The 1939 released 540 K Spezial-Coupe was less flashier than the Spezial Roadster but nonetheless a reliable road companion.
Built in few number as were all of 500K and 540K models, the car is very sought after collectible today although the chances of actually getting one are slimmer than growing antlers by mere mind focus. Sharing the same choice of engine as its stablemates, the coupe was no quicker nor easier to handle but it was certainly a treat. Having a two-seat layout, the coupe was a car for those who really chose with whom they shared the joy of this zeal-engined car.

The Mercedes-Benz 500K was one of the rarest vehicles built by the German car-maker.
It only made 761 chassis and only 12 were produced as coupes with a Mercedes-Benz bodywork. 70 units were sent to specialist coachbuilders.

On the brink of WWII, the Mercedes-Benz build the “Autobahn-Kourier”, a vehicle that offered performance, comfort, and high-class status. The car was launched in March 1934 at the International Motor and Motorcycle Show in Berlin. The new 500 model with supercharger” was exhibited in Berlin in just one version at a price that was specially constructed for particularity high speeds.

The car was built on the chassis with the “rear-set” engine, which means that the vehicle had the inline-eight unit behind the front axle. The big, front fenders were extended toward the cabin. The Coupe version lost the spare-wheels from the back, on top of the trunk, to improve the efficiency. It wasn’t about the fuel consumption, but about the aerodynamics. That is why the rear side of the car looked like a hunchback, with a small window placed on the upper side.

The luxurious interior was matched to the high price of the vehicle. The price of the vehicle was RM 22.000, which was one of the highest prices on the market. Only the chassis cost was RM 15.000. The 500 K Coupe used a Mercedes-Benz overdrive transmission with the semi-automatic gearshift. Shifting from third (direct) gear into overdrive did not require the use of the clutch.

The 500 K Special Roadster was one of the fastest cars from its times a customer could buy from Mercedes-Benz, and it became a cult car over the years.
In 1934, Mercedes-Benz started to replace the previous 380 model with a new generation and unveiled the 500, W29 range. By enlarging the bore and lengthening the engine’s stroke, the 3.8-liter inline-eight engine grew to five liters. To further increase the power, Mercedes added a Roots supercharger with a switch on the dashboard.

The new chassis allowed the carmaker to create a long bodywork with only two seats in the cabin and two rumble seats in the back, the so-called “mother-in-law” seats by the Germans. The front of the car showed the rear-set engine position, meaning that the powerplant was installed behind the front axle. Even the pinned-out radiator sat behind the wheels hubs. The carmaker added a thick, rigid front bumper extended in front of the wheel fenders. It was a so-called “Autobahn-Kurierwagen” that described the cars built for sustained high-speed travels. A two-part, raked windshield protected the occupants from the wind. Behind the cabin, on the sloped rear end, the carmaker installed two spare wheels. One was in a special compartment covered by a lid. When both wheels were installed, that lid was removed, and the second spare came on top.

Mercedes-Benz installed rear-hinged doors to access the luxurious cabin. The leather upholstery and the wood panels were finished to perfection. A big, four-spoke steering wheel ensured the driver that it had the best possible control over the car.

Under the long hood, Mercedes-Benz installed a long engine and two additional horns. The supercharger increased the power from 100 hp to 160 hp at a touch of a button. The carmaker paired the inline-eight unit with a semi-automatic four-speed gearbox. Shifting from third to fourth didn’t require the use of the clutch.

While the 500 K Spezial was an astonishing looking car, the 540 K boasted unearthly styling and the power to match it.
Although it looked good no matter the color choice, it was truly a killer dressed in black. The car looked as if it had been first painted by Jackson Pollock and then re-worked by H.R.Geiger. Although it looks complex, the car shares the same bio-mechanical beauty as Geiger’s Alien with sleek, loose lines contrasting with manically drawn details. Power has been raised to 180 hp but then again, this car was not about performance but about compelling beauty.

In October 1936, Mercedes-Benz launched the 540K at the Paris Motor Show.
It was an important upgrade over the 500 K Series, which was already on sale since 1934.

The performance-oriented customers considered the Mercedes-Benz 380 underpowered in certain circumstances and, in 1934, the German car-maker decided to introduce a newly developed chassis: the 500 K. It was offered in various bodyworks, including a bare-bone chassis to be completed by various custom body makers such as Spohn. But for the Sport-Limousine vehicles, the customers had to wait until 1936 when their wait was rewarded with the new, top-of-the-line, 540 K Sport Limousine “Spezial”.

It was more of a coupe vehicle, based on the regular chassis of the W29 model range. The inline-eight supercharged engine imposed a long hood with side exhausts. The short greenhouse was continued with the sloped rear end, in a streamlined fashion. Also, to enhance the aerodynamic, the rear wheels were covered with removable panels that could have been removed to change the wheels when needed.

Inside, there was room for two passengers. The flat seats were covered in leather, adding a touch of luxury to the expensive vehicle. The instrument panel was placed in the middle of the dashboard, with five round dials in chromed rings.

The engine was a 5.4-liter unit, which was obtained after an increase in bore and stroke of the 500 K engine. With the help of a Roots supercharger, the car was able to achieve high speeds, especially on the German highways, known as Autobahn.

The 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster was the rarest W29 vehicle built by the German car manufacturer.
It was shown at the Paris Motor Show in October 1935.

It was based on a special chassis, with a rear-set engine, while the other body variants of the 500 K were built on a standard one. That meant that the big, 5-liter supercharged unit was installed further behind the front axle.

The 500 K Special Roadster was built in only 50 units, out of a total of 761 units of the 500 K with all the variants. Unlike the other open-top versions of the W29 model, the Special Roadster had only two seats. To light-up the road ahead, that version was equipped with an additional pair of lights mounted on the A-pillars.

The inline-eight engine was based on the previous 3.8-liter unit used before with an enlarged bore and stroke and a different crankshaft. It was mated to a 5-speed semi-automatic gearbox, meaning that the driver could shift from fourth to fifth gear without using the clutch. The top gear was overdrive and it was designed for the motorway high-speed use. In those times, the Autobahn (German highway) network started to take shape and, as an “Autobahn-Kurierwagen” (Highway transporter) as it was called, its performance lived up to its name.

The Special Roadster was the most expensive version of the W29 with a price-tag of RM 28.000, while the chassis-version was priced at RM 15.500 and the convertible was RM 22.000.

The Mercedes-Benz 500K was one of the rarest vehicles built by the German car-maker.
It only made 761 chassis and 70 of them were supplied to specialist coachbuilders.

On the brink of WWII, the Mercedes-Benz build the “Autobahn-Kourier”, a vehicle that offered performance, comfort, and high-class status. The car was launched in March 1934 at the International Motor and Motorcycle Show in Berlin. The new 500 model with supercharger” was exhibited in Berlin in just one version at a price that was specially constructed for particularity high speeds.

The Sport-Limousine version was one of the rarest, with only 12 various coupe variants from the total of 761 chassis built. The statistics were rounded off by 53 saloons and 28 open tourers. The car was built on the chassis with the “rear-set” engine, which means that the vehicle had the inline-eight unit behind the front axle. The big, front fenders were extended toward the cabin. The Sport-Limousine moved the spare-wheels in the back, on top of the trunk, to improve the efficiency. It wasn’t about the fuel consumption, but about the aerodynamics.

The luxurious interior was matched to the high price of the vehicle. The price of the vehicle was RM 22.000, which was one of the highest prices on the market. Only the chassis cost was RM 15.000. The 500 K used a Mercedes-Benz overdrive transmission with the semi-automatic gearshift. Shifting from third (direct) gear into overdrive did not require the use of the clutch.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the W29 lineup in March 1934 at the International Motor and Motorcycle Show in Berlin.
The carmaker didn’t specify that it will replace the model 380 with the newly introduced 500, but the complete lineup with seven bodyworks available, apart from the bare-chassis version, raise suspicions. In June 1934, Mercedes-Benz introduced the new 500 on its price list, and in the following month, it retired the Typ 380. Two years later, the carmaker increased the engine displacement from five liters to 5.4 liters leading to a new designation name, the 540. The K came from the “Kompressor,” the German word for the supercharger. One of the rarest 540 K was the Cabriolet A. The carmaker offered the W29 with three open-top versions.

The Cabriolet A featured a pined-out radiator, pushed back from the bumper just behind the front axle. Its large front fenders supported the cross-beam with the big headlights and an additional set of fog lamps. On both sides, the carmaker placed the spare wheels between the rear-hinged doors and the front wheels. Mercedes-Benz built 116 units of them.

Inside, the carmaker insisted on exclusive materials. The fine leather and the wood veneers were perfectly combined with the polished metal from the steering wheel, and door handles. While other Cabriolet versions provided room for four, the Cabriolet A featured two seats at the front and a parcel at the back.

The chassis used was the long-wheelbase version, with front independent suspension and a rear swing axle with coil springs. Its 5.4-liter supercharged engine provided 180 hp when the supercharger was engaged. Mercedes-Benz paired the powerplant with a four-speed manual gearbox.

The Cabriolet B type was released as an extended version of the A model with a 2+2 seating configuration.
Besides the increased interior room the model received minor styling tweaks including tail-light placement and rear boot capacity. Available in both one and two-tone paint coatings, this beautiful retractable soft-top vehicle was a fresh re-take on the cabriolet with an appealing design and signature details that have turned the W29-based models into higly popular vehicles among the wealthy. Other features including a semi-independent suspension system, front end mounted sound horns and fender mounted turning lights.

The 500 K Cabriolet B emerged as a retrofuturistic car combining modern design and technology with conservative line patterns.
Powered by a large straight-8 5.0L OHV p[etrol engine mated to a roots blower, the vehicle featured lots of exterior tubing as part of an intricately designed exhaust system. Depending on bodywork and whether the vehicle featured side or rear spare wheel mounts, pipes came in single or double pairs across the bonnet, protruding through the base and exiting through the rear. This gave the 3-4 seater a particulalry stylish and powerful look, matching the vehicle’s true 160 hp output.

The type C Cabriolet was a down-sized version of the B model, with single side windows and a two-seat layout.
Larger doors were made available on the car while very other detail, be it visual or technical was preserved. The trademark exhaust tubing was also kept for that powerful look while the 5.0 liter petrol supercharged unit found its way under the bonnet as well, propelling the car to a top speed of 99 mph via a synchronized 5-speed manual transmission. The retractable soft-top was easy and quick to fold while window frames had to be removed to allow windows to be rolled in.