Thursday, August 19, 2010

Pebble 2010: Mercedes-Benz 500K



While Mercedes-Benz made a show of its own with a massive gathering of its 2010 SLS AMG sportscar, it also found a place of honor on the lawn at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance with this near-perfect 1930s roadster.

Shown for the first time at the 1934 Berlin Motor Show, this Mercedes-Benz 500K has all the hallmarks of a Pebble Beach champion, from elegant and perfect chromework, to a classic pedigree among the very finest. Though it didn't win the competition, the 500K drew constant crowds with its extravantly tapered shape and yards of linear chromework.

The 500K--meaning a 5.0-liter engine with compression--has an independent suspension that's credited with giving it good handling in its day. The body was crafted in Sindelfingen, where Mercedes still houses much of its engineering work, in addition to an assembly plant where it builds the C-Class.

This 500K is part of the National Automobile Museum's Harrah Collection, in Reno, Nevada.