Few automobiles of the Classic Era could compare in prestige, grandeur, and performance to the Mercedes-Benz 540 K, inarguably one of the finest and most beautiful cars ever to come from Stuttgart.

Engineered by Hans Nibel, the 540 K boasted a pushrod overhead-valve inline eight-cylinder engine, displacing 5,401 cubic centimeters and equipped with a double-vane Roots-type supercharger.

When engaged at full throttle, the supercharger boosted horsepower to 180, enabling most any style to reach 100 mph.

Chassis number 130945 is a very special car.

As a relatively early example of the 540 K, it was thus delivered with the so-called first-series Cabriolet A body.

One of the most attractive styles on the 540 K, the first-series Cabriolet A was essentially a copy of that used on the 500 K, to its benefit; it features the long, flowing open fenders that visually emphasize the power lurking between them, as well as double rear-mounted spares that further add an appearance of length and gra...