Vita of a unique car

The vita of the Mercedes-Benz 600 “Brezhnev” is documented verywell. On 21.04.1966, the car was delivered from the factory to the client in Moscow. The export regulations „Moscow USSR“ were already noted on the vehicle datasheets of the manufacturer. On 16.05.1968, the car was registered in Moscow by the department of the state vehicle registration office, district administrative office for interior affairs, executive committee of the city of Moscow. The holder of the vehicle was the 3rd department of the 9th KGB administrative office at the Ministerial Council of the USSR. The Russian technical vehicle registration documents this.

Immediately after the approval the car was assigned to the personal fleet of Leonid Brezhnev. The car stayed in this fleet for 14 years until the death of Brezhnev. After Brezhnev`s death in 1982, the car was still maintained in Moscow until 1987. The entries in the vehicle documents substantiate this. Furtheron, the mileage is documented quarterly until 1990.3 On 18.07.1991, the car was introduced by the private individual Vladimir P. from Moscow to Germany with the soviet license number P 2800 MT. The car took the way from “foreign customs Russia” to the customs office Berlin-Packhof. Already before this, on 02.07.2019, the car was purchased by Wolfgang H. from Berlin by a “purchase contract for a used vehicle”. Vehicle and keys were handed over on 16.07.1991.4 In 1992, the former owner Wolfgang H. had restored the car technically and optically with original spare parts up to 390,000 german marks. The mudguards, chromed parts, wood inserts, axles, radiator, exhaust system, alternator, steering and brake system haven been renewed. Also the complete vehicle was lacquered new.5

After the complete restoration, on 28.05.1993 the car was authorized with the owner Wolfgang H. in Berlin with the license number B-WH 168.6

At the end of 1997 the tax authorities of Potsdam distrain the car by an enforcement proceeding. As a result the vehicle was decommissioned by an entry in the registration document on 23.04.1998. Between 1998 and the beginning of 2009 it was completely turned off. At the beginning of 2008 the tax authority of Potsdam offered the Mercedes-Benz 600 “Brezhnev” in the context of a customs auction via internet to the public. On 01.02.2008 Burkhard S. from North Rhine-Westphalia, who acted under the pseudonym “buggi9”, purchased the Mercedes-Benz 600 “Brezhnev” at auction. A number of national and international media gave a detailed report on the spectacular auction with 171 auction bids, for example “Russia Today” and n-tv.7 At the time of auctioning on 01.02.2018 the mileage amounted to 90.082 km.

In July 2019 the mileage is approximate 91.400 km. The car is registered with the license number “EN-ZK 66 H”. “ZK” is the abbreviation for “Zentralkomitee der KPdSU”, which means Central Committee of the CPSU. “66” stands for the year of manufacture 1966.

In 2009, the Mercedes-Benz 600 “Brezhnev” was part of the exhibition “60 years federal capital Bonn” that was housed in palace Brühl. Furtheron the car was presented in n-tv broadcast “the best cars of Mercedes – past and present”. The automobile is in a good condition.8 Without any defects it is operational, roadworthy and completely functional.