Bonhams returns to Stuttgart for the single-marque Mercedes-Benz auction on 28 March 2015, coinciding with Retro Classics Stuttgart week. Held in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, the auction will showcase a variety of some 40 classic motor cars from across the German marque’s century-long history. The sale will be led by a 1938 540 Kompressor Cabriolet A. Fresh to the market, the 540 K is estimated at €2 – 2,5 million ($2,26 – 2,83 million). Restored to Concours condition, the two-seater vehicle is a significantly lighter variant of the original 500 K design. Developed in the mid-1930s, it was one of the most impressive cars available at the time, and today remains extremely rare.
A 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster is another exciting early consignment, and is estimated at €900,000 – 1,2 million ($1 – 1,36 million). An highly original example, the roadster has been in the vendor’s ownership since 1980, and was previously owned by German industrialist, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach (1907-1967), of the Krupp dynasty. At its peak, the car was the fastest production Mercedes in the world.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum charts the entire history of the world’s oldest car manufacturer. A total of 1,500 unique exhibits are featured in the museum, including 160 vehicles.
