Equipment
5,401/180hp, 5-speed, chrome wire wheels, Michelin tires, Bosch headlights, dip beam light and dual spotlights, blue translucent sun visors, covered rear-mounted spare, rumble seat, period multiband radio, mother-of-Pearl instrument panel, cowl-mounted trafficators, outside exhaust head pipes.
Condition
A late 540K with 5-speed (overdrive 5th) gearbox, fully disappearing top, spare hidden under a flush round cover on the rear deck and cutdown doors. Built for Rolf Horn, co-owner of Berlin fashion house Gebruder Horn, later owned by Axel Wars, the Imperial Palace and General William Lyon. Tracked down in Russia in the late 60's by Alf Johansson. Authenticated as the original chassis, body, engine and correct gearbox by M-B Classic Germany. Excellent recent repaint, chrome and interior. New chrome wire wheels. A quality older restoration with more recent cosmetics and details.
Market commentary
Sold by RM at Monterey in 2011 for $4,620,000, then two years later in 2013 for $7,480,000 and finally at Arizona in 2017 for $6,600,000. The hammer bid here would have been almost $6.9 million with commission but sufficient money has been spent on maintaining and upgrading the cosmetic condition of this exceptional and probably unique Special Roadster that the consignor was not to be satisfied with a modest value increment, nor should he be.