Team-BHP - Mercedes Benz 600 (6dr) Spotted in Pune !

Hi Guys,

Was riding back from Pune on Sunday and spotted this Mercedes Benz 600 Series - (6Door) model on the Pune Mumbai Highway around Talegaon. Awesome machine. have always been awed by this beast. This is a slightly older one, probably the W 100 version. Have also seen a newer version around pune.

Attaching pics:

Quote:

Originally Posted by praveen_sathaye (Post 1268903)

Hi Guys,

Mercedes Benz 600 Series - (6Door) model on the Pune Mumbai Highway around Talegaon. Awesome machine.
Attaching pics:

Amazing find clap: and a very well maintained machine.

Yup, that is the ex President's car. Was auctioned for a ridiculous amount many years back (had made national headlines) and bought by the Poonawallas. It has been spotted a few times of late on the road, which is great. One of 2 in the country, the other is I think ex-Iranian Consulate, Delhi regd, currently in Bombay.

Ahem,
has it ever occurred to anyone that this could be the third W100 in India, probably a recent import? Because the ex-presidential car was a Landaulet, should look like the picture below. If this is indeed the case then wow!
As the car is moving on open roads, was it necessary to cover the number plate? Just asking because that will help for identification.
The picture below is unfocused, only meant to show the difference between this car and the ex-presidential car.

Cheers to another W100!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit (Post 1269621)

Now the plot thickens. Harit says he clearly remember's V V Giri's car being a Landaulet, and remembers seeing the car with the Poonawalla's being so. I remember it being a hardtop, but subject to correction. Can someone dig out period photos of the car when with the Government?

Guys.

The POI car was actually a Landaulette. The car pictured in Pune is the Iranian Consulate car.

It was in Hyderabad if I recollect correctly at the consulate in Banjara Hills. They then had a similar S Class.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasif (Post 1269682)

Now I believe this is the Iranian Consulate car.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/478493-post109.html

It is a 4 door, not 6.

So now which is which?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasif (Post 1269738)

This was a long time ago, when I was in school, don't remember if it was a 6 Door or not.

You and Harit are sure that POI's car was Landaulet. We have pictures of 2 hardtops, one 6 door and one 4 door. So does that mean there are reportedly 3 such cars in India? Intriguing!

Praveen, can you confirm if the regn. number of the car you saw was 1600?

EDIT - For further clarity, here are pictures of the Poonawalla's 600 entered by them in a 1993 event in Poona, courtesy TractionAvant. The flag pole and pilot light on roof are present on the car pictured by Praveen, I am pretty sure they are the same.

About the Iranian 600. This car belonged to the Shah of Iran, he had several, many are still lying in hangers in Iran with other cars of his. However, one car came to India, probably as the Iranian Ambassadors car. At some point of time it was handed over to STC, and auctioned off. At some point a Sikh gentleman purchased the car, then it was lying in a workshop for many years, and again sold off. That car was a short wheel base model, 4 door sedan in blue colour and is still lying near Mumbai. And it is not in working order, so cannot be seen on the roads.

Now the Presidents car was a 6 door, black coloured car, the confusion is whether it was a Landaulet or a Pullman. The car now pictured on the roads in Pune is a Pullman, or let us say a 6 door sedan. But I was very sure that the Presidents car was a Landaulet which the Pune car is not. And now seeing pictures I would not bet on anything. Hope that someone having a good long memory backed up with pictures will be able to clarify.