Classic Mercedes 600 Pedigree
December 14th 2008 10:11
Why, with no less than the distinction of (arguably) being the 'Inventors' of the Motor Vehicle.
This pursuit continued after the second world war. With Germany razed to the ground in most of it's industrial areas, war reparations saw new factories being built. The best and latest plant and equipment being developed and purchased at incredible speed.
The Cities were reawakening with renewed vigour. The Universities and practical workshops were 'full steam ahead' and just as in Japan, the population were moving on and up, industrially and technologically.
To say the least, these two countries needed to 'move on' as the population had been demoralised and beaten but neither broken.
Mercedes soon re-established their destroyed factories and made the most of whatever was left to restart the business they were so well regarded, motors, but mostly, motor cars.
Fast forward to the late 50's and Mercedes had the flagship of the fleet, the 300, beginning to look a little aged and underpowered. With Rolls Royce, Cadillac, Lincoln and various other lower volume producers beginning to flaunt some fancy new shapes and technologies, Mercedes saw the time was ripe to show their engineering excellence.
The '600' was on the drawing board. And no sooner had it begun the 'bright young things' and the 'brightest and most experinced' in their development departments were working all sorts of hours. Consumed with the excitement of a new 'Flagship' for none other than their prized and revered employer 'Daimler Benz AG'.
In their pursuit of style and exclusivity they once again charged the Frenchman Paul Bracq to style the car in keeping with the 'Mercedes' features which make them recogniseable from a distance and without peer.
The car was being developed with the aim of eliminating most of what is now considered obsolete technology. Reduction in maintenance, (the use of lubed and sealed ball joints). Performance, (Fuel injected 6.3 litre V8), Safety and Luxury items, (Limited slip differential, air suspension, huge disc brakes with four calipers up-front, two stage suspension dampening). With full hydraulic appointments throughout the car for seats/windows/boot-trunklid and door closers.
The hydraulic system was (and still is) a point of contention. What works for aviation may not work in a practical way in an automobile. The hydraulic sytem called "Comfort System" was meant to be the ultimate in a silent and efficient way to power the array of ventilation flaps and the aforementioned comfort features.
This system in practical terms was an unfortunate choice.
Just as a link chain is only as strong as the weakest link, the whole hydraulic system could be lost due to a failure in the pump/belt. A loss of pressure at any point in the extraordinarily complex network of hoses/pipes/rams/switches and you have 'high-worth' individuals on the side of the road with a car that is disabled in many an embarrasing way!
There was some fervent objection to this hydraulic system but the powers that be gave the go-ahead and bosch was heavily involved in supply of the complex parts.
The end result was a car that was as beautiful, refined and imposing as it was flawed. But for all its failing it was truly a flagship that shook the opposition and was truly a leader in how cars would work in many ways.
RKW
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