Image credit: © conceptcarz.com (Reproduction Or reuse prohibited).
Prior to World War II, Mercedes-Benz reached the zenith of luxury car creation with their 540K series of car. Coming from a long heritage of powerful 6-cylinder supercharged cars, beginning with the S-Type and SSK, the 8 cylinder 540K was the culmination of years of development and refinement. Ferdinand Porsche started the development of the S-Type and SSK and Hans Nibel continued it into the 380K and 500K. The 540K was introduced in 1936 and developed 180 horsepower when the supercharged was engaged. Only 419 examples were constructed.
At 128-inches, the 540K had a 12-inch longer wheelbase than its predecessors. The longer wheelbase allowed the hood to be extended and the radiator pushed back. This gave the designer more liberty with the front fender shape. The factory coachworks Sindelfingen Werks produced a variety of custom and semi-custom bodies. Many of the Cabriolet type bodies suffered in appearance from the awkward look of the top when it was down. The finest bodies had disappearing tops, such as the Special Roadster. About 30 Special Roadsters were built.
Even rarer than the Special Roadster is this Special Tourer. With four passengers, the top is very difficult to engineer to completely disappear. Only two such cars were built and this is the only survivor. This car has been restored to its exact original configuration with all patterns taken from the original upholstery and top. It is repainted in the original subtle Champagne Silver.
At 128-inches, the 540K had a 12-inch longer wheelbase than its predecessors. The longer wheelbase allowed the hood to be extended and the radiator pushed back. This gave the designer more liberty with the front fender shape. The factory coachworks Sindelfingen Werks produced a variety of custom and semi-custom bodies. Many of the Cabriolet type bodies suffered in appearance from the awkward look of the top when it was down. The finest bodies had disappearing tops, such as the Special Roadster. About 30 Special Roadsters were built.
Even rarer than the Special Roadster is this Special Tourer. With four passengers, the top is very difficult to engineer to completely disappear. Only two such cars were built and this is the only survivor. This car has been restored to its exact original configuration with all patterns taken from the original upholstery and top. It is repainted in the original subtle Champagne Silver.
The spiritual descendant of the legendary Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK models, the 540K was introduced in October of 1936 as the successor to the remarkable 500K. With more than 180 hp available, they were advertised as the fastest production cars in the world. Highly advanced for their era, they also benefited from some of the most striking coachwork of the prewar era. These massive automobiles were fitted with a 5.4-liter overhead valve, inline eight-cylinder engine driver-activated and gear-driven Rootes-type supercharger, twin pressurized updraft carburetors, four-speed transmission, four-wheel fully independent suspension and vacuum-assisted hydraulic brakes. Although Sindelfingen built a variety of Cabriolet bodies, a handful of special bodies were also built. This example is one of the most striking of these; it combines the four-passenger capabilities of the Cabriolet B with the elegant design cues of the legendary Special Roadster, including the magnificent 'vee' windshield. Less obvious but equally important is the sleek, disappearing top. The result is one of the most attractive bodies ever offered on the 540K chassis, and the rarest. Over 30 Special Roadsters were built, but it is believed that only two Sport Tourers were built, and this one is the only known survivor.
Thanks to the use of the supercharger, the 540K Mercedes models were part of a small set of passenger cars of the 1930's that were able to reach and exceed 100 mph (160 km/h). The use of supercharging earned Mercedes a legendary reputation in racing car circles. The 500K and 540K used racing technology, but were elegant and luxurious passenger cars. The bodies of the nicest examples of the 540 are the result of Mercedes internal work and not, as it was common in the times, of cooperation with external body-makers. They were produced in the Sindelfingen plant that had 1,500 employees and a production capacity of 500 bodies a month. The most luxurious bodies were treated with special care by a sort of 'special department.' There were numerous types of bodies available, from a coupe with a fixed roof to seven-seat formal sedans. Following WWII, this car was stored by an enthusiast in Dresden to hide it from Soviet officials. The man's house had a basement garage and after securing the car in it, he bricked up the entrance and filled the driveway with topsoil, planting a rose garden above it. With the fall of the Berlin wall, he felt it was safe to bring the car out and sell it to earn badly needed retirement funds. At the time, the car was highly original, but significantly deteriorated by age. The restoration of the car was completed in 2005.
Thanks to the use of the supercharger, the 540K Mercedes models were part of a small set of passenger cars of the 1930's that were able to reach and exceed 100 mph (160 km/h). The use of supercharging earned Mercedes a legendary reputation in racing car circles. The 500K and 540K used racing technology, but were elegant and luxurious passenger cars. The bodies of the nicest examples of the 540 are the result of Mercedes internal work and not, as it was common in the times, of cooperation with external body-makers. They were produced in the Sindelfingen plant that had 1,500 employees and a production capacity of 500 bodies a month. The most luxurious bodies were treated with special care by a sort of 'special department.' There were numerous types of bodies available, from a coupe with a fixed roof to seven-seat formal sedans. Following WWII, this car was stored by an enthusiast in Dresden to hide it from Soviet officials. The man's house had a basement garage and after securing the car in it, he bricked up the entrance and filled the driveway with topsoil, planting a rose garden above it. With the fall of the Berlin wall, he felt it was safe to bring the car out and sell it to earn badly needed retirement funds. At the time, the car was highly original, but significantly deteriorated by age. The restoration of the car was completed in 2005.
No auction information available for this vehicle at this time.
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Mercedes-Benz 540K
(Data based on Model Year 1938 sales)
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Norrmalm Cabriolet Chassis#: 169389 Sold for USD$1,435,000 2024 Broad Arrow Auctions : Amelia | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster in the style of Sindelfingen Chassis#: 408338 Sold for USD$1,545,000 2024 RM Sothebys : Arizona | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster in the style of Singelfingen Chassis#: 169394 Sold for USD$2,089,949 2022 RM Sothebys : Munich | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Drophead Coupe by Lancefield Chassis#: 169317 Sold for USD$1,050,000 2022 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen Chassis#: 189391 Sold for USD$1,132,500 2022 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet B Chassis#: 130903 Sold for USD$836,000 2016 Worldwide Auctions - The Houston Classic | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster by Nawrocki Sold for USD$1,870,000 2015 Auctions America - California | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet B Chassis#: 169367 Sold for USD$1,289,033 2013 RM Auction - London | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Cabriolet A Chassis#: 154133 Sold for USD$2,200,788 2013 RM Auction - London | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K cabriolet Chassis#: 169333 Sold for USD$900,205 2013 Bonhams - Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet 'A' Chassis#: 169396 Sold for USD$1,312,500 2013 Bonhams - The Scottsdale Auction | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sold for USD$946,000 2009 The Scottsdale Auction : Gooding & Company | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A Chassis#: 169397 Sold for USD$1,035,868 2005 Bonhams - Important Collectors' Motor Cars | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster Chassis#: 189387 Sold for USD$1,017,500 2005 The Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction | |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sport Cabriolet Sold for USD$973,500 2003 Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction |
Mercedes-Benz 540Ks That Failed To Sell At Auction
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1938 MERCEDES-BENZ 540K ROADSTER | 169317 | 2016 Bonhams The MercedesBenz Sale | $2,100,000 | $2,700,000 | |
1938 MERCEDES-BENZ 540 K SPEICAL PHAETON | 11102510004813 | 2003 Kruse Auctions Las Vegas, NV | $0 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
Similar sales to the $1,308,923 range.
1960 FERRARI 250 GT SERIES II CABRIOLET Chassis#:1817 GT Sold for $1,300,000 2023 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
2020 FORD GT CARBON SERIES Chassis#:2FAGP9DWXLH100173 Sold for $1,320,000 2023 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale, Az. | |
2019 FORD GT LIGHTWEIGHT CARBON SERIES Chassis#:2FAGP9CW2KH200042 Sold for $1,320,000 2023 Barrett-Jackson : Scottsdale, Az. | |
1990 Ferrari Testarossa Pininfarina Spider 'Special Production' Chassis#:EFG092 Sold for $1,300,703 2022 RM Sothebys : London | |
2020 Ford GT '69 Heritage Edition Chassis#:2FAGP9EW2LH100148 Sold for $1,297,500 2022 Broad Arrow Auctions : The Passion for the Drive | |
1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley Roadster by Brewster Chassis#:224AJS Sold for $1,297,500 2022 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona Sold for $1,320,000 2022 Mecum Indy | |
2018 Ford GT '67 Heritage Edition Sold for $1,320,000 2022 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
2015 Porsche 918 'Weissach' Spyder Chassis#:WP0ZZZ91ZFS800219 Sold for $1,303,536 2021 RM Sothebys : St. Moritz, Switzerland | |
2010 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Coupé Chassis#:VF9SA25C18M795208 Sold for $1,316,076 2019 Bonhams : The Bonmont Sale | |
1941 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A Chassis#:189392 Sold for $1,297,500 2019 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1928 Bentley 6½ Litre Four Light Weymann Fabric Sports Saloon Chassis#:BR2353 Sold for $1,304,781 2019 Bonhams : Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais | |
2017 Ford GT Sold for $1,320,000 2018 Mecum : Dallas | |
1953 Ferrari 212 Europa Coupé by Pinin Farina Chassis#:0279 EU Sold for $1,306,172 2018 RM Sothebys : London | |
1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Chassis#:198.042.10.002623 Sold for $1,297,500 2018 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Chassis#:5201 GT Sold for $1,320,000 2018 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1931 Duesenberg Model J SWB Sport Convertible Sedan Chassis#:2486 Sold for $1,320,000 2018 Worldwide Auctioneers : Pacific Grove Auction | |
1976 Porsche 934 Chassis#:930 670 0162 Sold for $1,320,000 2018 Gooding & Co. : Amelia Island | |
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Chassis#:198.040.6500174 Sold for $1,320,000 2018 Gooding & Company : Scottsdale, Az. | |
2016 Ferrari F12tdf Sold for $1,320,000 2018 Mecum : Kissimmee |
1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K
• Additional valuation insight and sales data• History
• Specifications
• Image gallery
• Other Mercedes-Benz 540K model years