Tag Archives: 540K

Stabled In The UK – Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A #4008429408386

Currently taking pride of place in the entrance to the Haynes International Motor Museum in today’s featured Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

The 540K is often incorrectly believed to have made it’s public debut at the Paris Motor show in 1936, but in fact the it was first seen in October 1935, i.e 1936 model year.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

Between 1935 and 1944 Mercedes Benz dedicated 1,500 staff to building just 419 540K’s.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

Of these just 89 are believed to have been fitted with factory Cabriolet A bodies like the one seen here.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

When Motor tested a 540K they found it was capable of reaching 85 mph over a quarter mile without the supercharger engaged and 102 mph over the same distance with the full 115 supercharged horsepower engaged, the journalists also found that the car returned 11 miles to the imperial gallon.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

Autocar took a 540K to Brooklands for it’s test in 1938 and recorded a top speed of 104mph, with three passengers aboard.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

Later in 1938 the 540K was given an updated chassis with oval sectioned chassis tubes as per the Silver Arrows Grand Prix cars.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

Today’s featured 1935 540K is one of at least two formerly owned by King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan, his other was the Erdmann & Rossi bodied car built for show in Barcelona that was commandeered by Adolf Hitler to give as a gift to King Ghazi of Iraq.

Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A, Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford, Somerset

Today’s featured car was stabled in England in is on loan to the Haynes Museum from His Majesties family.

Thanks for joining me on this “Stabled In The UK” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Delage Coupé. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Out Of Aladdin’s Cave – Mercedes Benz W24 540K Cabriolet A

Friedrich Geiger was charged with the design of the straight 8 5 litre / 302 cui W29 500K launched in 1934 and then 5.4 litre / 329 cui Typ W24 540K in 1935.

540K Cabriolet A, Dana Point Concours d'Elegance

The supercharged 180hp W24 540 K motor was fitted to chassis of either 117″, 130″ or 153″ which differed from the 500K predecessor by using oval tubes as used by the Mercedes Benz Silver Arrows racing cars of the period.

540K Cabriolet A, Dana Point Concours d'Elegance

The 540K Cabriolet A seen here sits on the shorter 117″ chassis and would have been capable of 110 mph, production ended in 1944 by which time variants were being built with armored bodies for Gemran Government officials.

The 1937 example seen here at Dana Point Concours d’Elgance belongs to collector Anthony ‘Tony Vincent’ Zehenni who founded the Aladdin Developers Inc property development empire.

My thanks once again to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Out Of Alladin’s Cave edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an off road Matra, don’t forget to come back now !

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