1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A
- Engine
- 5.4L supercharged straight-eight, 180 bhp with blower engaged
- Colour
- Black with red wire wheels
A right-hand-drive 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet A, one of only approximately 33 early-style examples built and among perhaps five surviving interim-production cars combining first-series coachwork with the more powerful 540 K platform. Delivered new through Rose & Company in London, the car later crossed to the United States, passed through several notable American and European collections including that of Swedish collector Hans Thulin, and carries its original chassis and engine stampings as well as its original British registration EMH 303.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$1,875,000
- 1936-08-01 →Factory deliveryMr. Cockburnpartial documentation
First registered owner, took delivery via Rose & Company of London; vehicle registered under plate EMH 303, which remains fitted to the car today.
- 1954 → 1959Acquisition unknownJohn B. Davidsonpartial documentation
Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; during his tenure the car was repainted gold with black accents and given a distinctive decorative sweep-panel treatment on the hood.
- → 1978Acquisition unknownEarl Blakelypartial documentation
Owned the car at some point in the latter part of the 1970s before selling it in 1978.
- 1978 →Private saleDr. Terry Bennettpartial documentation
New Hampshire-based collector who purchased the car from Blakely and kept it for approximately ten years before selling it on.
- → 1991Private saleHans Thulinpartial documentation
Swedish property developer who was assembling a major European sporting-car collection at the time; the car's presence in his Nordic holdings was documented in Jan Melin's book on pre-war supercharged Mercedes-Benz models in Scandinavia.
- 1991 →Acquisition unknownCurrent long-term US collectorpartial documentation
Car was repatriated to the United States in 1991 after the Thulin collection was wound down; shortly after acquisition it was refinished in its present black livery with red wire wheels and red leather interior, and has remained in this collection for roughly three decades.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1991Bodywork
Following acquisition from the dispersed Thulin collection, the car was refinished in its current scheme of black coachwork with red wire wheels and red leather interior.
Described as a relatively conservative refurbishment for its era; original engine stampings, frame stampings, and body-number-stamped wooden floorboards were all retained.
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