Only 5 Left: A Rare Sight
Gooding & Company will be offering a 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Offener Tourenwagen as part of the forthcoming Mark Smith Estate Auction on the 7th of April, and it has an alarming history.
The 500 K was essentially the Mercedes-AMG SL 63 of its era. Constructed on the 770 K frame, the 500 K arrived with a standard turbocharger plus an alluring two-door drop-top body that was custom-crafted by the coachbuilders from Sindelfingen. This factory persists to this day and still concentrates exclusively on upper-echelon Mercedess.
This one-of-five 500 K is a rare occurrence, having been with its predecessor for five decades. Its glory has been shown on public display at the Pebble Beach and Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance galas, yet it also holds a dubious history.
As indicated by the original record kept by the city of Sindelfingen, this unit was built for Rudolf Hess. Being an influential official in the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, he was appointed by his close colleague Adolf Hitler as Deputy Fuhrer. Following the Soviet conquest of Berlin, Hess was eventually given a life sentence.
Hess’ car had nothing at all to do with his inexcusable acts. Nonetheless, the United States Armed Forces took possession of it and used it as transportation until they left. An anonymous US service member liked it so much that he had it sent over once the conflict ended in ’45.
The lead-off petered out after, yet in 1955 V. Link Milsark of Vienna, West Virginia had obtained it. The automobile was enlisted underneath the Classic Car Club of America, however it had not been on display publicly until Mark Smith purchased it in 2005.
This remarkable automobile has been preserved in its original state without restoration. The seating has been substituted, yet the remaining furnishings stay authentic. In 2019, it was rewarded the Amelia Award for the 500 K/540 K class.
The five-hundred K is powered by a 5,018 cc inline eight with one updraft carburetor and a roots-type blower. It is reportedly capable of generating an excerpted 160 horsepower. Particularly remarkable for its era, the front suspension uses a sophisticated independent double wishbone and coil spring set up.
This vehicle is on offer without a minimum bid, however, Gooding & Co. hypothesizes it to go for ranging between $1,250,000-$1,750,000. Although it may have had an unsettling history, the vast majority of its existence has been lived in a place of freedom.
