[Ram]

Hi friends:

I was gong through some of my old photos when I came across this relic from my past.

Here are pic's of Adolf Hitler's 1940 bulletproof Großer Mercedes-Benz 770 Series II (W150) Offener Tourenwagen.

I visited the Canada War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1990 (eighteen years ago). Took these photos then.

Regrettably, one cannot take photos like this, because the museum does not allow people so close to the car any more.

Today, this Third Reich car is probably worth about $20,000,000.


The flooring is made of 6 mm thick steel.
Other sheet metal parts were of 3 mm thick specially hardened steel for resisting small mine explosions and light machine gunfire.

The windows are made of 4 cm thick bulletproof glass. It had a 197 litre petrol tank and this gargantuan returned 3.7 km/litre.

A total of 88 of these cars were produced from 1938 to 1943.
A select few of these were sold to individuals. The vast majority was for the Nazi government. Some were allocated for the use of head of state, ministers and other authorities.

Hitler donated many to the heads of state of other nations with whom Germany wanted to strengthen relations. He himself, had seven such Mercedes limousines. One more is also in the Sinsheim museum.

Friends, this is what yours truly looked like, in 1990

The limousine's supercharged 7.7-litre straight eight engine put out 230bhp@3200 rpm to a five-speed manual gearbox. The chassis has oval section tubes. Suspension has coil springs all around.

The car is over 6 metres long and 2 metres wide. It weighs 4.1 tons and can top 170 km/h.

Imagine Hitler's personal driver: Erich Kempka, with his muscular hands on this big four spoker.

The doors and windows are bulletproof. It has a retractable armor plate which can be raised behind the rear passenger seat.
It has three pistol compartments -- in the dash and two compartments in the rear.

A US GI discovered the car in a railway yard in Salzburg, Austria in April 1945. The US army at the close of World War Two drove this car around Germany before shipping it via Boston in 1946. It remained in storage until 1956.
A Montreal collector picked it up at an army auction in Maryland for $2,725.
A Quebec city businessman, Mr. Claude Pratte bought if from him and gifted it to the Ottawa War Museum 38 years ago, mistaking it for the staff car of Hermann Göring, commander of the Luftwaffe.

The museum's research wing have since confirmed the serial number of Hitler's car with the manufacturers.

The cabriolet's front passenger window has been shattered by Allied fighter aircraft bullets. I kid you not, I cut my finger touching the broken glass shards. There are also seven original bullet holes from 1945.

best wishes...
Ram

[speedmiester]

What a car!!!
197 litres fuel tank is huge!!

Thanks for sharing this Ram.

[carzy]

Just fantastic. Hitler actually sat in that car. This is really cool, thanks for sharing it with us!!! A rare masterpiece.

[hillram]

Very informative and nostalgic pictures.
Tells the Royal life that Hitler lead during Third Reich

[maddy42]

Wow thats one great find. I am sure that buisnessman will be thinking that he should have kept this car. That too with all those bullet holes and all! Amazing

[esteem_lover]

Fantastic pic ram. Thanks for sharing it. I have seen many movies & read many comics about this little german in a big car. Nice to see the real picture.

[karlosdeville]

Wow, now there is a mcahine imposing enough for the Fuhrer's use himself. I believe his personal cars had a little step built into the floorboard for him to stand taller while waving out to the crouds and such.

I wonder why the three pointed star is missing atop the radiator grille. Perhaps a Nazi flag would have been there originally.

Originally Posted by Ram

Hitler donated many to the heads of state of other nations with whom Germany wanted to strengthen relations.

Incidentally Hitler did gift a Maybach to the ruler of erstwhile Patiala state. It is now in the USA.

[F50]

I have a 1:18 scale model of the Hitler's 770K. The model itself is amazing no questions about the real one. Hitler had lovely cars.

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

. I believe his personal cars had a little step built into the floorboard for him to stand taller while waving out to the crowds and such.

Yes the model has it too, 3 of them.
The real one can be confirmed by Ram Sir.

[theMAG]

Who would have thought Nazi artifacts would be displayed legally ?! But these are more than worth their salt.

And I notice you were a strapping young fella then!

[IronWolf]

Nice pics and timelines. I am sure they dont allow anyone as close to it as you got. They would try to smash/scratch up the car if they got the chance.

I am sure that Nazi flag isnt there anymore.

[aaggoswami]

Fantastic information and historical pictures!

3.7 kmpl is very good for a 7.7 ltr engine hauling 4.1 tonnes of weight way back in 1938.

[vinit.merchant]

Too good. Just wonderful.
The car is itself as powerful as its first owner used to be.
The only difference is the car has retained its power.


Seeing the car, I recall a Phrase used by Hitler:
If you win, you do not need to explain. If you loose, You should not be there to explain.

[V-16]

Great info and pic Ram.
I could never have recognized that person as you, had you not mentioned that
Thats what I call a Car. Building cars like this i that era, what craftsmanship. I can imagine Hitler enjoying the cushioned ride owing to the all round coil springs.
Having said that I feel it should have been kept in better condition. What with no hood ornament and a meter missing in the instrument cluster. Such a historic car is priceless and should be treated in that way. But things might have changed since 1990........ Ram certainly has

[hanmust]

Amazing automobile! wish I could have driven once,inline 8 would have been a monstrous of that time! 4.1 ton means its really a tank. anyway wanted to add a replica of it to my collection.

[sujaylahiri]

Now that's what you call proper German Engineering. They probably left no stone unturned while making this car. Imagine this car and the newly built German Autobahns around that time.

Now I've to go to Ottawa and see this car for myself.