One of only two cars on this list to not wear the badge of the Prancing Horse, this prewar machine defines fluidity of form and grace in motion. A blue-chip collectible, the Mercedes-Benz 540 K model line is exemplified by the Special Roadster, bodied by the marque’s own artisans in Sindelfingen and presenting what the auction house mentions is often referred to as that period’s “short-tail, low-door" configuration. It’s propelled by a supercharged 180 hp eight-cylinder engine.
Chassis No. 123702 originally belonged to Arthur Gore, the Viscount of Sudley, and was soon in South Africa. It would eventually find its home in the U.S., where it had a succession of stewards and a place in notable collections. During that time, it was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1965, again in 1982, when it won the top honor at the world’s most prestigious concours, and another turn at Pebble in 2000 for an exhibition reuniting past Best of Show recipients. Often trumping beauty, rarity is arguably the true calling card of a collectible automobile, and this is among the seven examples of this specifically bodied 500 K Special Roadster to still exist.
From the article by Viju Mathew
