600 Pullman- The Ultimate Mercedes?

[GradyService]

Is the 600 Pullman the ultimate mercedes? Or is it the Maybach? Or how about the 770K?

[Adenauer]

Try 1954-1955 W196 monoposto

Fangio, Moss, Kling, Lang...legends in the penultimate Silver Arrow. A legend in it's own right. DBAG doesn't sell many of their museum vehicles. One of the open-wheeled cars sold a few years ago for 22 million.

I believe the 196 in the attached image was driven by Moss at Aintree in '55. Moss was the only driver to insist on having a steering wheel with only three spokes. The others stuck with four spoke wheels. Obviously, can't tell from this shot. Aintree was one of the few circuits where a number 12 was used by Moss.

My other close favorites:
* the G4
* 1938 770 Innenlenker close-coupled sedan (two produced)
* The W196 Transporter
* Any land speed record car that ran at Avus
* W111 300SE Lang sedan
* 6.3

About ten years ago when the "6.3 Page" was still young, there was an article about a 6.3 that was purchased new by a film director. He was in Europe at the time he was to take delivery. Stuttgart had a time trying to round-up a driver to deliver the car. They found a guy that had been driving for Porsche but was evidentally turned-loose. On the way to where Roman Polanski (the director) was (in France I believe), the driver - after having consumed a number of drinks, ventured onto the circuit at LeMans (I believe) and managed to run neck and neck with his former team mates. There was a black and white picture of the event - showing that 6.3 running with the pack. Polanski refused to take the car. Eventually it was sold to Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink of Hogan's Heroes), then to a Texan, who mounted a pair of longhorns to the hood.

6.3 diehards will surely be able to go into this with details of greater accuracy but that is what I recall from the story.

[GradyService]

Originally Posted by Adenauer

Try 1954-1955 W196 monoposto

Fangio, Moss, Kling, Lang...legends in the penultimate Silver Arrow. A legend in it's own right. DBAG doesn't sell many of their museum vehicles. One of the open-wheeled cars sold a few years ago for 22 million.

I believe the 196 in the attached image was driven by Moss at Aintree in '55. Moss was the only driver to insist on having a steering wheel with only three spokes. The others stuck with four spoke wheels. Obviously, can't tell from this shot. Aintree was one of the few circuits where a number 12 was used by Moss.

My other close favorites:
* the G4
* 1938 770 Innenlenker close-coupled sedan (two produced)
* The W196 Transporter
* Any land speed record car that ran at Avus
* W111 300SE Lang sedan
* 6.3

About ten years ago when the "6.3 Page" was still young, there was an article about a 6.3 that was purchased new by a film director. He was in Europe at the time he was to take delivery. Stuttgart had a time trying to round-up a driver to deliver the car. They found a guy that had been driving for Porsche but was evidentally turned-loose. On the way to where Roman Polanski (the director) was (in France I believe), the driver - after having consumed a number of drinks, ventured onto the circuit at LeMans (I believe) and managed to run neck and neck with his former team mates. There was a black and white picture of the event - showing that 6.3 running with the pack. Polanski refused to take the car. Eventually it was sold to Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink of Hogan's Heroes), then to a Texan, who mounted a pair of longhorns to the hood.

6.3 diehards will surely be able to go into this with details of greater accuracy but that is what I recall from the story.

I should have said "The Ultimate Luxury Mercedes". What I meant was, which MB competed on the level of the Rolls Royce of that Period.

Dave.

[rusty_parts2001]

[POS]

Of the choices you presented, and only those choices, the 560SEL is INSANE to be listed. There is no logical reason for it to be in that list (but I know why you put it there, I'm not stupid).

But, how could you possibly leave the 300SL Gullwing off the list? How?

[Benziger]

W25?
W125?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5dv3Ho4odFA - just listen
W154?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdVdRMwwRXI - great footage
300SLR?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ralH0J55dKA

surely..

[GradyService]

Originally Posted by POS

Of the choices you presented, and only those choices, the 560SEL is INSANE to be listed. There is no logical reason for it to be in that list (but I know why you put it there, I'm not stupid).

But, how could you possibly leave the 300SL Gullwing off the list? How?

Okay, Okay. I used the term Ultimate Mercedes. What I really meant was, which of these Mercedes' competed on the same level as the contemporary Rolls-Royce sedan of that time. Basically:

Phantom III v. 770K
Silver Cloud/Silver Shadow v. 600 Pullman
Silver Spur v. 560SEL
New Phantom v. Maybach 62

That having been said, in retrospect, I should have inserted an option for the W140 S600 v. Silver Seraph, but I didn't think to do so. It would have been correct, in light of the 560 being on the list. But, even though the 560SEL, and really the S600, aren't quite in the same category as the 770K and the Pullman, for their era's they were the "Top of the Range" MB, and were the nearest competition to Rolls-Royce, Bentley, etc. So, they might not be quite as noble as the others, but, they were the "Best" MB had to offer in the 80's and 90's. With regards to the great Sports cars and tourers of MB's past and present, they would be best compared to Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Porsches cars.

Thanks, Dave.

[GradyService]

Oh, forgot to mention. I voted for the 600 Pullman.

Dave