Background

The Mercedes-Benz 170 V (W136) was introduced in February 1936 at the Berlin International Motor and Motorcycle Show. It was a pivotal machine for Daimler-Benz.

Exclusivity: Unlike the four-seater "Cabriolet B," the Cabriolet A was a dedicated two-seater (often with a small luggage shelf or jump seat). It was the most expensive, sporting, and elegant variant available.

Design: It featured a longer, more sweeping hood line, distinctively raked windshield, and flowing fender curves that masked the car's compact dimensions, giving it the presence of a much larger roadster.

Performance: Under the hood lay the robust M136 engine—a 1.7-liter inline-four producing 38 horsepower. While modest by modern standards, the engine was legendary for its smoothness and bulletproof reliability (so much so that this engine essentially powered Mercedes' post-war reconstruction)

Chassis: The car abandoned the heavy box-frames of the past for a revolutionary X-shaped oval tubular frame. This made the car lighter and stiffer, while four-wheel independent suspension (transverse leaf springs up front, swing axles in the rear) provided a ride quality that was decades ahead of its stiff-axle competitors.