1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Torpedo-Sport Avant-Garde
Germany’s post-World War I depression necessitated a merger between Daimler and Benz, a process that began in 1925 and was formally consummated on 26 June 1926; the joined companies’ product lines, manufacturing, and management were integrated and rationalized. Most importantly, the marques’ competition in racing ended, and the combined companies’ performance development efforts were placed squarely behind the Mercedes, resulting in some of the most exciting, famous, and successful automobiles ever built. The immediate result of the renewed focus and the concentration of the engineering talents of Dr Ferdinand Porsche, Hans Nibel, and Fritz Nallinger was the Mercedes-Benz Type S. Developed as a successor to the 6,246-cubic centimetre Model K, it was an automobile that would forever establish the credentials of Mercedes-Benz at the pinnacle of high-performance luxury automobiles. As the post-war recession faded, it was succeeded by an era of prosperity and a new social freedom, the Jazz Age. The Type S, developed as a successor to the Model K, was vigorous, powerful, vibrant, and purposeful. It became a signature of the times and the pinnacle of aspirations that, in the Roaring Twenties, seemed accessible to all.
This 680S was ordered with a custom Saoutchik Torpedo Roadster body by one Charles Levine but, for reasons thought to be ‘business reversals’ just prior to the market crash, the customer refused to take delivery when it arrived in New York. Shown at the 1929 New York Auto Show, it must have made quite an impression with its long hood, low windshield, red lizard-skin interior, and ‘German silver’ fender trim.
The Mercedes star appeared not once but twice on the innovative radiator cap – as a badge and also as a fitting ornament. A beautiful alveolar pattern played a functional and aesthetic role. It protected the radiator itself from dirt and stones. Dirty radiator fins are less effective at cooling than clean fins, while stones can cause damage, causing the engine to overheat.
Powering the 680 S Torpedo is a supercharged 7.0-liter straight-six that produced 180 hp and featured larger valves, dual carburetors and a larger supercharger than its Type K predecessor. It is the only one of the three short-windshield variants that were made to survive.
A 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Torpedo-Sport Avant-Garde is one of the stars among the early consignments for RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale on 27 May. Chassis 35949 is the sole survivor of just three examples built by Saoutchik with a short-windshield design, and features a disappearing convertible top and lizard skin interior.
One of Saoutchik’s most incredible designs, the car is the sole survivor of just three examples constructed with a short-windshield design, and represents the perfect combination of German engineering and French Avant-Garde styling. From a visual perspective, it is simply breathtaking; devoid of any running boards, it combines swooping front fenders with highly polished German Silver trim, a low windshield, and a disappearing convertible top. Inside, reptile-skin seats and intricate wood accents, including a large wood-rimmed steering wheel, give a heightened sense of luxury.
