Mercedes-Benz 500K
Encyclopedia
The Mercedes 500K is a sports car
built by Mercedes-Benz
between 1934 and 1936, and first exhibited at the 1934 Berlin Motor Show. It carried the factory designation W29. Distinguished from the 500
sedan by the "K" in its name which denoted the kompressor (supercharger
) only fitted to the sports cars, it succeeded the Mercedes-Benz 380
which had been introduced only the previous year, using a larger, more powerful engine and more opulent coachwork
to meet customers' demands for greater luxury and performance.
The 500K used the same independent suspension
setup as had been introduced on the 380, with a double wishbone front axle, double-joint swing axle
at the rear, and separate wheel location, coil spring
s and damping, a world first. Consequently it was a more comfortable and better handling car than Mercedes' previous S/SS/SSK
generation of roadster
s from the 1920s, and offered greater appeal to buyers, particularly the growing number of well-heeled female drivers of the time.
Pressing the throttle
pedal fully engaged the Roots supercharger, inducing the five litre
straight eight
engine to produce up to 160 hp and making the car capable of over 160 kilometre per hour, while consuming fuel at the rate of up to 30 l/100 km as it did so.
Three different chassis
and eight bodies
were available for customers; the two longer "B" and "C" four seat cabriolet versions rode on a wheelbase
of 3290 mm (129.5 in), and would later be used on other sedan and touring car
models. The short "A" chassis, with a 2980 mm (117.3 in) wheelbase, underpinned the two-seater models: the Motorway Courier, and the 1936 Special Roadster which offered the highest performance. All models featured such advanced equipment as safety glass, hydraulic brake
s, and a 12-volt
electrical system sufficient to bear the load of the electric windscreen wiper
s, door locks, and indicators.
supremo Bernie Ecclestone
was auctioned in October 2007 it included five pre-war Mercedes, and his 500K Special Cabriolet fetched almost £
700,000 (US$
1.45 million).
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
built by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
between 1934 and 1936, and first exhibited at the 1934 Berlin Motor Show. It carried the factory designation W29. Distinguished from the 500
Mercedes-Benz 500
Mercedes-Benz has sold a number of automobiles with the "500" model name, and the nomenclature usually refers the 5.0L V8 engine under the hood....
sedan by the "K" in its name which denoted the kompressor (supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
) only fitted to the sports cars, it succeeded the Mercedes-Benz 380
Mercedes-Benz 380
Mercedes-Benz has sold a number of automobiles with the "380" model name:*1933 380* 1981–1985 R107** 1981 380SLC** 1982–1985 380SL* 1981–1985 W126** 1981–1983 380SEL** 1982–1983 380SEC** 1984–1985 380SE...
which had been introduced only the previous year, using a larger, more powerful engine and more opulent coachwork
Coachwork
Coachwork is the body of a horse-drawn coach or carriage, a motor vehicle , a railroad car or railway carriage. Usually reserved for bodies built on a separate chassis, rather than being of unitary or monocoque construction...
to meet customers' demands for greater luxury and performance.
The 500K used the same independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
setup as had been introduced on the 380, with a double wishbone front axle, double-joint swing axle
Swing axle
A swing axle is a simple type of independent suspension first used in early aircraft , such as the Sopwith and Fokker, usually with rubber bungee and no damping....
at the rear, and separate wheel location, coil spring
Coil spring
A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
s and damping, a world first. Consequently it was a more comfortable and better handling car than Mercedes' previous S/SS/SSK
Mercedes-Benz SSK
The Mercedes-Benz SSK is a roadster built by German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz between 1928 and 1932. Its name is an acronym of Super Sport Kurz, German for "Super Sport Short", as it was a short wheelbase development of the earlier Mercedes-Benz S...
generation of roadster
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
s from the 1920s, and offered greater appeal to buyers, particularly the growing number of well-heeled female drivers of the time.
Pressing the throttle
Throttle
A throttle is the mechanism by which the flow of a fluid is managed by constriction or obstruction. An engine's power can be increased or decreased by the restriction of inlet gases , but usually decreased. The term throttle has come to refer, informally and incorrectly, to any mechanism by which...
pedal fully engaged the Roots supercharger, inducing the five litre
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
straight eight
Straight-8
The straight-eight engine or inline-eight engine is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine with all eight cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine to produce up to 160 hp and making the car capable of over 160 kilometre per hour, while consuming fuel at the rate of up to 30 l/100 km as it did so.
Three different chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
and eight bodies
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
were available for customers; the two longer "B" and "C" four seat cabriolet versions rode on a wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
of 3290 mm (129.5 in), and would later be used on other sedan and touring car
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
models. The short "A" chassis, with a 2980 mm (117.3 in) wheelbase, underpinned the two-seater models: the Motorway Courier, and the 1936 Special Roadster which offered the highest performance. All models featured such advanced equipment as safety glass, hydraulic brake
Hydraulic brake
The hydraulic brake is an arrangement of braking mechanism which uses brake fluid, typically containing ethylene glycol, to transfer pressure from the controlling unit, which is usually near the operator of the vehicle, to the actual brake mechanism, which is usually at or near the wheel of the...
s, and a 12-volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
electrical system sufficient to bear the load of the electric windscreen wiper
Windscreen wiper
A windscreen wiper or windshield wiper is a device used to remove rain and debris from a windscreen or windshield. Almost all motor vehicles, including trains, aircraft and watercraft, are equipped with such wipers, which are usually a legal requirement.A wiper generally consists of an arm,...
s, door locks, and indicators.
Production
The combined production of the 500K (342 cars) including 29 Special Roadsters during its two years in production, and the later 540K (419 cars) from Sindelfingen, the deliveries were:- 70 chassis without body
- 28 open cars
- 23 sedans with 4 doors (mainly 500K)
- 29 sedans with 2 doors (mainly 540K)
- 12 Coupés
- 6 Autobahn cruisers
- 58 Roadsters
- 116 Cabriolets A
- 296 Cabriolets B
- 122 Cabriolets C
Today
Today, the cars remain highly prized for their heritage and scarcity. When the car collection of Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
supremo Bernie Ecclestone
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
was auctioned in October 2007 it included five pre-war Mercedes, and his 500K Special Cabriolet fetched almost £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
700,000 (US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.45 million).
External Links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yczCgiFnxJs&feature=player_embedded Mercedes-Benz Classic Center USAMercedes-Benz Classic CenterThe Mercedes-Benz Classic Center is the official Mercedes-Benz department for Mercedes-Benz classic car owners and enthusiasts. It was first opened on May 18, 1993 in Fellbach, just outside of Stuttgart...
presents the 500K Cabriolet at Amelia Island Concours d'EleganceAmelia Island Concours d'EleganceThe Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance is an automotive charitable event held each year during the second weekend in March on the Amelia Island Golf Links at Amelia Island, Florida...