The Tatra 700 is a rear-engined luxury car released in 1996 by the Czech maker Tatra. It was essentially a heavily restyled version of the Tatra 613 it replaced, and it is one of the last production cars with an air-cooled engine. Production stopped in July 1999 after only 75 cars, and the 700 was the last passenger car Tatra made before concentrating on trucks.
Tatra 700 at a glance
| Maker | Tatra, Kopřivnice, Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Production | 1996–July 1999 |
| Predecessor | Tatra 613 |
| Body | four-door saloon |
| Engine | 3.5-litre 90-degree air-cooled V8 |
| Power | 201 PS (148 kW) at 5,750 rpm |
| Torque | 300 N·m |
| Top speed | 230 km/h |
| 0–100 km/h | 10.8 s |
| 700-2 | 4.3-litre engine, 234 PS, 250 km/h |
| 700-2 weight | 1,930 kg |
| Built | 75 |
History of the Tatra 700
A restyled 613
The Tatra 700 was released in 1996 as a heavily restyled version of the Tatra 613. It was offered as a four-door saloon with a 3.5-litre 90-degree air-cooled V8 petrol engine, rated at 201 PS at 5,750 rpm with 300 N·m of torque. That gave a top speed of 230 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds. The car kept the rear-engined layout and air cooling of Tatra’s traditional luxury cars, making it one of the last production cars in the world with an air-cooled engine.
The 700-2 and the GT
A later 700-2 version, consisting of the last 14 cars built, had a 4.3-litre engine reaching 234 PS (172 kW), with a kerb weight increased to 1,930 kg. A 400 PS (294 kW) version called the T700 GT was also listed, although it may have remained a one-off; it had a 4.4-litre V8, a shorter and lower body and weighed 360 kg less, with a claimed top speed of 316 km/h.
The end of Tatra cars
The model was not successful and was not produced in large numbers. Production was halted in July 1999, and only 75 of these cars were ever built. The Tatra 700 was the last passenger car made by Tatra, after which the company concentrated on trucks.
Design and features
- Air-cooled V8: a rare layout in the late 1990s, carried over from the 613.
- Rear engine: the traditional Tatra layout for luxury saloons.
- 700-2: the final 14 cars with a 4.3-litre engine and 234 PS.
- Collector rarity: only 75 cars built in three years.
Tatra 700 versions
- Tatra 700: 3.5-litre V8 with 201 PS.
- Tatra 700-2: 4.3-litre V8 with 234 PS, the last 14 cars.
- T700 GT: listed 400 PS version on a 4.4-litre V8, possibly a one-off.
The 700 was the restyled successor of the Tatra 613 and the end of the line that began with the Tatra 603. More cars are in the Tatra collection.
Video: Tatra 700-2, 4.4i
Video by Tatra Club on YouTube.
Sources
- Tatra 700, English Wikipedia: models, engines, production
