1965 MERCEDES BENZ 600 Coupe (C100) 6.3 V8 4AT (250 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After the Mercedes-Benz 600 Laundaulet built in one unit for former racing driver Count von Berckheim in 1967, the 600 Coupe was the rarest W100 ever made.

The 600 Coupe was built in only two original units and none of them were sold. They were offered as gifts for the former chief designer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and the other for Fritz Nallinger, former head of research and development department of the Mercedes. These were the only two vehicles built in 1965. These cars had a shorter wheelbase 22 cm (8.6“) than the SWB sedan. There was a custom-built third vehicle, which was transformed from a short-wheelbase W100 into a coupe.

The design of the car was identical to the four-door version up until the A-pillars. A longer front door was needed to ease the access to the rear seats. The rear side windows were custom made but the rear window was the same as for the rest of the W100.

Inside, the access was via the front doors and reclining front seats. Since both vehicles were built for special order, they were fitted with all the amenities that were available. The air-conditioning unit and the wood trims for the interior were part of the features.

Under the hood, the engineers installed the same 6.3-liter M100 engine from the rest of the W100 range. Other mechanical adjustments were needed, but the final result was considered as the first personal luxury coupe built by Mercedes-Benz after WWII.