The Mercedes-Benz 600 (internal code W100), unveiled in 1963 and built until 1981, was the most advanced and prestigious limousine of its era. Known in Germany as the “Grosser Mercedes” (the big Mercedes), it combined a 6.3-litre V8, air suspension and a hydraulic system that powered the windows, seats, sunroof, doors and trunk. Only about 2,700 were built, and they were bought by popes, royalty, heads of state, industrialists and rock and film stars. It is the spiritual ancestor of today’s Mercedes-Maybach.

At a glance
Unveiled 1963 (Frankfurt Motor Show)
Production 1964–1981
Engine 6.3-litre V8 (M100)
Versions Short-wheelbase sedan, long-wheelbase Pullman (four or six doors), Landaulet
Production About 2,700

A technology showcase

Mercedes designed the 600 to compete with Rolls-Royce and Cadillac at the very top of the market, and it used technology few cars had:

  • Air suspension with adjustable ride height and damping.
  • A central hydraulic system operating at high pressure to move windows, seats, the sunroof and the trunk lid, and to close the doors softly — silently, without electric motors.
  • Automatic climate control and power-assisted brakes.
  • The M100 V8, a 6.3-litre engine that was later transplanted into the 300 SEL 6.3 sports sedan and, enlarged to 6.9 litres, the W116 450 SEL 6.9.

Pullman and Landaulet

The standard 600 was a large four-door sedan. The Pullman version added a longer wheelbase, facing rear seats and, in six-door form, an extra pair of doors. The rare Landaulet had a folding roof over the rear compartment so a dignitary could stand and wave — Pope Paul VI used one. Most Pullmans had a glass partition between the chauffeur and passengers.

Who owned them

The 600 became the car of the global elite in the 1960s and 1970s: royalty, popes, presidents and prime ministers — and also celebrities, including rock stars and film stars who valued its presence. Its reputation as a statesman’s car meant that it also appeared in less flattering company, with several autocrats of the era among its owners.

Why it lasted so long

The 600 remained in production for 17 years with few changes because its engineering was so far ahead. But it was also expensive, complex and slow to build, and Mercedes did not replace it directly when production ended in 1981. The role was eventually taken by long-wheelbase S-Classes, the short-lived Maybach 57 and 62, and today’s Mercedes-Maybach Pullman.

Legacy

Restored 600s are highly prized, though their hydraulic systems demand specialist care. Their influence runs through every Mercedes limousine since — see the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and why chauffeurs choose the S-Class.