The 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
Mercedes-Benz 540K evolved from the 380K (denoting a 3.8-liter displacement) introduced in 1932. The engine grew in size but retained the overhead-valve straight-eight configuration. The K stands for “kompressor,” indicating a supercharged engine. The Roots-type supercharger only engages under full throttle, allowing sophisticated motorists to call on the extra power (and the supercharger’s accompanying whine) only when necessary.
The 540K incorporates independent suspension at all four corners, using a coil-sprung swing axle at the rear. Large, hydraulically assisted drum brakes are another advanced feature for the period. At more than 5,000 pounds, it is not a sports car, but with its sophisticated suspension and powerful engine, it is a comfortable, capable car.
What sets this car apart is its body. Mercedes-Benz 540K chassis was fitted with a variety of bodies, from limousines to cabriolets to coupes. The Special Roadster body was designed by Hermann-Ahrens, and the body was built by Mercedes-Benz’s in-house coachbuilder, Karosserie Sindelfingen.
This 17-foot-long two-seater (leaving aside a rumble seat hidden in the back) is incredibly well proportioned. The upright, triangular grille announces a long, straight hood, leading to a split and laidback windshield. Behind the cockpit, the car slopes away at just the right degree, joining the rear fenders as they complete their sweep up from behind the doors.
Only 26 Special Roadsters were built, and only by special order. One such order was placed by the Prussian von Krieger family, an aristocratic clan whose crest adorns the driver’s door of the car to this day. Henning von Kreiger was the first owner, followed by his sister, Gisela. Baroness von Krieger was a leading light in European high society during the prewar years and lived a life of privilege, embodied in the sweeping lines and hand-built finishing of her 540K Special Roadster.
The von Kreiger family fled the Nazis during the war, but they didn’t leave this special car behind. Mercedes-Benz 540K was shipped to Switzerland in 1942 for safekeeping, and when the Baroness emigrated to the United States after the war, the car was shipped over by boat and kept in Greenwich, Connecticut. Von Kreiger returned to Europe in later years, but the car remained in storage and eventually passed to her heirs. When the car finally emerged, the ashtray still held cigarette butts with Gisela’s lipstick on them and her silk glove was found under the seat.
The restored car of 540K won the prewar Mercedes-Benz class at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In 2012, after being repainted in as-delivered black, it was auctioned by Gooding & Co. for $11.77 million including buyer’s premium at its Pebble Beach event.
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| Mercedes-Benz 540K |
Mercedes-Benz 540K Specifications
Engine construction : Cast-iron monobloc (head and block one piece)
Power : 180 bhp
Transmission : Four-speed, automatic top two gears
Length : 202.8 inches/515cm
Wheelbase : 129.5 inches/329cm
Top Speed : 115 mph/184 kph