308,000 for 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet Restoration Project
At RM’s London classic car auction this was the “standard” fare of painstakingly restored Aston Martins, Ferraris and Mercedes Gullwings . The hall glistened and gleamed with well polished beauties. The star of the show, however, turned out to be a rusted, dilapidated and altogether disheveled former statesman. A 1969 Mercedes–Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet, chariot of popes and princes, had been transported from a surrey barn and shoved into the far corner of the auction hall. With withered red leather interior and an engine that could barely stay in the chassis, much less start, the Pullman could hardly compete for the interest of the crowds with 250 GTOs and DB5 convertibles. That is, until bidding got underway.
With an estimate at £40,000 – 60,000, the bidding began at £40,000. The crowed paid little attention until bids hit £100,000 mark, at which point Rob Myers (the RM behind RM Auctions) got rather jumpy. At £150,000, the lead bidder decided enough was enough and dropped out, provoking Rob launch one of the more impassioned sales pitches in auction memory, at one point raising the bidders paddle for him. When the dust settled, the new owner parted with £308,000 for what is arguably the last unrestored Pullman, and a very serious restoration it will be. We’re looking forward to the end result, and tip our hats to the ambitious soul willing to undertake (and underwrite) this ambitious effort.
[courtesy jameslist.com]
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Just remember that once restored this will still be one of only 59 Laundaulets ever produced... Few restored cars ever fetch what was spent on them. This car will be no different.
John Horner and others here are mistaking the Landaulet for the more common ( if you can call a car with a production run of 428 cars common ) MB 600 Pullman. There were 59 of the MB 600 Landaulet built in the 18 years of 600 production from 1963-1981. An average of 3 per year, and all except for a couple of them were built for Kings, heads of state, and were particularly popular with African dictators. Idi Amin had several Pullmans and a Landaulet. At GBP 308,000 and then Euro 500,000 for the full factory restoration this car is getting, at Mercedes own "Oldtimer" restoration centre, yes it will have cost the new owner a huge amount of money, but as has been noted in another comment, ~ still less than one of those butt-ugly Maybach Landaulets which will halve in value overnight, whereas the 600 Landaulet will appreciate, and so making it something of a bargain over time.