Kabriolet Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A by Sinde

Standort: im Zulauf / in transit in (PLZ )
location: 1
interior color: beige
interior type: leather
number of doors: 2
Chassis No. 189391
Engine No. 189391
Body No. 842205
Documents
US Title
A gorgeous 540K with fascinating provenance
including past owners Sir Peter Ustinov and Road & Track founder John R. Bond. Pleasingly mellowed concours restoration
ideal for touring and road events
Supercharged 5.4-liter inline-eight
Original engine and chassis stampings
Delivered new in Paris to a British owner
Striking Cabriolet A coachwork by Sindelfingen
Well-preserved older concours restoration
The 1930s were a tumultuous time for many of the worlds premier automakers. Even as an economic depression swept over much of the global economy
Packard
Cadillac
Rolls-Royce
Duesenberg
and many others continued rolling out increasingly glamorous
sophisticated
and costly automobiles. Mercedes-Benz carried the pride of Germany with their magnificent eight-cylinder supercharged models
starting with the 380 of 1933. Nearly as soon as the 380 hit the market
engineers in Stuttgart set about developing a replacement
as they felt the 3.8-liter engine was not up to the performance standard they were after. They swiftly introduced the mighty 5-liter
160-horsepower 500 K. The ultimate evolution of the series arrived in late 1936 with the 180-horsepower
5.4-liter 540 K. The 500 K and 540 K are among the most coveted of all 30s motor cars
offering an abundance of breathtaking performance
exquisite quality
and impeccable style
Customer demand for Mercedes flagship was sufficient to warrant 342 500 K chassis and another 419 540 Ks. While a handful of outside coachbuilders had a go at the Mercedes chassis
the vast majority of these cars were bodied at the Mercedes-owned Sindelfingen body works
a facility renowned for impeccable build quality and excellence in design. Sindelfingens catalogue offered a variety of body styles to suit a demanding and sophisticated clientele
and the experienced coachbuilder readily accommodated personal requests
ensuring exclusivity for their customers
Chassis 189391 is a desirable third-series car
fitted from new with Sindelfingens elegant and desirable Cabriolet A coachwork
originally delivered without side-mounted spares. According to the Daimler-Benz Kommission sheet
the order for this car came via the British Mercedes-Benz distributor in London. The original owner
Mr. Manson
appears to have taken delivery in Paris
though the car was registered in the UK as FLC 217
and it mercifully remained in England for the duration of the war
undoubtedly ensuring its survival. In 1951
the great British actor
writer
filmmaker
and raconteur Sir Peter Ustinov acquired 189391. Ustinov was an enthusiastic and discerning petrolhead
having owned many significant sporting automobiles throughout his career
including a Mercedes S36/220
a Hispano Suiza
and numerous post-war Astons
Lagondas
and Maseratis. Sir Peter kept this 540 K for only a short period
selling it in 1953
likely via the dealer Simmons of Mayfair
which advertised the car around this time in Motor Sport magazine
In July 1953
the 540 K came stateside via pioneering American collector Ralph Buckley of Absecon
New Jersey. Buckley was well known in the hobby as an expert on Mercer T-Head automobiles and was a friend of seminal motoring book author Ralph Stein. From Mr. Buckley
189391 went to John R. Bond
beloved Road & Track magazine publisher and a prominent character in the American motoring press. John was a sharp-witted writer
and together with his business-savvy wife Elaine
the Bonds maintained a carefully selected collection of cars in their California home. In 1977
John Bond met Jim Wilson of Hermosa Beach
California
who
upon seeing the 540 K for the first time at Bonds house
was instantly smitten. He soon arranged to buy it and later recalled it was a complete
highly original car showing no signs of a restoration aside from an earlier repaint
In Mr. Wilsons care
the 540 K was treate