“The Best or Nothing” is a statement synonymous with one brand: Mercedes-Benz. Over their rich history, there have been eras where the cars that rolled off their assembly line were far more than just four wheels and an engine. They were jewels of the motoring world, built with unrivalled precision and attention-to-detail, ensuring their competitors were left scratching their heads at how they could possibly rival such machines. The 1930s was one of those eras, and Mercedes-Benz’s drop-top sports cars were built unlike any other vehicles on the road. One is rare in itself, but dealer Axel Schuette Fine Cars are bringing four incredibly rare examples to this year’s Retromobile. We just had to take a closer look before they steal the show…
1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Torpedo-Sport Roadster, Type ‘Cannes’
Starting with the earliest of the quartet, the 680 S Torpedo-Sport Roadster, known as the Type ‘Cannes’, was built in 1928, making it almost a century old, but somehow we’d believe it was from at least the 1950s and beyond. This supercharged six-cylinder-powered cruiser is one of a mere 12 produced, with this unique short-windshield variant being the sole known survivor of three ever built. First displayed at the 1929 New York Auto Salon, this jewel of avant-garde design was sculpted by Carrosserie J. Saoutchik, who used their knowledge as cabinetmakers to house the Merc’s massive engine in a swooping, elegant body that oozed glamour and wealth.
1933 Mercedes-Benz 710 Super Sport Cabriolet A
Next, we fast forward five years. Mercedes-Benz built on the more-than-sturdy foundations of the 680 S and created what is perhaps the most impressive of this group of four. The 710 Super Sport Cabriolet A is the exact equivalent to the AMG GTs or SLR Roadsters of today; a blisteringly fast open-top that is as beautiful as it is powerful. Propelled by a supercharged inline six-cylinder engine, the 710 was the fastest and most expensive car Mercedes had available at the time, and is a true masterpiece of the golden age of automotive design and engineering, combining the performance of the 1920s with the emerging luxury and elegance of the 1930s.
1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Special Roadster
Just one year later, the 500 K arrived onto the scene, bringing with it effortless beauty and improved drivability, becoming a true powerhouse for the open road. This example was the car displayed at the 1934 Olympic Motor Show, and later sold to the famous British motoring enthusiast and passionate racing driver Sir Ronald Gunter. A close associate of the legendary Bentley Boys, Gunter would participate in the 1935 Monte Carlo Rally in this very car, which remains in incredibly original condition throughout.
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster
We end our quartet with arguably the marque’s finest road-going creation of this era, the 540 K Special Roadster. Coachwork in Sindelfingen was at an all-time high point, no easy feat when you consider the cars that were released prior to the 540 K. While acquiring such a machine was for only the wealthiest of clientele, exclusivity during this era was what made models such as this truly stand out from the rest. Clients could request individual designs, with one-offs also on offer. This is how this beautiful, dynamic 540 K sports car was created in collaboration between the Mercedes-Benz design studio and the first owner, a wealthy car enthusiast in Canada. The result is a magnificent machine that is now one of the very last original 540 K Special Roadsters surviving to this day.
