1931 Mercedes-Benz
Mannheim 370S

A Rare Classic Then, A Class Winner Now
 
Article and Photography by Terry Trowbridge
 
One of the least-seen models of prewar Mercedes-Benz cars, the Mannheim 370S Sport Cabriolet resulted from the merger of Daimler and Benz in 1926.

With the merger, there was an immediate need for the combined operations to eliminate product duplications and broaden their customer base. In the late 1920s, the German economy was in shambles as a result of World War I reparation levies. Hyperinflation, shrinking markets for German exports, reduced import duties on cars entering Germany, and chronic high unemployment forced Mercedes-Benz to produce a series of cars that was lighter, less powerful, and less expensive than previous models but still deemed worthy of the new Mercedes-Benz name.

In 1928, the Mannheim 4-door Phaeton was introduced as a mid-range vehicle positioned below the mighty SS. In 1930, in an effort to increase sales of the Mannheim, Mercedes-Benz sought to capture the appearance of the SS and SSK in a smaller, less-expensive model. First, the wheelbase was shortened by seven inches in 1930, and it became the 370K (for Kurtz, or “Short”). In 1931, the wheelbase was shortened by another seven inches and that model became the 370S (Sport) that Daimler-Benz would continue to build through 1933. The 370S was built in two versions, a 2-seat roadster and a 2-seat cabriolet.

The result of this evolution was a very well-styled and striking vehicle. The low profile with long bonnet, short tail, and dual rear-mounted spare tires was the perfect example of the early-1930s design. To achieve the very low profile, the original body was set down over the frame, a trick later copied by American hot-rodders to lower their ’30s Fords. The original windshield was lowered by removing the separate lower glass. The cabriolet version featured beautiful interior wood trim on the dash and window sills, roll-up windows, and a padded top.

Unfortunately, the 370S was a sheep in wolf’s clothing. This beautiful body was powered by a 3.7-liter 6-cylinder inline side-valve engine that, while designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, produced only 95 horsepower. Performance was mild compared to the big SS or SSK cars, which had engines with an overhead cam, a supercharger, and nearly twice the displacement, and produced more than 200 horsepower.

Apart from the engine, the 370S mechanical systems were very advanced for their time. They included a 12-volt electrical system, electric windshield wipers, a vacuum booster on the mechanical brakes, an extensive central lubrication system, and a Mercedes-Benz-Maybach Twin-Top-Gear transmission with a vacuum-operated high and low rear-end ratio on all three forward gears.

The 370S model was produced in Stuttgart rather than in Mannheim, where the previous 370 and 370K versions had been produced. The changes in design didn’t produce the desired positive effect in the increasingly hard-hit economy, and only 183 units were built before production was discontinued in 1933.

Existing in the shadow of the more desirable 500-540 range, the survival rate of the Mannheims has been very low, and the car is seldom seen today except in pictures.
This example, a 1931 model 370S Cabriolet, is part of the Kemp Collection. Despite its stellar condition, records indicate that it was last restored in 1966.

The superb styling and the extreme rarity make this car a crowd-pleaser on the show fields. It carries a CCCA national class winner tag, and in its last showing before this year was a winner at the 2007 Rocky Mountain Concours d’Elegance. The car distinguished itself in March of this year against estimable competition by winning the class for prewar European cars at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
At the Kemp Auto Museum, the Mannheim 370S provides a great counterpoint to our 500K Special Roadster, with these two examples of the best of classic Mercedes-Benz styling displayed facing one another in the foyer.
 
From these pictures of the Kemp Mannheim, we can observe that the Mannheim was not a large car, but the proportions of the bigger 500-540 range had been adapted very neatly, along with the high-quality touches of machine-turned instrument panel on inlaid wood fascia. With a relatively small engine and without supercharging, the car was capable of only mild performance.