1938 Mercedes-Benz 770 “Grosser Mercedes” Pullman 770 Kompressor (special protection)

Vehicle Overview

Impressing by its sheer size, the Pullman version of the 1938 Mercedes-Benz “Grosser Mercedes” was a daring proposal addressed to very rich businessmen or state officials.

Max Wagner, the man who created the famous Silver Arrows race-cars (W124 and W154), worked on the new generation of the “Grand Mercedes” and designed the chassis for it. He used his skills and knowledge from motorsport to create a thin-wall oval-shaped frame that was light and strong. And it had to be that way since the car was heavier than some trucks.

The car was hand-built at the Sindelfingen plant by the “special vehicle production facility,” and 18 of them were in the Pullman saloon version. Besides these, the automaker also made ten other armored versions of this closed-bodywork vehicle. At the front, the lineup featured pined-out radiators and thick front bumpers. Its long hood was flanked on its sides by the spare wheels and the extended wheel arches. The front doors were rear-hinged, while the rear ones were normal. Thus, the front side occupant could get out quickly and open the back seat passengers’ rear doors. Behind the cabin, the carmaker added a curved trunk.

Since Mercedes-Benz did not build the 770 on the same assembly line as the rest of the carmaker’s range, each interior was hand-built. The usual materials used were leather and wood veneers. As an option, the front and rear occupants could have been separated by a panel with a cranked window.

Mercedes-Benz created a unique chassis and drivetrain for the 770. Its 7.7-liter supercharged engine featured a higher compression ratio, which led to a total output of 230 hp. Power went to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. The front independent suspension and the rear DeDion axle provided a comfortable ride and better handling.