Mercedes 600 Pullman Grosser: Spotted

If there's any better way to arrive at a board meeting then we've not found it yet

Though everyone tries to avoid them, it's inevitable that we sometimes resort to car stereotypes. We all have in mind what a Prius owner is like, how someone who drives a Lamborghini will behave and whether we would want so spend time with an M3 man.

Your eyes don't deceive - it's gigantic!

Whatever, if there's one that's sustained longer than most it's that bad, bad people drive Mercedes 600 Grossers. Look at the list of owners: Saddam Hussein, Nicolae Ceausescu, Idi Amin, Kim Jong-Il, Enver Hoxha, Mao, Jeremy Clarkson. Oh sure, respectable individuals such as Jamiroquai, Jay Leno and George Harrison are also on the list but the evil of the others is just more memorable. Put it this way: how quickly would you move out of the way if one arrived behind you?

This 600 Grosser also has a notorious name on its papers, that of Emperor Bokassa. He was dictator of the Central African Republic and, amongst other things, spent the entire GDP of the nation on his coronation. Then there was the cannibalism trial, the imprisonment over child murder, the embezzled money... You can read more details of Bokassa here but suffice to say he is not the most savoury character.

But a great taste in cars at least. How does having a murderous dictator as a former owner influence the decision here? One for the forum discussion surely... The car at least is superb, preserved impeccably by the warm, dry African climate and specced nigh-on perfectly in black (what else?) with tan leather.

Welcome aboard sir...

The ad describes the Grosser as "complicated, artful and glorious", which it's hard to disagree with. Look at that interior! Beautifully presented and exquisite leather, yards of the finest wood and then gleaming, lustrous paint outside. 'Magnificent' is probably an overused term in describing cars but it seems entirely apposite here.

Now of course running a 40-year-old, £300,000 luxury saloon will never be a cheap endeavour but there's a special caveat with a Grosser in its hydraulics. Everything from the sunroof to the seats to the damping is hydraulic. It does away with noisy electric motors to ensure complete silence and tranquility in the car's operation. Apparently it is very reliable provided it's serviced properly. No, really. See here.

Is there anything to compare a Grosser with? Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of the 70s can't really compete with this level of opulence and it could be easily argued that a modern alternative is nowhere near as cool. And the ownership history? Er, perhaps suggest some papers are missing...

MERCEDES-BENZ 600 PULLMAN GROSSER
Engine: 6,329cc, V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 250@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 370@2,800rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1976
Recorded mileage: 26,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £295,000