Tatra 700
Year of Manufacture: 1996
Power: 198 hp
Engine Displacement: 3,495 cm3
Number of Cylinders/Valves: 8/2
Weight: 1,840 kg
Condition: drivable
Catalog Number: 272
Introduction
The Tatra 700 was first introduced to the public on April 9, 1996, during a grand presentation at the Hilton Hotel in Prague. However, the vehicle did not bring the expected success to the company. Despite new body shapes and a more luxurious interior, it could not compensate for the already significantly outdated technical solutions at the time, combined with a relatively high price due to its limited production volume. The persistently negative image of Tatra passenger cars, associated with their typical longtime users from the Czechoslovak Communist Party, also played a role.
Development
The Tatra 700 was technically based on its predecessor, the Tatra 613-4 MiLong, inheriting not only the air-cooled engine concept mounted above the rear axle but was essentially the last developmental variant of this vehicle, although with a different designation. Due to the inheritance of original homologations, its official designation is Tatra 613-4 T 700.
Technical Specifications
The body of the Tatra 700 was based on the T 613 body designed between 1968 and 1969 by the Italian design firm Carrozzeria Vignale. It was significantly refreshed by British designer Geoff Wardie, who softened the strictly angular shapes of the previous model and incorporated some design elements from earlier Tatra passenger cars — for example, the chromed oval on the front inspired by the Tatra 603. The design was exclusively based on the long-wheelbase version T 613 Long.
Due to the factory’s complete lack of equipment for producing a new model, modified and reworked sheet metal parts from the original T613 were used for the new series. In 1996, significant design changes were made (mainly a raised rear part of the body and changes to the dashboard) by Jiří Španihel, an academic sculptor from Kopřivnice. A horizontal crease around the front grille emblem was also added. This updated T700 is considered the second series and is technically designated T700 M97.
The cars were equipped with a five-speed manual transmission and a 3,495 cm3 engine producing 147.6 kW (198 hp). Later, the Tatra 700-2 version had engines of 4,360 cm3 producing 172 kW (231 hp). However, not many of these vehicles were produced. The engines mainly differed by improved torque curves and were equipped with sequential fuel injection controlled by a British GEMS electronic unit.
Production
The Tatra 700 is a luxury upper-class car manufactured by Tatra from 1996 to 1999. Since production became unprofitable after the first year and was merely a prestige matter for the company, the model line was discontinued in 1999. A total of 75 cars of the T 700 series were produced, which quickly became collector’s items and objects of interest for Tatra enthusiasts after being retired from state service. Consequently, their market price is very high.
Market and Sales
Most T700s were used within state institutions, including district and regional offices, the Senate, Parliament, and the government. The best-known user was the current President of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman, who used the Tatra 700 as his official car from 1996 to 1998 as the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies and later from 1998 to 2002 as Prime Minister. At the time of its production, any foreign car was already available on the market, and the T700 significantly lagged behind in this competition. Thus, sales to the private sector failed, and usage remained confined to state organs, explaining the low production numbers.
Trivia
This car was also owned by former Czech President Václav Klaus. It was the sixth prototype T700 delivered quickly by the Tatra factory after Klaus had an accident in his Tatra 613-4 Mi Long. The black 1998 model with 162,000 km is currently offered for 5,100,000 CZK.
Car in Our Collection
The car in our collection dates from 1996, is a sedan, and originally belonged to the Ministry of Agriculture.
