1996–1998 Tatra 700 Specs & Performance

The Tatra 700 carried the marque’s rear-engined luxury-saloon tradition into a more modern era, retaining the air-cooled V8 architecture that had distinguished the 613 while receiving revised exterior styling and a more refined cabin. Its long four-door body provided room for five occupants, but the engineering beneath it remained unconventional: the engine sat behind the passenger compartment and drove the rear wheels. This unusual layout gave the 700 a character quite unlike contemporary front-engined executive saloons.

A naturally aspirated 3,495 cc V8 produces 197 hp at 5,750 rpm and 221 lb·ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. Electronic multi-point fuel injection and a five-speed manual gearbox distinguish its powertrain from earlier carburetted Tatra 613 versions. The combination delivers a claimed 137 mph top speed, while the spacious cabin and rear-wheel-drive configuration preserve the model’s executive-car purpose. Introduced in 1996, the 700 became the final production passenger-car model developed by Tatra.