Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet A

The Mercedes 320 Cabriolet A

The Mercedes Benz Type 320 (model W142 II) debuted at the International Automobile and Motorbike Exhibition (IAMA) in Berlin in February 1937, being presented as the successor to the Type 290. The larger engine with 10% more displacement and an increase by 10 hp to 78 hp was a noticeable improvement and matched the model’s positioning as a large, comfortable tourer. The 3.2-litre inline-6 engine was based on the engine of the predecessor, which was drilled out to the new displacement and further refined by fitting a crankshaft with 12 balancing weights. The updraft carburettor was also replaced with a Solex double-downdraft carburettor. The standard gearbox at launch was a regular four-speed manual gearbox with a direct-ratio fourth gear instead of the overdrive gearbox from the Type 290. The frame and suspension were taken from the Type 290 without any relevant changes, meaning the Type 320 was also available in two different wheelbases. This time Mercedes treated the long wheelbase (3.300 mm) as the standard version and distinctly designated the short version (available until 1939) as the 320 N. This was a reaction to customers increasingly preferring the long wheelbase versions. In addition to a “rolling chassis”, you could choose from various Mercedes factory bodies. 

Among them were a five-seater limousine, a Pullman-limousine with 7 seats and a futuristic streamlined limousine, along with an open tourer, a 2-3 seat roadster and four convertibles (designated the Cabriolet A, B, D and F) with 2 or 4 doors. The exclusive Cabriolet A, identifiable by the wide and low windshield with three wipers, was built by the Mercedes bodywork factory in Mannheim in just 30 examples. This was a low production run even for the time. In 1939 the displacement was increased to 3.4 litres, without redesignating the model as a Type 340, and the gearbox received a separate overdrive in reaction to the spreading Autobahn network. The Type 320 was a great success for Mercedes, selling around 5,000 units, and could have continued to for several more years if the war had not put an end to the production in 1942.
Source: Mercedes Benz Public Archive

This motor car

This Mercedes Benz 320 Cabriolet A, one of only 30 of its kind, was delivered in 1938. It was built to the W142 IV-specification with the enlarged 3.4 litre engine (without being designated as type 340), which includes also a four-speed gearbox with overdrive. The car has been with its current owner since 2019, who had purchased it in perfectly restored condition. The bodywork and other components were comprehensively restored over a long period of time by the previous owner. The leather interior was renewed and the wooden trim in the was also refurbished. The 6-cylinder inline-engine as well as the chassis/suspension and other technique including the electrical system were overhauled or renewed. This work was completed in 2018 and the car has been in excellent condition ever since. The two-tone paint in sophisticated shades of dark blue underlines the elegant design of the car, harmonizing perfectly with the restraining grey leather interior. A special detail found on Type 320 Cabriolet A is the third seat mounted transversely behind the front seats. This exceptionally rare Mercedes 320 Cabriolet A impresses with its outstanding overall condition. Its sportive-elegant design and the numerous lovely details ensure that this pre-war automobile does not have any reason to fear comparison with the large 8-cylinder supercharged Mercedes of the same era.