1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Limosine

The Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullmans were owned by two Popes, Mao Se Tung, Idi Amin, John Lennon and Hugh Hefner. This 600 series was manufactured by Mercedes-Benz from 1963 until 1981 with the last cars being imported into the United States in 1972. The 600 was designed to be the ultimate expression of understate and refined motoring luxury and was one of, if not the most expensive cars built during any given year of production. It was probably the most visible yet most unattainable automobile anywhere in the world.

In the early 1960s, Mercedes-Benz set out to produce the ultimate grand touring car. The result was the 600 series, which were built several different ways over the period of their production, including sedan, long wheelbase limousine (Pullman), long wheelbase convertible (Landaulet), and two specially built coupes. It became the automobile favored by everyone from dignitaries to despots, captains of industry to heads of state, and everyone in between, provided you had a checkbook large enough to acquire one of these rare automobiles.

This particular 600 was bought new by Hugh Hefner in 1972 as his personal 'daily driver' (chauffeur driven) for use between his home on State Street and his headquarters on Michigan Avenue. It was acquired by its current owner in 1982, restored, and continues to be seen occasionally around the same neighborhoods.