1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K

Mercedes-Benz was a dominant force in Grand Prix motor racing during the late 1930s, and the 540 basked in the reflected glory of this success. At the heart was a robust supercharger reinforced by elegant styling with most of the coachwork produced at Sindelfingen. Introduced in October of 1936 at the Paris Salon, the 540 K was a genuine 100 mph road car, a rare achievement until well after World War II. They were built upon the success of the earlier S-Type and 500 K models with their power sourced from a 5.4-liter supercharged straight-eight engine, a configuration inspired by the Grand Prix Silver Arrows. The Roots supercharger could be engaged manually or by means of flooring the throttle. The compressor was engaged at the same time the alternative atmospheric intake to the carburetor was closed, with horsepower increasing from 115 bhp to 180 bhp. The supercharger system had been thoroughly proven on the preceding series of Dr. Porsche-conceived S-Type cars, and the 540 K would be the last supercharged production Mercedes-Benz until relatively recent times.

The 540 K's four-speed gearbox had a direct top gear, unlike the overdrive ratio used on the earlier 500 K. The independent suspension added greatly to the roadability and was complimented by the use of servo-assisted hydraulic brakes. The wheelbase measured 3,290mm (129.5-inches).

The 540 K was one of the first models developed under Mercedes' new chief engineer, ex-racing driver Max Sailer, successor to Dr. Hans Nibel, who had died in November 1934 at the age of only 54.

Most of the coachwork was assembled in Stuttgart, at the Sindelfingen works, with the level of craftsmanship on par (or higher) than any external coachbuilder. Styled and engineered by Hermann Ahrens, eight body styles were offered, including four different cabriolet designs, roadsters, and sedans. The Cabriolet C had two large doors complementing the sweep of the fender, but unlike Special Roadsters, the Cabriolet C offered accommodation for five. A total of 32 examples were built with the Cabriolet C coachwork, with an estimated six to eight examples finished with the 'steep rear,' or sloped back design. The Cabriolet A was a two-passenger drophead coupé, of which 83 were built. The 'Spezial Roadster' had long, sweeping front and rear fenders, spare tires recessed at the rear of the body, a lower top, a radiator set back behind the front axle, and a set of Karl Baisch luggage residing on a shelf behind the front seats. Exceptionally priced at 28,000 Reichsmark, or about $12,000 US.

Only 70 examples were delivered sans body, their owners opting for coachwork from other builders in Germany or abroad.

Mercedes-Benz built 419 examples of the 540 K including 97 built in 1936. In comparison, Mercedes had built 354 examples of the 500K over a three-year period.

The 540K had luxurious appointments, sweeping bodylines, and juxtaposed by its potent 180 horsepower 'kompressor' engine and remarkable handling characteristics. Period performance tests by Britain's Motor magazine revealed the 540 K to have lighter steering and handling than its 500 K predecessor, and a more comfortable ride despite both models sharing the same all-round independent suspension layout with parallel links and coil springs at the front and swing axles at the rear. Motor's test car returned 102 mph over the timed quarter-mile with the supercharger engaged and 85 mph with it disengaged. The test car achieved 11 mpg petrol consumption. The servo-assisted brakes were praised, and the blower was found to be relatively quiet.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2021