1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Roadster

[George Smolinski]

Here is Prussian Baroness, Gisela Josephine von Krieger with her 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Roadster and the Hindenburg, the famous Zeppelin, above.

The Baroness lived in the United States, but died in Europe in 1989.

However, the car remained in the United States, stored in a garage in Greenwich, Connecticut, forgotten for 40 years.

One of the 25 built in 1936 and 1937, the 540 K was purchased for 28,000 Reichmarks in 1936 (app. 115,000 Euros today).

It sold for $11,700,000.00 in 2012, making it the most expensive pre-war vehicle ever sold at an auction at the time.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

George if you wander on down to the Prewar Mercedes thread in the CCCA section of the forum you will see a huge repository of knowledge on these cars.  Great reading if you like the big chassis MB of the Classis era.

[alsancle]

It was hardly forgotten.

[Ed Luddy]

31 minutes ago, alsancle said:

It was hardly forgotten.

Yep, I can't imagine one of these being forgotten very easily. Especially when owned by a prominent Baroness who likely had the money to maintain servicing on it. Any shop that did service it would keep tabs on it as well as any family or friends.

[Jim Mead]

Ah Germany in 1936. And everything was right with the World.  Not. 
Sorry, couldn’t help myself….

[8E45E]

8 hours ago, Jim Mead said:

Ah Germany in 1936. And everything was right with the World.  Not. 
Sorry, couldn’t help myself….

The effects of it were still being felt 70 years later:

 

 

Craig