In 1930, German car maker Mercedes decided to produce a limousine "fit for a king." Forever known as the 'Grand Mercedes', the 770K Mercedes Limousine was eventually pressed into service by noneother than Germany's Chancellor, soon after he became Reich Chancellor of Germany in 1933. Its engineering and appointments were of a standard equal to none and even featured a handhold attached to the middle windshield so that dignitaries seated in the back of the vehicle could stand and wave to the crowd. The 8-cylinder engine could produce 150 horsepower, but was increased to 200 horsepower when the optional supercharger was engaged. In 1938, substantial improvements were made to the chassis and engine, which could now attain an impressive 230 horsepower.

The Grand Mercedes was used extensively by the Fuhrer whenever he attended special rallies, visited with the troops, or drove through the streets of Germany's cities. It was also used during Il Duce's reknowned trip to Munich in 1936 where he signed the Pact of Steel Treaty with Germany's Chancellor.

This particular 1:43 scale replica of a 1938 770K Grand Mercedes ceremonial parade limousine comes with the German Chancellor standing in the passenger compartment and a driver seated behind the wheel. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-inches
Width: 1-1/2-inches

Release Date: June 2018

Historical Account: "Die Fuhrer kommt" - The Nuremberg Rally (meaning Reich Party Congress) was a celebratory event by the Nazi Party in Germany, first held in 1923. They were large Nazi propaganda events, especially after Adolf Hitler's rise to power in 1933, when they became annual occurrences at the Nazi party rally grounds in Nuremberg until 1938. Many films were made to commemorate them, including Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will and The Victory of Faith.

The first Nazi Party rallies took place in 1923 in Munich and in 1926 in Weimar. From 1927 on, they took place exclusively in Nuremberg. The Party selected Nuremberg for pragmatic reasons: it was in the center of the German Reich and the local Luitpoldhain (converted parkland) was well suited as a venue. In addition, the Nazis could rely on the well-organized local branch of the party in Franconia, then led by Gauleiter Julius Streicher. The Nuremberg police were sympathetic to the event.

Later, the location was justified by the Nazi Party by putting it into the tradition of the Imperial Diet (German Reichstag) of the Holy Roman Empire, considered the First Reich. After 1933, the rallies took place near the time of the Autumnal equinox, under the title of "The German people's National Party days" (Reichsparteitage des deutschen Volkes), which was intended to symbolize the solidarity between the German people and the Nazi Party. This point was further emphasized by the yearly growing number of participants, which finally reached over half a million from all sections of the party, the army, and the state.