1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Roadster

7 mars 2016

1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Roadster

Lot 130, 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Roadster. Coachwork by Lancefield. Chassis no. 169317. Engine no. 169317. Estimate €2.7 million - 3.5 million (£2.1 million - 2.7 million). Photo: Bonhams.

5,401cc OHV Supercharged Inline 8-Cylinder Engine
115bhp or 180bhp with Supercharger Engaged
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Servo-Assisted Hydraulic Drum Brakes

Elegant and imposing coachwork by a famous English coachbuilder
Superb proportions with fully disappearing top
Sporting one-off coachwork on a legendary supercharged Mercedes chassis
Welcomed at the worlds finest Concours d'Elegance

THE MERCEDES-BENZ 540K

The straight-eight 5,401cc 540 K, the ultimate production version of the supercharged "Kompressor" line that had begun with the 380K in 1932, was an exclusive model for an exclusive and powerful clientele. Developed by the new chief engineer of Mercedes-Benz, former racing driver Max Sailer, the 540 K succeeded the outwardly similar 500 K in 1936, and some 447 were built before production ended in 1939.

Designed for the network of high-speed Autobahns that was spreading across Germany in the 1930s, the 540 K represented the ultimate in automotive engineering in its day, with all-round independent suspension by swing axles and an unusual gear shift, with direct-drive top semi-automatically engaged. The unique system of supercharging used by Mercedes-Benz derived from the company's experience in aero engine design, where a system of "at will" supercharging had enabled World War One German aircraft to gain a performance advantage by boosting engine power at altitude.

The Mercedes supercharger was only clutched in at full throttle, rather like the "kick-down" on an automatic transmission, to give a short power boost for overtaking, a maneuver accompanied by a trademark banshee wail calculated to strike fear into the driver being overtaken! This was not empty show: the 540 K was one of a very limited number of 1930s automobiles capable of exceeding 100 mph, and indeed, when the leading British magazine The Autocar tested a 540 K cabriolet on the Brooklands track in 1938, it recorded the highest maximum speed achieved by any closed car tested up to that date: with three up, the car reached 104.65 mph.

LANCEFIELD COACHWORKS LTD.

Chassis 169317 received a one-off body by The Lancefield Coachworks Limited, a well-known English builder of stylish coachwork, designed to clothe the very best chassis. More than 150 bodies for Rolls-Royce chassis were constructed prior to the outbreak of World War II, but other important chassis included Bentley, Stutz, Isotta Fraschini and Daimler. Most displayed a sporty yet elegant flair that was very different from the somber coachwork such chassis were often laden down with. Chassis 169317 carries one of these charismatic and attractive bodies, with the added attraction of a fully disappearing top, making it one of those rare cars that look even more elegant when in the open configuration.

THE MOTOR CAR OFFERED

According to the Mercedes-Benz Classic Archives, 169317 was delivered as a bare RHD chassis to Mercedes-Benz London on 14 February 1938. Like other ultra-luxury models of the era, the 540 K chassis was offered to the carriage trade. Nevertheless most customers opted for one of the many in-house body styles by Sindelfingen. This makes chassis 169317 is one of the very rare 540 K chassis bodied by an outside coachbuilder. By that token, it is not just a graceful and handsome sporting automobile mounted on one of the most coveted and powerful pre-war chassis. 169317 represents a unique one-off effort by a highly regarded British coachbuilder, in a refined red over black livery that presents in beautiful condition. It is an extraordinary automobile that will inspire feelings of wonder and admiration wherever its new owner may choose to take it.