1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster
- Engine
- 5.4L supercharged OHV inline-eight, 115/180 bhp
- Colour
- Dark blue
Chassis 408383 is a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster — believed to be the last surviving example of this body style — built to the personal specification of Berlin art dealer Rolf Horn. Featuring unique skirted fenders, cut-down doors, and a disappearing hood, it differs markedly from standard Special Roadsters. After wartime storage in Berlin, the car passed through Soviet diplomatic use, a Russian collector, and Swedish ownership before reaching American collections including the Imperial Palace and the Lyon Family Collection.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$6,600,000
- 1939-08-01 →Factory deliveryRolf Hornpartial documentation
Co-proprietor of a prestigious Berlin art and interior décor business who reportedly had significant input into the car's design. Shortly after taking delivery the car was placed in storage due to wartime conditions.
- 1949 → 1953Acquisition unknownSoviet diplomatic userspartial documentation
Car was located in Soviet-controlled East Berlin in 1949 still on blocks; it was subsequently used by Soviet diplomats until domestically produced ZIL vehicles became available.
- → 1964Acquisition unknownArthur Leshtinpartial documentation
Russian enthusiast who sourced significant classic cars across Soviet Bloc nations. During his ownership the car was repainted white, used for personal travel including a Crimea tour, then refinished in the original black before being sold.
- 1964 → 1977Private saleAlf Johanssonpartial documentation
Swedish translator living in Moscow who purchased the car from Leshtin and drove it as everyday transport for roughly three years before audaciously driving it across the Soviet border into Sweden in 1967, then enjoyed it there for approximately a decade.
- Date unknownPrivate saleTom Barrettpartial documentation
American collector-dealer who acquired the car from Johansson after its arrival in the United States.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownImperial Palacepartial documentation
Institutional collector that held the car following Barrett's ownership before it passed on again.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownLyon Family Collectionpartial documentation
Well-known California-based private collection that kept the car for over two decades, maintaining it with specialists experienced with supercharged Mercedes-Benz models.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2011InspectionMercedes-Benz Classic Germany
Two senior specialists from Mercedes-Benz Classic Germany assessed the car and confirmed matching-numbers status, verifying the engine, transmission, steering box, and body stampings as correct and original to the chassis.
Inspectors confirmed the original engine number plate is retained and the body number appears on multiple components.
- —Bodywork
Car repainted from original dark livery to white by owner Arthur Leshtin during his period of ownership in Russia.
- —Bodywork
Returned to original dark colour by Leshtin prior to selling the car, reversing his earlier repaint.
- —Service
Regular professional maintenance carried out over more than two decades while in the Lyon Family Collection, performed by technicians with specific expertise in supercharged Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
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