In September 1930, Stuttgart-Untertürkheim witnessed the birth of an automotive icon, the first of its kind, the “Grand Mercedes”. This marked the culmination of two years of meticulous development and signaled Daimler-Benz’s resounding return to the pinnacle of luxury car manufacturing. When the vehicle was presented to the world at the Paris Motor Show in October, it was clear that Mercedes-Benz was once again a dominant force in the high-end international automotive market. Known as the Mercedes-Benz “Grand Mercedes” or affectionately termed the “Super Mercedes Straight Eight” in English-speaking regions, this vehicle, particularly the 770 Mercedes, immediately captured global attention.
Initially, the 770 Mercedes was offered with a choice of engines: naturally aspirated or supercharged. The heart of this magnificent machine was a 7.7-liter eight-cylinder in-line engine. In its naturally aspirated form, it delivered a robust 150 horsepower. However, for those seeking unparalleled power, the Roots supercharger variant boosted the output to an impressive 200 horsepower when the throttle was fully engaged. Interestingly, despite the option to save RM 3,000 by choosing the non-supercharged version, only a small fraction of buyers, just 13 out of 117, opted for it. For context, a pullman saloon version of the 770 Mercedes commanded a price of RM 41,000, highlighting its exclusive positioning. Mirroring the advanced engineering of the “S”-series models, the 770 Mercedes incorporated a dual ignition system, ensuring reliability and performance. Each cylinder was equipped with two spark plugs, one ignited by a high-voltage magneto ignition and the other by battery ignition.
The 770 Mercedes featured a sophisticated three-speed transmission with a manually selectable overdrive, effectively providing drivers with a total of six gear ratios. This advanced transmission system allowed for both relaxed cruising and powerful acceleration when needed. The chassis design of the 770 Mercedes was robust and conventional for its time, employing an H-section rigid axle at the front and a banjo-type rigid axle at the rear. Both axles were connected to the U-section ladder-type frame using semi-elliptic springs. This suspension setup was comparable to its main German competitor, the Maybach Zeppelin, reflecting the engineering standards of luxury vehicles of that era. Customers of the 770 Mercedes could choose between wood-spoked wheels, often referred to as artillery wheels, or wire-spoke wheels fitted with Rudge hubs, allowing for a degree of personalization.
Despite its technically conservative underpinnings, the 770 Mercedes rapidly achieved international acclaim and prestige. Its reputation for luxury and performance resonated across borders, with the Japanese Imperial family alone acquiring six examples between 1932 and 1935. The 770 Mercedes also became the vehicle of choice for prominent industrialists and high-ranking financiers, solidifying its status as a symbol of wealth and power. Each 770 Mercedes was essentially a bespoke creation, individually custom-built by renowned coachbuilders. While Mercedes-Benz’s Sindelfingen plant initially offered only pullman saloon bodies, they soon expanded to provide chassis-only versions, allowing for third-party coachwork to be mounted.
By September 1932, the range of factory bodies from Sindelfingen expanded significantly to include convertibles B, C, D, and F, as well as a seven-seater open tourer. However, the price lists indicated that these additional body styles were exclusively available on the supercharged 770 Mercedes variant, emphasizing the premium nature of open-top motoring. From February 1936 onwards, even the pullman saloon and chassis-only versions were exclusively offered with the supercharged engine, streamlining production and focusing on the higher-performance model.
Over its production run, the body design of the 770 Mercedes evolved considerably. Early models featured more box-shaped bodies and upright windscreens, characteristic of the early 1930s automotive design. Later iterations showcased more streamlined and aesthetically pleasing coachwork with flowing lines and elegantly raked front screens, reflecting the shift towards Art Deco influences in automotive styling. A defining visual element of the 770 Mercedes was its wedge-shaped pointed radiator grille. This distinctive feature not only enhanced the car’s imposing presence but also projected an aura of prestige and authority for both the vehicle and its owner. The exceptional ride comfort and superior build quality of this top-tier automobile were instrumental in bolstering the global recognition and desirability of the Mercedes-Benz brand.
An especially noteworthy aspect of the 770 Mercedes was its pioneering role as one of the first automobiles offered directly from the factory in an armored configuration. Notably, one of the 770 Mercedes models delivered to Emperor Hirohito of Japan was armor-plated. This particular vehicle, since its repatriation in 1971, is now a prominent exhibit at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, displayed alongside a Convertible F of the same model that was famously used by Kaiser Wilhelm II until his passing. The “Hirohito automobile” showcases remarkable levels of protection, with side windows, rear screen, and the glass partition constructed from up to four layers of glass, reaching a total thickness of 22 mm. Furthermore, the roof and doors were reinforced with steel armor plates. This armored 770 Mercedes, delivered in January 1935, was preceded by another special protection version in August 1932, with three more armored vehicles following, demonstrating the demand for high-security vehicles among the elite.
The 770 Mercedes, internally designated as the W 07, was primarily produced at the Untertürkheim plant. Unless customers opted for third-party coachbuilders, the bodies were crafted at the Sindelfingen plant. A single exception to this was a body built by the Mannheim plant in March 1936. In total, only 117 units of the W 07 770 Mercedes were manufactured, with a significant 42 of these produced in 1931 alone, its inaugural full production year. Subsequently, annual production ranged between four and thirteen units, reflecting its exclusivity. The pullman saloon body style was the most popular, accounting for 42 units, followed by the open tourer with 26 units. Nineteen 770 Mercedes were delivered in chassis-only form, and 18 as Convertible D. The remaining vehicles were distributed among the convertible variants F, C, and B.
The final W 07 770 Mercedes rolled off the production line in October 1938, marking the end of an era. Concurrently, series production commenced for its successor model. This new vehicle, unveiled in February 1938, inherited the prestigious “Grand Mercedes” name and was assigned the internal design code W 150. Official Mercedes-Benz communications from that period consistently referred to the W 07 as the Mercedes-Benz “Grand Mercedes” or Model 770 “Grand Mercedes”. It’s important to note that the designation “770 K,” sometimes encountered in contemporary literature, was never officially used for either the W 07 or its successor, the W 150, highlighting the correct and historical nomenclature of this iconic 770 Mercedes.
