1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K TYP Specialroadster Pearl White 1:18 Maisto Premiere 36055

MERCEDES-BENZ 500K SPECIAL ROADSTER:

The Mercedes 500 K was presented at the Berlin Motor Show in March 1934. The 500 K was a stylish and sporty car with a supercharged eight-cylinder engine; developing 160 hp and displacing 5,018 cc. The 500 K was the successor of the 380 presented just a year earlier and a direct descendant of the high-capacity supercharged sports cars.

The most famous model was the 500 K Roadster Special for 2 passengers, presented in 1936, a masterpiece in terms of its designer, with inimitable, elegant, and beautiful lines. Its price of 28,000 marks was 6,000 marks above the average price of the simpler models.

The short wheelbase chassis was used only for some 2-seater models with special bodies. In these models, the radiator was located at the rear right above the front axle, and they were available in Cabriolet and Coupe versions.

Regardless of the version of the 500 K, the elegance of its body encourages ecstasy even today. The personality given by the coachbuilders of Sindelfingen is impressive. Only a few customers opted for bodies fitted by independent coachbuilders to meet their desires (the price lists included the chassis as a separate item), especially considering that the coachbuilders of Sindelfingen made an effort to accommodate the special wishes of clients, for example, in the customized versions of front bumpers. A total of 342 units of the 500 K were produced within 2 years.

The 500 K were replaced in 1936 by the 540 K with a supercharged engine of 180 hp. A total of 319 units of the 540 K were produced and sold to just as many car travel enthusiasts.

The history of the supercharged cars of Mercedes-Benz began during World War II and has its roots in the production of aircraft engines. Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft had introduced mechanical air compressors that supercharged engines in such a way that they improved their performance at higher altitudes.

The first Mercedes models with supercharged engines were showcased at the Berlin Motor Show in 1921, among bicycles with auxiliary engines and mini-cars, causing a great stir among engine experts. With the supercharger came a pressure booster for the engine that, starting in 1926, catapulted Mercedes sports cars and racing cars in general to a new dimension of performance.