The Literary Fund auction house will present a Mercedes-Benz tied to a leader who defined an era, a vehicle that once carried the scales of statecraft as much as it carried passengers. Bidders will have the opportunity to acquire this car, known to be part of Leonid Brezhnev’s life, the long-serving General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. The listing places a starting bid of 28 million rubles, a figure that mirrors the car’s rarity, historical weight, and condition after decades of public and private exposure. The sale is framed not merely as a car auction but as a curated glimpse into a period when diplomacy rode behind polished chrome and formal process, and when executive transport could symbolize power as much as it conveyed movement. The narrative surrounding the lot stresses its status as a rare historical asset of the 20th century, a descriptor the auction house uses to help potential buyers grasp its dual value as collectible machinery and political artifact. For prospective buyers, the page emphasizes that the vehicle represents more than engineering—it’s a doorway to a time when leaders met in grand rooms and on ceremonial streets, and when such items later found new homes within private collections. In presenting this piece, the auction house weaves a story of provenance, durability, and cultural resonance, inviting readers to contemplate why a car from that era continues to captivate historians and collectors alike. [Litfond]
It is a specially equipped Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC sedan that Brezhnev received during a high-profile official visit to Germany to formalize the Moscow Treaty of 1973. The car later passed to Brezhnev’s close associate, Igor Shchelokov, son of Nikolai Shchelokov, who served as the USSR’s Minister of Internal Affairs, and it has remained in their family since 1980. This lineage adds layers of context about how political connections influenced the material culture of the time. The vehicle’s journey through nearly half a century mirrors the broader arc of Soviet and post-Soviet history, and its survival in private hands underscores its rarity as an artifact that moved from state ceremonial usage to private stewardship. The narrative surrounding the car thus encompasses not only its design and performance but also the social networks that preserved it, the moments of exchange when it changed hands, and the enduring curiosity it generates among enthusiasts and researchers alike. [Brezhnev collection][Igor Shchelokov family]
Prior to these events, the former Mercedes-Benz plant in Russia initiated the introduction of new models, including the GLC and E-Class lines, signaling moments of modernization within the regional automotive landscape. Reports indicated that some of these vehicles were offered for sale at approximately 9.7 million rubles, a figure cited in industry chatter as a point of reference for pricing in a market undergoing shifts in production and distribution. The holding company has not publicly confirmed that assembly operations have resumed at a plant in Russia, though prior reporting suggested there were plans to restart the business in the near term. These tensions between legacy manufacturing and prospective revival illustrate how the local automotive ecosystem remains in flux, with brands weighing the costs and benefits of continued production on home soil. [Industry notes][Russian plant reports]
In related automotive news, Volkswagen introduced a refreshed Tiguan with a redesigned look, signaling ongoing product updates from major manufacturers despite broader market challenges. This development sits alongside the Litfond auction story, offering readers a broader context about how classic contemporaries—once seen as bold statements of engineering—continue to influence current design and consumer interest. [Volkswagen update]