A 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A has sold for £2,034,396 at the second Bonhams auction to take place in the German firm’s museum in Stuttgart. The sale, which took place on 28 March, coincided with the Retro Classics Stuttgart indoor show and raised in excess of £9.5m.
It was nearly matched by a car seven years its elder, a 1931 770 ‘Grosser Mercedes’ Cabriolet D that originally belonged to the German actor, producer and director, Erik Charrell. The car was knocked down to a bidder in the room for £1,703,806.
Four 300SLs – in both ‘Gullwing’ and roadster trim – also proved a hit with bidders, in particular the soft-top example once owned by German industrialist Alfried Krupp. The 1960 model sold for £826,473 following 35 years of continuous ownership.
A 1961 disc-braked roadster also generated a great deal of interest, and had similarly spent a significant amount of time with the same owner – this time 48 years. It fetched just shy of the Krupp car at £805,281.
An earlier roadster from 1957 looked smart in its factory hardtop, selling for £779,851.
Meanwhile, a ‘Gullwing’ from 1955 got away for £771,375.
“With a full sale room, active internet bidding and international bidders both in the room and on the telephone, we saw spectacular price for cars in exemplary condition and with great provenance,” said Bonhams co-chairman Malcolm Barber.
