 600 Pullman shown at 0:35 :) Awesome to see it feature in a video.

Designed and build in the era that a Mercedes Benz car meant something. Bulletproof,reliable engineering meant to last. Just got back from Germany for holiday and even now every day i saw many different versions of the best car they made,the iconic W124. Most were in excellent condition and still daily driven. They still love this Benz. It is the last proper build Mercedes for me. BTW,Jeremy Clarkson had a 600 also

Best cars ever made. I would take one of those before any new Mercedes or Maybach. I want quality engineering and materials. I don't want a computer on wheels.

In the 70‘s I worked in luxurious hotels in Switzerland and I have fond memories of the 600. The Montreux Palace had one for its guests and in St.Moritz and Gstaad we had guests staying for weeks at the time and their 600. In one place in St.Moritz all guest cars where parked underground, there was even a carwash in the parkade and each and every time the car (and often a MB600) was requested, it was washed and polished before being driven up to the lobby!

My white Mercedes 600 SWB was entered in the 2000km Targa Tasmania Rally in 1993. Remarkable performance, outrunning a 1960's Ferrari 250. Ultra comfortable, but requiring several hours of all kinds of maintenance at the end of every day in this five day event. It showed many of the smaller cars a thing or two about handling. On descending mountainous terrain at speed, brakefluid would come to the boil without warning and you would not have brakes for a little while until the fluid had cool down a bit. That gets the blood pumping.. Owning a Mercedes 600 also means 'Service before use' at unpredictable times , especially checking for leaks in the highly pressurized 'Komfort Hydraulic' System. The hydraulic pressure on the side windows is so strong that it could break a person's arm, hand or finger. Definitely not a car to leave children in unsupervised, because of the lethal window operation and the 'touchy' handbrake that disengages when the gear leaver is moved.. 🤔 A 600 is a little like owning a boat. The happiest times are when you acquire it and then again when you have successfully sold it. My bonus was the exhilarating time driving at top speeds in Targa Tasmania and completing the event without scratching the beast.

About 20 years ago I spotted a brown Mercedes 600 (SWB) in the wild. I was (am, and have always been) a HUGE Mercedes fan. So when the owner was kind enough to have a quick chat and demonstrate the hydraulic windows, seats and boot/trunk, I was completely in awe! These cars are truly special, and I sincerely hope _every_ Mercedes aficionado is able to see one up close and in person!

Idi Armin would often eat the livers of people he killed so they couldn’t put a curse on him. He was literally insane, much like Nicolae Ceausescu was insane too. He would have thousands of people paint the leaves of trees along the route he intended to drive to make his trip more scenic. I can only imagine what Saddam’s 600 saw especially when his psychopathic sons were growing up.

Benz is the greatest....greetings from Jamaica 🇯🇲

Legendary tank! 👏🏻😎 I think they won't ever do a car like this again, nowadays they focus on short-term satisfaction, pleasure and even luxury. I don't see any of today's super-luxurious cars, even a Maybach, surviving the challenge of time and lasting as long as this car can, even with proper maintenance. This was a car built to last and passed down between generations, something that today's cars aren't made of. Which is a shame, really.

What an amazing,ecstatic & informative documentary 😊👏🏿

Oh how things have changed, not only at Mercedes but in the German auto industry. Planned obsolescence and profitability are the new mantras.

It's amazing what Mercedes did with what is essentially a square, slab sided box which they put together in a most pleasing and graceful package. Even today it is capable of leaving one breathless.

Would also highly recommend watching Jay Leno’s Garage’s Mercedes 600 episode. He also BTW used to deliver these vehicles to customers when he worked for a Mercedes dealership back in the 1960s.

I had two oportunities in my live to be driven in a Mercedes 600: once in Sweden by Sandvik Steel and another one in the Netherlands by Hoogovens Steel. Both an unique experiance!

I really like the video and as a mechanic who has been involved in many full and partial restorations of the W100, I can say that this is just a spit in the ocean of information about this complicated masterpiece.

Greatest car ever made. Historic vehicle

You can see it dripping hydraulic fluid when it's on the lift at 11:14.

Jay Leno remembers driving them from the Baltimore Harbor up to NYC, as a teen working for the dealership !

It’s a truly beautiful and awesome car. The German government really should make it their official states vehicle again!

Thank You So Much for this !!!

I trully adores this Mercedes Benz, the 600 or W100 or M100, whatever you called it. I fall in love with this very car when I see Top Gear when Jeremy Clarkson compare his Mercedes 600 "Große" against James May's Rolls-Royce Corniche, that's around 2020, even though now in 2023 I just 20 y.o but I absolutely wanted to buy one of this car especially wanted to bought it from UK or whatever country with RHD because I born and live in Indonesia which is RHD. After searching, I just staggered of what features this car have. In that time, fuel-injection V8 engine, hydraulic power steering, an adjustable air-suspension, hydraulic doors, hydraulic boot lid, hydraulic seats, anything, from a car that first released in 1963 but developed from 1950s. The dedication of reliability and for countinously used is just staggering. Forget the mpg or any sort of that, this is one of the peak of car engineering of any time, no wonder then, it was the most expensive car you could buy... in the world. Yes, the feel of luxury and comfortable is different from nowadays luxury cars or even the luxury cars from the same era. It feels like you are one of the most important or to put it politely, an adored people by many many people. But, for me, it's not for that, because I like classic, old cars like that, so, it's a hobby for me. If, I go to a replica, it just not the same. I mean, yes it is totally just like the 600 exterior and interior but, when you replicate something just because you can't buy it, it'll never be same when you actually have or had ride on it. Hopefully sometime in the future, I could buy that car (no replica) and people who wanted that car could also buy it.

Mercedes Benz is the brand will never forget ❤ forever

Fun fact. Jack Nicholson bought the 600 Pullman he drove in the movie The Witches of Eastwick and restored it.....

One of my favorite classic cars

The Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100) is certainly one of the best cars ever, but The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 is certainly one of them, they share the same engine, in fact if you didn't have money for a 600 you bought a 300 SEL.

One of my favourite cars. It had such presence!

Mercedes 600: the only car that can get a hippie and a ruthless dictator to see eye-to-eye.

Interesting that the revival of the Maybach name and luxury never had the presence of the 600. The 600 outdid the RR Phantom V & VI - a luxurious dinosaur v sophisticated power house. Once BMW got their hands on Rolls-Royce with the Phantom VII onwards, they had the style and presence that Maybach lacked... A high tech opulent bloated S class never screamed - FABULOUS in the way the 600 did, and now the current Phantoms... The closest thing to a 600 Pullman Landau was the single example build by Hooper in London from 1989-1991. The Hooper Rolls-Royce Emperor State Landaulette was expanded in every dimension between the base of the front windscreen to base of the rear window. 40 inches longer than the Silver Spirit donor car. 2 inch higher side windows and 4 inch higher roof and 5 inch longer windscreen. The Hooper Landaulette cost close to US$1m and was to be the first of a series of landaulettes, but increasing security issues in the world sphere strangled demand. I was chauffeur and custodian of this 'Chariot of Dreams' in 1993 for a tour of Australian Motor shows, charity events and street parades including St Patrick's Day in Sydney and leading the Melbourne AIDS Candlelight Vigil parade. Inclusions of a rear mohair convertible, lift out targa section for standing for ceremonial occasions, rear facing centre seats with their own sunroof, fold out leather tables with built in Toshiba laptop & printer. Cocktail cabinet with crystal tumblers plus slide-out veneer drawer with champagne flutes. Solid silver his & hers Asperys grooming sets, Philips Carin LCD TV & stereo. Closed chauffeur's compartment with electric division and intercom to rear lounge. X frame exoskeleton under car to add stiffness to a long part open monocoque chassis. Like the 600 the Emperor Landaulette was rather spritely and maneuverable for such a large beast that was too long for a 20 foot container. The 600 Pullman would have been even longer. I wonder if it was too wide to fit in a container??

Great car the sense of occasion for those fortunate few 🚗🚘🚙🇩🇪⛽️

I think Queen Elisabeth II hated the British cars she needed to drive in in the UK after she was driven in the 600 landaulet during her visit to Germany. For sure she needed to hide not to embarrass the UK car industry.

I valet parked Mike Illitch's brand-new S600 in 1993, and was just blown away by the fact there was a cell phone integrated into the frickin' dashboard! Completely unheard of at the time.

Am watching from Uganda 🇺🇬

Great video, DW. Cheers!

Uma Thurman Poison Ivy car. Drove by Bane in Batman and Robin.

So beautiful and timeless ❤❤❤ ❤

Interesting clip. President Banda of Malawi had one.

Back then a Mercedes was on another level. Quality and status mattered more than big screens.

Mr. Sohnen thinks that his car has a pneumatic system. But I guess it makes sense coming from someone that doesn’t like to get on the ground to service his car.

There is no greater Mercedes sedan. This is one of the best, if not the best, sedans ever created. It's a must have car for serious Mercedes collectors. It's not for the faint of heart or wallet.

The BEST part of this video is when the 600 passed a B class at 1:58 😂😂😂 i cant stop watching this video, i can listen to mr Schellhammer all day long!!

It gives you a homely feeling .Nice touch !

Best German car ever produced = Best car ever produced.

I have the full size sales book of the Grosser from around 1968. Given to me by my old German neighbour, Ulrich W.

In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. has 4 600 Models used from 1969 until 1986 as a Presidential Car and one model was now currently displayed in Presidential Car Museum in Quezon City

As these became common in the news flicks of the sixties and seventies we car nuts thought they where rather puny compared to the 770 of the WK2 reels. However they have grown over the years no pun intended. They surley did age like wine.

Mercedes should come with a Nee Grösser. The K770 and 600 were the Grössers back 60 and almost 90 years ago, so time to have a new one!

10:24 Owned by Sultan of Johore, Malaysia. Noticed the royal crest on the number plate.

If this car is made in GTA, the name would be Benefactor Kaiserreich Benefactor: In-game parody of Mercedes Kaiserreich : German for "empire", a reference to its use by royals and dictator

Even the original Mission Impossible series in the 1960’s had some episodes showing these.

You forgot to mention and show George Harrison's grey Mercedes Benz 600, he drove it, he did not have a chauffer. George Harrison was a Beatle for those who may not know

I had the opportunity to take a tour in Mercedes benz factory in Vaihingen Stuttgart Germany. When you buy a car from the Ramstein AB Base, you can pay the dealer to go with you to pick up the car, and you can go on a tour to see the original ventage car. unfortunately, i can only afford the C300 model 2011. I still have the car, and it drives great.

I once sat in one at the local Mercedes Benz dealer, I had my walkman and played Eon's song the spice must flow I was changed

Amazing how a 20 minutes DW feature on the mighty MB600, in a storyline full of big names, just missed to mention the one that matters. Paul Bracq, IS the French designer of this unique luxury german car. The presidency here in 🇵🇹 also had one. Cheers

Mercedes Benz is my favorite car manufacturer, I'm so committed to a point where I've never bought a BMW

金に余裕があれば絶対手に入れたい車

Hands down, the ultimate luxury car because it runs non stop. German engineering.

Id totally buy one someday

The King of Morocco ❤❤

One of the most iconic lines about this car “camp or camp kommandant”

George Harrison also had a Mercedes 600 - not just John Lennon :D

I am surprised you guys didn't featured Jeremy Clarkson's 600 since he is one of the top automotive journalist.

Super Car.😍🥇🏆

Es un mercedes demasiado fino .estuvo en las líneas de montaje de siselfingen casi cuarenta años.ininterrumpidos. su adiós fue a principios del 2000 muy apetecido

At 36 seconds the narrator says "It looks like the kind of car that somebody important should be driving." I have to disagree, rather the kind of car that somebody important should be riding in, driven by a cheauffer.

JUST AN FYI: Ringo Starr was the first Beatles to own a Mercedes 600.. John only owned the car for two years before selling it to George Harrison.

Nice film. Read that the Cambodian despot PolPot, Tito and Kim of the DPRK all had 600s. And they absolutely loved it.

I thought it was Ringo who owned a Pullman, there is a video of him alighting one outside Abbey Rd

Super 🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰

Wie einfach noch ein 300 SL auf der hebebühne steht ...❤

Best of the best. Mercedes-Benz..........

class and allure.

I had the chance to buy Idi Amin's Mercedes 600 when I was in England back in 1983. It had been a repo held by the Bank of England. It was in poor condition, and it smelled terrible. Back in Germany, I owned a 1977 Stutz Blackhawk VI owned by actor Curd Juergens. I was torn between selling it or shipping it back to the US. A young man offered to trade me a 1966 Mercedes 600 for the Stutz. I passed on the trade because it had hydraulic problems. He eventually paid me cash for the Stutz. I sold it for $26,000 back in 1986. I wish I still had it.

Mercedes is the best I enjoyed seeing John Lennons' WHITE with tan😃

Which they had made a newer version in the 80s and 90s..actually the w140 would have been perfect elongated to 600 length.🤔😉

Hugh Hefner had one in Chicago

My dad had a '66 SWB in light blue metallic, like Elvis's. Purchased new at the factory and shipped to the States after a tour of Europe. He kept it ten years and it cost him less than our neighbor who bought his-and-hers Fleetwoods every two years. I'm still in love with that car and wish I could afford one myself.

Insha Allah One day i will buy like this Car and i drive because i love like this car and this is my dream . Just Mercedez Car's 😔😔😔

Tem mais qualidade que qualquer outro carro mesmo rolls royce bentleys cadillacs e a sua longevidade é prova disso

marvelous classic.. nothing like today's plastic and LCD junk....

I agree to - never again. The cars of today are a 100x better than the 600 of the by gone era but they don't mean as much in any way

I just hope I live long enough to get miner restored!

I guess I will stick with my E320 till I win the Lottery :)

Back in the 60s here in Australia I would look in the WHEELS magazine Dad would buy and check the price sheet for cars and it was always the Mercedes 600 Pullman that was the most expensive.

I LIKED IT...

Let's do more beautifully cars. We can.

No mention of Papa Doc, eh!

You didn't mention the coups one built for Rudolph Unhalt (sp?)

German efficiency and excellence at its best.

Divided by Ideology and Culture and Thoughts but United by an Single car Mercedes 600 Whoever says Music brings everyone togther stand shattered Rather its United by Mercedes 😊

The car for presidents divas and dictators alike . A favourite of the South African apartheid government in the 60s and 70 s

A Mercedes Benz slk230k saved mine and my friends life thru one of the most horrible crashes this life long car enthusiast has ever laid whiteness too, these are quality automobiles that have earned the respect level they are known for. Thank you MB ❤

Papa Doc Duvalier had a blue one and was in a museum in Port Au Prince but I think it was destroyed along with the museum in the big earthquake.

Marshal Tito had couple of those. On few occasions when Tito was visiting my home town back in the 70’s as a school kid we would have to go and stand alongside the road where Tito’s caravan would pass by whether that was rainy or snowy day but never sunny, I remember that well, we would have to stand there and wait. When the caravan finally arrived I actually never saw Tito but I remember that Mercedes like I’m looking at it today. Whatta car.