Everybody loves a Mercedes because of its exceptional quality, ride comfort, and not to mention rich history. The Germans have been doing a fantastic job when it comes to their cars for such a long time. Without a doubt, it’s nearly impossible to mention the automotive industry without German innovation and precision and part of the reason is Mercedes Benz’s continuous success in creating the best automobiles possible. The said manufacturer has been around for a while and back in the 30’s, it produced a classic car called the 1935 Mercedes Benz 540K Spezial Roadster. The Spezial Roadster paved the way for other supercars in the future and after more than 70 years, this car managed to survive unscathed.
History
The 1935 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster was first showcased at the Paris Motor Show in 1936 and during that time, it already attracted a lot of attention. The thing about the Spezial Roadster is that it was built to meet the needs of the clients and it was none other than the legendary Karrosserie Sindelfingen who oversaw the production of its first chassis called the 500. The Spezial Roadster was one of the best two-seaters before WWII started and just like every car that was at the top of its game; it had traits that were completely its own like a prominent hood, sweeping fenders, recessed grill, exceptional external exhaust pipes, raked windshield, and a very long body.
Performance
The Spezial Roadster has a M24 Supercharged Inline-8 engine and it can manage a top speed of 100 mph. This car may not be as fast as the supercars of today but for sure this was the real thing during its time. One impressive feature of the Spezial Roadster is that can manage to produce as much as 180 horsepower and that is something that was unheard of during its era. However, the Spezial Roadster isn’t too good when it comes to accelerating because it’ll take you 16.0 seconds just to reach 60 miles when you use this car.
The Spezial Roadster after 1935
The Spezial Roadster was initially styled by Hermann Ahrens and he made an astonishing job of putting everything inside a 17-foot long engine that can accommodate two passengers at the same time. Gustav Hohr made the necessary adjustment to the chassis a couple of years later while Hans Nibel worked on its engine.
Eventually, the Spezial Roadster had its engine expanded while increasing its power to 180 horsepower. As the engine improved, so did the car’s speed and after the enhancement, the Spezial Roadster can go as fast as 180 kph. The great thing about this new Spezial Roadster is that can alter its power from 115-180 by stepping on the pedal and that kind of technology was phenomenal during its time. Aside from that, the Spezial Roadster with the 540 chassis had a four-wheel suspension, while being even longer than it predecessor. Also, this Spezial Roadster has a longer wheelbase that elongated the hood that afforded more space for a bigger radiator.
Records show that there were 400 Spezial Roadster that were manufactured although as few as 26 were completed. Because of its vintage look and excellent condition, the Spezial Roadster can cost as much as 10 million dollars.
Overall, the Spezial Roadster can still manage to make a lot of people take a second-look at it. It still has an excellent design and it is still fast enough to compete with some of the best sports cars today.
