The original 17-inch chrome wire wheels are fitted with 7-inch Firestone whitewall tires with knockoff painted center caps. Two spare full sized wheels come fitted in each front fender. Vacuum-boosted hydraulic brakes clamp on all four corners with the emergency brake acting only on the rear. Double wishbone suspension is seen at the front with a contemporary-style coil spring setup and a double-joint swing axle for the rear. British reviews remarked at the road holding capabilities and the luxurious ride quality over rough English roads which was a vast improvement over the outgoing 500K.
The bakelite and polished metal four spoke steering wheel fronts a 200-kph speedometer and 4k-rpm tachometer along with an analog clock, fuel level, oil pressure, and coolant temperature. These gauge pods show dark ivory faces with chrome bezels and are VDO which has been a staple brand for the company post-war. The lever on the steering wheel is a gear preselector for the transmission.
This 540K is powered by a 5.4-liter M24 II in-line eight cylinder engine with Mercedes-Benz designed twin pressurized updraft carburetors and a manually activated Roots supercharger mated to a four speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. The 540K was the fastest production car in the world at the time with a top speed of 110-mph. The in-line 8 cylinder engine made 115 horsepower in its naturally aspirated form. There is a “kickdown” switch in the pedal that activates the supercharger bringing the horsepower to 180 when activated. Sodium filled valves were lifted from the Gran Prix cars of the day and the engine turned over at 2,170-rpm at 100-kph. This is an overhead cam design with two valves per cylinder. The “K” in 540K stands for Kompressor which was developed and proven usable on Ferdinand Porsche’s Auto Union race cars. The four speed manual transmission features a reverse gear and four forward gears. First gear has no synchromesh with 2-4 having synchromesh. The 540K uses a semi-automatic gearbox using the gear preselector on the steering wheel for clutchless shifts in the upper two gears. Mercedes-Benz recommends double clutching when going into first.
Showing just three owners from new, this Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C is now offered in Berlin, Germany showing 2,082 kilometers and includes UK MOT papers, historical pamphlets, and informational literature.
Pre-war cars, especially a Mercedes-Benz 540K, require some historical reference in order to highlight their importance as not only automobiles but historical artifacts. With the rise of the nouveau riche of the 1920s such as the Rockefellers and Vanderbuilts, naturally they latched onto the hottest form of transportation, wanting the best and fastest with the latest tech. Coachbuilders applied similar techniques to motorized vehicles as they did horse-drawn carriages. They were not that different afterall with their ladder chassis and interior surrounded by glass and wood. Much like the Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser, you had to be someone to buy a 540K... such as the Führer und Reichskanzler (Leader and Reich Chancellor) of Germany or the King of Egypt.
Egypt and Nazi Germany shared diplomatic ties before the war as they both allied on anti-British and, more-so for Egypt, anti-colonization sentiments. The Third Reich then purchased this very 540K for King Farouk I as a wedding gift which was celebrated on the 20th of January, 1938. Gifting the royal family a 540K was Der Fuher’s idea and deemed it an appropriate gift for the Egyptian King. This specific 540K was more than a personal gift, rather it was to showcase German self-proclaimed engineering supremacy: "a first-rate sports Cabriolet, the best, most attractive and most precise car manufactured in the entire world."
In August of 1936, Egypt and Great Britain signed the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty reducing the power Great Britain had over the country as they aimed towards independence of their colonizing overseers. As World War II began, Egypt declared neutrality on September 4th, 1939, but King Farouk secretly corresponded with Adolf Hitler wishing for their victory over the British. Egypt eventually declared war on Germany in early 1945 as the Third Reich was in its death throes, being strangled on two fronts from the Allied forces as the Axis had essentially run out of gasoline – a military couldn’t fight without oil. It was clear Germany was to lose the war. With their friendship and Hitler’s gift of the 540K, it ironically saved the car from being destroyed during the vicious fighting on mainland Europe.
King Farouk had a huge car collection of over 100 vehicles, had fought and killed men in self defense during raids, and spent the later years of life in the great cities of Europe eating, traveling, spending, and womanizing his way through the continent throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s. His beloved 540K was left untouched in Cairo and luckily restored for the rest of the world to see the engineering marvels of pre-war Mercedes-Benz. Its colorful history only adds to the allure and if there ever was a story behind a car, this is the one.
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4 Comments
Welcome to the listing of this 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C. We are pleased to present one of the most iconic and prestigious pre-war automobiles ever built. The 540K Cabriolet C represents the pinnacle of German engineering, craftsmanship, and luxury of the 1930s. With its elegant design, supercharged performance, and timeless presence, it continues to stand as a true collector’s masterpiece. We invite all bidders and enthusiasts to explore the details, photos, and history of this exceptional vehicle. Please feel free to ask any questions — we are here to provide all necessary information to ensure transparency and confidence throughout the auction process. Bid with confidence on this rare opportunity to acquire a significant piece of automotive history.Funny to see this older Benz posted on here, among the newer cars. I wrote an appraisal of a 1932 Packard phaeton last week for local museum, nothing like these hand made classics, and MB then, as now is the absolute best.Really just wanted to say I bid on a million dollar MB today. Whole other level this one.$50,000 bid placed by @BJulian1212
WOAH! Congratulations to @thembmarket for the first 540k (confident it won't be the last we see!) and congrats to the seller for offering such a lovely C Cab. The insights on this auction are EXACTLY what I was hoping to read. Just a fantastic example.