When you are a company that has a long history of esteemed and prized luxury cars, creating a list of the top five of them all is often an exercise in futility. You add one model to that list only to second-guess yourself the moment you do it. That’s the problem a company like Mercedes-Benz has. Fortunately, it soldiered on and actually compiled a list as part of its “Best of Benz” video series. The results might surprise you, but ultimately, this is as authoritative a list of the best Mercedes luxury cars in history as you can find anywhere. Why? Because it came from Mercedes.

The list is an interesting choice of old and new Mercedes models. It’s hard to disagree with some of them, though I do wonder if some old classics were left out just to make room for two current models that are out on the market today.

First of all, I have no problem with the Mercedes-Benz 600 (3rd) and a limited edition version of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1st) making this list. The latter is actually the 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut-Coupe,” one of the auto industry’s greatest unicorns. Only two models were made, and one of them can be found sitting inside Mercedes’ corporate museum. The other one? No one knows where it is. It’s been said that if Mercedes decided to auction off the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut that it has, it would become the most expensive car in history. With respect to all other luxury Mercs in history, only one car will ever get that kind of reputation.

As far as the 600 goes, there’s no doubt its place in the list. Available in either a short wheelbase four-door sedan or a six-door limousine, the 600 was an iconic super-luxury Mercedes that had an incredible 16-year production run. It’s worth noting that the 600 also became the Mercedes-of-choice among some of the world’s most famous people, including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Jack Nicholson, and Elizabeth Taylor. Oh, and Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II also used 600 limousines at various points in their lives.

The other classic Mercedes to make this list is the Mercedes 540 K (fifth), regarded as one of the first classic Mercedes models in the company’s history. Only 25 540 K Special Roadsters were made, and even back then, they were scary expensive to own and maintain. You don’t even have to imagine how much a car like this costs today because one unit has repeatedly been auctioned off in recent years, including in 2017 when it fetched a price of $6.6 million at an RS Sotheby’s auction.

The finals two models to make this list are curious choices. One of them is the Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet (4th) while the other is the Mercedes-Maybach S 650 Cabriolet (2nd). Both cars are fantastic, but I wouldn’t put either of them ahead of a modern-day classic like the SLS AMG or my personal favorite Mercedes of all time, the 1930 SSK Trossi Roadster.

References

Read more Mercedes-Benz news.

Read more car video news.