Tatra T700 Standard
The Tatra T700 represents the end of one of the most fascinating lineages in automotive history. Tatra, a Czech manufacturer based in Kopřivnice, had been building innovative air-cooled, rear-engined cars since the revolutionary T77 of 1934. The T700, produced from 1996 to 1999, was the final chapter in this story. Updated from the T613 with modern styling by Aurelio Lampredi's design house, the T700 retained the signature air-cooled V8 mounted in the rear, but with electronic fuel injection and modern emissions compliance. Only 75 were produced, primarily for Czech government officials and selected customers. The T700's rear-engine layout gave it unique handling characteristics — famously tricky at the limit, earning Tatra's earlier models the dark reputation of having killed more Nazi officers than Allied soldiers (the officers were given T87s and T97s but couldn't handle the rear-heavy weight distribution). The T700 was more refined than its predecessors, with modern comforts and improved dynamics, but it retained the distinctive Tatra character — there was simply nothing else like it in the automotive world. When the last T700 rolled off the line in 1999, it marked the end of 65 years of rear-engined Tatra passenger cars.
Extremely rare — only 75 exist. Contact the Tatra Register for authentication. The air-cooled V8 requires specialist knowledge. Parts are Tatra-specific and scarce. The rear-engine handling characteristics require adaptation. Values are rising as the significance of these cars becomes better recognized internationally.
Only 75 T700s were built — the lowest production Tatra passenger car. Styling was updated from the T613 by Italian designers. The air-cooled V8 was the last of its line. Tatra ceased passenger car production in 1999 to focus exclusively on trucks, which the company continues to produce. Some T700s were exported as diplomatic vehicles.