Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster Art Print

There are cars that are both engineering and design pieces of art. For sure Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is one of them. This art print by Ankur Singh uses a fascinating mixture of light, shadow, lines, and shapes to depict the uniqueness of this vehicle. It celebrates a car that sets the speed, mechanical and design standards of its time.

Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is a genuine engineering art

Introduced at the 1936 Paris Motor Show, 540K is an upgrade of 500K which itself is better version of Mercedes-Benz SSK. Mercedes-Benz produces only 419 chassis between 1936 and 1939. They come in a variety of ten body styles, including coupe, limousine, armoured limousine, 4-seater convertible, and a 2-seater convertible also famous as Special Roadster.

Back in the day the rich and famous clients prefer to order a chassis from notable manufacturers like Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Talbot-Lago, Mercedes-Benz or Delahaye. Coachbuilders like Figoni and Falaschi, Saoutchik, Vanvooren, Ghia, Touring, etc. receive the commissions for the car bodies.

For this model, Mercedes-Benz extend the activities of their Sindelfingen factory to meet the market customization requirements. Independent builders body only 70 chassis. Only 25 of these cars have a roadster body, or the Special Roadster. Currently, only ten of them exist and they change owners for a price tag around $10 million. Back in the day, Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is a truly special machine as well. It is more expensive than the most expensive 16-cylinder Cadillac at that time.

Powered by an in-line, 5,4-liter 8-cylinder supercharged engine with 180 hp, it is one of the very few road-going cars capable of 170 km/h. Its superchargers can be activated with the push of a button on the dashboard. The brakes are hydraulically operated on all 4 wheels. Last but not least – this car is as beautiful as no other vehicle. Its flaring fenders, rising radiator and the cascade of lights and chrome is nothing but flawless.

Even villains have a taste in cars

At the end of the `30s, Mercedes-Benz 540K is the pinnacle of German automotive engineering. Because of this, it becomes the automobile choice of the first-class Nazi officials, including Hitler and Goering.

Its design heavily influences the creators of Captain America comic series in which the evil antagonist Red Skull drives a car with a similar shape.

Bring the German engineering genius to your place with this Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster art print by Ankur Singh. Order it now at Simply Petrol marketplace.