The most valuable car at this year’s Arizona auctions provides a refreshing break from the record-breaking precession of Prancing Horses: it isn’t a Ferrari, rather a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster – or at least it’s shaping up that way. To take the crown, the Sindelfingen-bodied beauty has to top the $9.6m paid for a 1964 250LM in 2015. With a pre-sale estimate of $10-13m, we wouldn’t be betting against it.
The Mercedes-Benz 540K is no stranger to high price tags. As one of the most prestigious and expensive cars of its generation, it was beyond the reach of all but the most wealthy and discerning customers. Just 419 chassis were ever built, and of those just handful were fitted with attractive Spezial coachwork. Even fewer made it to America, which is where this example was sold. By the time it had left the boat and its duties had been paid, the car cost an incredible $14,000 – some 40% more expensive than the contemporary top-spec Cadillac V16.
Its first owner, Reginald Sinclaire, was a man of means. The heir of Henry Pardon Sinclaire, a founder of Corners Glass, he had travelled the world extensively, gaining an appreciation for automobiles that remained with him throughout his life. In addition to the 540K, the businessman owned a number of the world’s finest cars, including a Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’, an Aston Martin DB4 and a Bentley S3 Continental.
The factory left-hand-drive classic remained with Sinclaire until the mid-1950s, around the same time he is thought to have sold his Duesenberg. As well as featuring in the June 1948 issue of Horseless Carriage Club of America Gazette, it also appeared as part of a display of vintage automobiles held at the Denver Art Museum in 1957, this time in the ownership of James Harrison, vice president of a local car dealership. The car then passed through a number of owners before its restoration was commissioned by Californian collector Mike Fennel, finally being bought by the current vendor in 1989.
The car has enjoyed a cosseted existence, with just 10,277 miles showing on the odometer, which is believed to be genuine. Its original engine is still in place, as are its drivetrain components, while it also retains its factory name plate.
