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Also expected is a plug-in hybrid version of its
popular C-Class sedan, the first among a raft of vehicles to be
sold with a partially electric drivetrain which allows for
zero-emission driving in town traffic.
The Pullman is based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but will have
a wheelbase which is a full meter longer than the standard
version to allow for an extra row of seats, the German luxury
carmaker said.
The original Pullman 600, launched by Mercedes-Benz at the
Frankfurt auto show in 1963, was over 6 meters long and had a
top speed of 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph).
It gained notoriety in some circles as a "dictator ship" because
it proved so popular with autocrats including Uganda's Idi Amin,
Romania's Nicolae Ceaucescu, and Yugoslavia's Josip Broz Tito.
The new version is designed to allow high-level dignitaries to
continue face-to-face discussions thanks to a row of rear-facing
seats.
In April, Reuters reported that Mercedes-Benz was working on a
Pullman "state limousine" which is set to cost up to $1 million
in its armor-plated version.
The original Pullman had a complex hydraulic suspension that
allowed it to hurtle along at high speeds on bad quality roads.
At the time, Mercedes wanted to show rivals Rolls-Royce and
Cadillac it could make a car that was comfortable even at high
speeds, a difficult feat for armor-plated vehicles weighing over
3.4 tonnes.
(Editing by Mark Potter)
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