Stolen 1935 500K Special Roadster Has a Wild WWII History

By Tony Markovich - August 4, 2016

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Mercedes-Benz had no idea just how special this car would be when it released the 500K Special Roadster for the 1935 model year. Only 29 of these cars were produced. And it was one of the fastest vehicles on the planet upon release. It is simply one of the greatest Mercedes-Benz cars of all time.

This particular 500k’s life since birth gives it even more legitimacy. The car was originally purchased by Hans Friedrech Prym, who was part of quite the important and powerful industrial German family. Apparently, he was known as the “Zipper King.” But, according to Bonham’s, this collectible was stolen by invading American troops in 1945 during World War II.

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The car was unheard from for the next quarter century before popping back up in the American collector’s circuit. Then, after it was restored by Richie Clyne of Imperial Palace, Dutch car enthusiast Frans van Harenfor bought the car for about $3,862,000 (£2.9 million) in 2011. At this point, the car’s path was still unknown.

When van Harenfor tried to bring the car back into Germany, the car was seized. A ruling in 2012 informed the new owner that his car was actually stolen, and it was returned back to the Prym family. And to complete the weird circle, the Pryms have once again opted to put the car back up for auction again. It’s expected to sell for somewhere between $5,000,000-$7,000,000.