Former King of Afghanistan’s Mercedes-Benz 540 K Crowned As Best Of Show At Pebble Beach 2023

A vintage Mercedes-Benz 540 K roadster originally owned by the Shah of Afghanistan recently won the top award at the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Out of 216 cars from 18 countries and 30 states participating in the event, the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster, presented by Jim Patterson of the Patterson Collection in Kentucky, was crowned Best of Show.

The car's distinctive features include its elegant design and high door side lines

Back in May 1937, the King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah, ordered this exclusive car, and it was delivered to him in September of the same year. The 540K Special Roadster's distinctive features include its elegant design, high door side lines; curved body outlines with a dipped radiator and a stylish rear end with a hidden spare wheel. In 2022, the vehicle changed hands for $9.9 million at an auction during Pebble Beach Automotive Week. After the auction, RM Auto Restoration, in collaboration with the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre, meticulously restored the 540 K Special Roadster to its original authenticity.

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RM Auto Restoration, in collaboration with the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre, precisely restored the 540 K to its original form.

"The 540 K Special Roadster winning the 'Best of Show title at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance crowns the immense commitment of RM Auto Restoration and Mercedes-Benz Heritage to the restoration of this outstanding vehicle. We are proud to have contributed to this success story with the unique expertise of our Classic Centre and the archives. The intensive and good cooperation with RM Auto Restoration during the past months has made this success possible." Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage

The 540 K was initially ordered by the Afghan royal court and arrived in the fall of 1937

Records from the Mercedes-Benz archives trace the vehicle's history. The 540 K was initially ordered by the Afghan royal court and arrived in the fall of 1937. In the mid-1940s, the King took the car to the Afghan embassy in Paris. Later, in 1950, the roadster made its way to Great Britain as a gift for the King's son-in-law. Subsequently, it was sold to a collector in the United States in 1953. Despite changing hands a few times, the car has always been kept in its authentic condition and has accumulated only a few kilometres to date.