Home»All Photographs»Automobiles As Art 1930s (free downloads)»1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K

This beautiful, bright red 1937 Mercedes-Benz Model 540K Special Roadster was photographed at Blackhawk Automotive Museum in Danville, Calif.

"The Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster achieved a pinnacle of styling, design and performance," according to a Blackhawk summary. "Sales literature promoted it as an automobile of enormous speed, combined with exceptional elegance.

This car has a two-passenger rumble seat and extensive chrome embellishments were used along the fenders, hood doors and rear deck. These ~ and all of the chromed handles for the doors, hood and rumble seat, required special castings.

"Daimler-Benz records indicate that this body was transported from the Sindelfingen works to the Stuttgart-Unterturkheim works where it was mounted on the chassis. The completed car was shipped to Mitropa Motors in New York City where it sold for $12,000. It was a sum equivalent to $75,000 {in 2010}. Of the 25 Special Roadsters built, this is one of six known to still exist."

It boasts an 8-cylinder, OHV supercharged engine capable of producing 180 hp at 3400 rpm.