page_title: Mercedes-Benz 770
section_title: Surviving 770s
hierarchical_section_title: Mercedes-Benz 770 / Surviving 770s
caption_attribution_description: Visit at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, 09.04.2011
context_page_description: The Mercedes-Benz 770, also known as the Großer Mercedes, was a large luxury car built by Mercedes-Benz from 1930 to 1943. It is probably best known from its use by high-ranking Reich officials before and during World War II, including Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring, Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich, as captured in archival footage.
context_section_description: The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa has on display one of seven cars used by Hitler. Heavily modified with extensive armour plating – including 2.5 inch glass all round, and 1.6 inch steel armour plate in all metalwork surrounding the main passenger compartment, plus an additional raiseable plate between driver and rear passenger compartment – it weighs 4,100 kgs. Further modifications allowed the secure storage of three machine pistols. The body also had additional vents to the side and a top the hood, twin hinges on the side doors, and four further air vents in the main scuttle. In preparation of the fall of Berchtesgaden in April 1945, RSD and SS troops had loaded the car on a railway flat-car, where it was found in May 1945 by a troops of the United States Army 20th Armored Division in Laufen. Found in a damaged condition, a liberated Dutch forced-labour mechanic got the car working, advising the troops that it was Hermann Goering's state car. Repainted in US Army green with a star applied either side, it then served as the ranking officer's staff car during the post-war occupation period of Germany. Shipped to the U.S. in late 1945, it toured the country as part of a continued effort to raise war bonds, displayed and noted as Goering's personal car. Placed in storage, in October 1956 it was entered in a US Army surplus auction at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and sold to Montreal-based businessman for $2,750. Shipped for restoration to Rumble Motors in Toronto, a research book was established to restore the car as Goering would have had it during the war – for a cost of Can$5,000 – apart from leaving the bullet-damaged glass in place. In 1970 as part of a tax settlement,  the car was gifted to the Canadian War Museum, again displayed there as Goering's car. In 1980, museum researcher Ludwig Kosha – originally himself born in Germany – began detailed research on the car, with assistance from Mercedes-Benz, the West German embassy to Canada and the West German foreign service. Along with chassis, engine, paint and modification records, and discovery of part of its original number plate 1AV148697, it was confirmed as one of Hitler's cars, delivered to the Reich Chancellery, Berlin on 8 July 1940.
  The 770K originally owned by Field Marshal of Finland Baron Gustav Mannerheim was sold to an American collector after World War II. It was featured in the 1951 motion picture The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel as Hitler's parade car. In 1973, Mannerheim's 770K, erroneously alleged to have been the parade limousine of Adolf Hitler, was sold at auction for $153,000, which was the most money ever paid for a car at auction at that time. This broke the previous record price for an antique car, which had been $90,000 for Greta Garbo's Duesenberg in autumn 1972. It was sold to a businessman from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who wanted the car for a park called Dutch Wonderland. Since 1984, Mannerheim's car has been privately owned.
  Another 770 was sold at the same 1973 auction, for $93,000. The high bidder was an Alabama developer and campaign manager for George Wallace's campaign in the 1964 U.S. presidential election. However, he could not secure financing to complete the transaction and subsequently sold his option to a mobile-home manufacturer.
  As of November 2009, one of Hitler's 770Ks was allegedly purchased for several million euros by an unnamed Russian billionaire.
  In the Norwegian Mercedes Benz Club's magazine of June 2010 is an article on a 770 Offener Tourenwagen (W150). It was brought to Norway in 1941 by General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst. After  World War II, it was used by the King of Norway. It was later sold to a buyer in the United States. The car won the prize for the best unrestored pre-war car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2003.
  Two other 770s were brought to Norway during the war, one for Josef Terboven and the other for Vidkun Quisling. The Norsk Motorveteran magazine had a short article on one of the cars, which stated that it was displayed for sale to the public but apparently no one wanted to buy it despit
caption: 1932 Mercedes-Benz 770 (W07) "Grosser" cabriolet, formerly owned by ex-emperor Wilhelm II
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