1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster

The Mercedes-Benz 540K (W29) is a car built by the German firm Mercedes-Benz from 1936 to 1940. Introduced at the 1936 Paris Motor Show, the Friedrich Geiger designed car was a development of the 500K, itself a development of the SSK. Available as a both a two- and four-seat cabriolet, four seater coupé or seven seater limousine (with armoured sides and armoured glass), it was one of the largest cars of its time.

The 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadsters appealed to a global audience represented by a who’s who of international social and economic elite. Ownership of these cars within their domestic Germany was no doubt a source of pride, and this was no less true with chassis number 408383, completed in August 1939 for Rolf Horn. Mr. Horn, along with his brother, operated Gebrüder Horn, one of Berlin’s most exclusive fashion houses, and was a noted art collector focusing on German expressionists. Clearly a man with strong aesthetic instincts, there is no doubt that he played a significant role in the design of his bespoke automobile.

Only 419 Mercedes-Benz 540 K models were built between 1936 and 1940, but only 25 of them were Special Roadsters. The 540 K Special Roadster comes with an innovative 5-speed transmission and a 180-horsepower 5.4-liter engine, that makes this beauty run to a top speed of 110 mph (180 km/h).

the Special Roadster would feature some usual features like the raked radiator and low doors. However, the car would boast of a number of unique touches. Those touches would include the lack of running boards, a steeply-raked windscreen that could be opened, chrome accents along the hood and beltline of the car and aerodynamic tapering over the folded top. However, the most easily-recognizable one-off design would be the design of the fenders. Fully skirted, the fenders look almost teardrop in shape and therefore give a very pronounced look over each of the tires.

As one of the true crown jewels of the Classic Era of motor cars, arguably no automobile symbolizes the pinnacle of design, engineering, and construction among the Classic Era cars better than the Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster. Incredibly rare, stunningly beautiful, a cherished centerpiece for collectors worldwide, the example presented here, is the perfect representation of those enviable qualities.