- 22,549
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
GTP Cool Wall: 1936-1940 Mercedes-Benz 540K (type W24)
- Thread starter Jahgee
- 79 comments
- 8,865 views
- 2,260
- N. Jessamine, KY
- JMoney-689
- Woodside689
It's more than the fact it was used by Nazis, it was built in Nazi Germany. It doesn't ruin the car however, it is still cool.
- 456
- 'Murica
- spencer7x7
If I see one of these on the street I'll think "Damn, that's one cool S.O.B".
- 22,549
- Arizona
- HamiltonMP427
Yeah many things were built in Nazi Germany I wasn't aware companies that existed before the fascist gov't were suppose to just close shop and go dark until WWII ended. I mean since those cars Mercedes built were used and built with the knowledge of genocide going on and so forth. Like I said it is a fact that Saddam's son owned and drove a F40 Ferrari a man that was known to be just as erratic and ruthless as his father and killed people as well, doesn't mean the car or the makers are at fault.
They make a product and certain people use it and sometimes those people happen to be evil dictators, but it's quite a flawed view of the world if you're going to punish a car maker and a piece like this for something out of their control.
- 4,209
- Wasilla, AK
That car actually does have a swastika on it. Therefore auto LESS COOL THAN SERIOUSLY UNCOOL FOREVER
- 4,551
- Moscow
- Rage_Racer_VOLK
- RageRacer48
I need dat model 
- 28,550
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
Like it or not, this was the flag of Germany 1935-1945.
As in, the German equivalent of the 48 star banner:
Whatever the ideology behind it, whatever the derivation, that was the flag of the sovereign state of Germany and in those halcyon days of Grand Prix racing, national colours and national flags on vehicles were taken much more seriously than they are today.
That said, I have voted uncool on this car. Not for any political ideologies, but because its a concourse car and you would look like a berk in one, no matter how much one actually likes the car.
- 2,260
- N. Jessamine, KY
- JMoney-689
- Woodside689
Like it or not, this was the flag of Germany 1935-1945.
As in, the German equivalent of the 48 star banner:
Whatever the ideology behind it, whatever the derivation, that was the flag of the sovereign state of Germany and in those halcyon days of Grand Prix racing, national colours and national flags on vehicles were taken much more seriously than they are today.
Then why didn't the Auto Unions have swastikas?
Even if Mercedes disagreed with the Nazi party, the fact that a swastika was painted on one German racecar but not the other makes the Mercedes, and the rest of the Mercedes brand, less cool.
- 28,550
- Bratvegas
- GTP_Liquid
Because Mercedes-Benz were Hitler's preferred automobile, even before he took power. Given the very nature of the Third Reich, it was probably wise of them (Mercedes) to pay lip service and not make a fuss about making an obvious stand against Hitler. Like I said in my previous post, they displayed the German flag, which was not uncommon back in the 1930s.
Furthermore, while there were obvious links between the NSKK (National Socialist Motor Corps) and the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party), the former was not under direct influence of the latter. The NSKK was an SA project; a spinoff of a spinoff. Rudolf Caracciola, for example, was a member of the NSKK as he had to be, but was never a member of the Nazi Party himself.
Don't think for one second that I am trying to justify the fact that the Reichstag contributed state money to both the Auto Unions and Mercedes Grand Prix teams. It happened, but it's similar to saying that all 2011 onwards GMs are Obamamobiles and officially endorse the Affordable Care Act, SOPA and drone strikes.
To play devil's advocate, if you were in charge of the NSDAP or NSKK, wouldn't you use your country's incredibly successful race teams for propaganda purposes? For the purposes of this Mercedes-Benz, the 540, there is no affirmation in a belief in Nazi ideology.
Also, I do believe this is an Auto Union with a German flag / swastika / Hakenkreuz on it as well:
Furthermore, while there were obvious links between the NSKK (National Socialist Motor Corps) and the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party), the former was not under direct influence of the latter. The NSKK was an SA project; a spinoff of a spinoff. Rudolf Caracciola, for example, was a member of the NSKK as he had to be, but was never a member of the Nazi Party himself.
Don't think for one second that I am trying to justify the fact that the Reichstag contributed state money to both the Auto Unions and Mercedes Grand Prix teams. It happened, but it's similar to saying that all 2011 onwards GMs are Obamamobiles and officially endorse the Affordable Care Act, SOPA and drone strikes.
To play devil's advocate, if you were in charge of the NSDAP or NSKK, wouldn't you use your country's incredibly successful race teams for propaganda purposes? For the purposes of this Mercedes-Benz, the 540, there is no affirmation in a belief in Nazi ideology.
Also, I do believe this is an Auto Union with a German flag / swastika / Hakenkreuz on it as well:
Last edited:
- 9,890
- Carthage, TN
- race_emhard
- 40,422
Like it or not, this was the flag of Germany 1935-1945.
As in, the German equivalent of the 48 star banner:
Whatever the ideology behind it, whatever the derivation, that was the flag of the sovereign state of Germany and in those halcyon days of Grand Prix racing, national colours and national flags on vehicles were taken much more seriously than they are today.
That said, I have voted uncool on this car. Not for any political ideologies, but because its a concourse car and you would look like a berk in one, no matter how much one actually likes the car.
You would be an expert on the flag of Germany from 1935-1945, wouldn't you... HITLER!?
- 3,835
- Leiria
You'd still need a silly haircut, a thing which Chaplin didn't have
- 2,260
- N. Jessamine, KY
- JMoney-689
- Woodside689
Because Mercedes-Benz were Hitler's preferred automobile, even before he took power. Given the very nature of the Third Reich, it was probably wise of them (Mercedes) to pay lip service and not make a fuss about making an obvious stand against Hitler. Like I said in my previous post, they displayed the German flag, which was not uncommon back in the 1930s.
Furthermore, while there were obvious links between the NSKK (National Socialist Motor Corps) and the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party), the former was not under direct influence of the latter. The NSKK was an SA project; a spinoff of a spinoff. Rudolf Caracciola, for example, was a member of the NSKK as he had to be, but was never a member of the Nazi Party himself.
Don't think for one second that I am trying to justify the fact that the Reichstag contributed state money to both the Auto Unions and Mercedes Grand Prix teams. It happened, but it's similar to saying that all 2011 onwards GMs are Obamamobiles and officially endorse the Affordable Care Act, SOPA and drone strikes.
To play devil's advocate, if you were in charge of the NSDAP or NSKK, wouldn't you use your country's incredibly successful race teams for propaganda purposes? For the purposes of this Mercedes-Benz, the 540, there is no affirmation in a belief in Nazi ideology.
Also, I do believe this is an Auto Union with a German flag / swastika / Hakenkreuz on it as well:
Good point... but even though the German flag makes sense, it still doesn't help the coolness of late 30's Mercedes.
- 2,024
- Azle, Texas, USA
- GTP_KinLM
- KinLM
This whole thing about Mercedes being uncool during the 30's is absolute rubbish.
I mean, by that ridiculous logic, then America has some uncool cars too:
-The Chevrolet Corvette C1, C2, and C3.
-Pontiac GTO
-Ford pickups of the era
-Chevrolet Camaro
-Chevrolet Chevelle
-Ford Mustang, and all of it's variants such as the Shelby GT350, Boss 429, etc.
-Chevrolet Bell-Aire
-Chevrolet Nova
-Dodge Challenger
-Dodge Charger
-Plymouth Barracuda
-Dodge Dart
-Lincoln Continental
And many more, that I'm sure I've missed, ALL of these, regardless of how cool they are otherwise, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE, is uncool. You know why?
Because Vietnam War.
That also means that every car with an American Flag on it is seriously uncool too, because it's the flag used by a country which murdered thousands just because they wanted to change the other country's government.
This would include a "Freedom Edition" of any car too. Because American cars, and American flags, and anything about America is seriously uncool, since "freedom" is what we used to justify killing tons of people when it wasn't our business what they did, and when we ended up failing anyways. Just like Nazi Germany.
You see the obvious flaws in this logic? Cars and car companies do not have their coolness hinged strictly on their country's government. Otherwise, America's made almost 0 cool cars.
And I can think of multiple members here (but one in particular) who are arguing that Nazi Germany spoiled this Mercedes, yet think that American cars with big engines and cheap interiors and American flags are as cool as you can get.
I mean, by that ridiculous logic, then America has some uncool cars too:
-The Chevrolet Corvette C1, C2, and C3.
-Pontiac GTO
-Ford pickups of the era
-Chevrolet Camaro
-Chevrolet Chevelle
-Ford Mustang, and all of it's variants such as the Shelby GT350, Boss 429, etc.
-Chevrolet Bell-Aire
-Chevrolet Nova
-Dodge Challenger
-Dodge Charger
-Plymouth Barracuda
-Dodge Dart
-Lincoln Continental
And many more, that I'm sure I've missed, ALL of these, regardless of how cool they are otherwise, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE, is uncool. You know why?
Because Vietnam War.
That also means that every car with an American Flag on it is seriously uncool too, because it's the flag used by a country which murdered thousands just because they wanted to change the other country's government.
This would include a "Freedom Edition" of any car too. Because American cars, and American flags, and anything about America is seriously uncool, since "freedom" is what we used to justify killing tons of people when it wasn't our business what they did, and when we ended up failing anyways. Just like Nazi Germany.
You see the obvious flaws in this logic? Cars and car companies do not have their coolness hinged strictly on their country's government. Otherwise, America's made almost 0 cool cars.
And I can think of multiple members here (but one in particular) who are arguing that Nazi Germany spoiled this Mercedes, yet think that American cars with big engines and cheap interiors and American flags are as cool as you can get.
- 13,882
- Ireland
- driftking18594
- CiaranGTR94
I'm going to give this a very conflicted cool.
Yes, Hitler drove one, and Mercedes were the favoured manufacturer of the Nazi regime.
But consider the Alfa Romeo 158/159 F1 car. It was driven by Giuseppe Farina on his way to becoming the first ever Formula One World Champion. Incredibly, its origins lay in 1937 Italy, when that country was under the iron fist of the Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. I find the 158/159 cool, because of its history, and I'm willing to disconnect whatever links it has to a Fascist dictatorship.
Should we also declare every US car designed before the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act uncool too? Perhaps GM, Ford and Chrysler (and whatever other American car manufacturer groups there were) had factories in the Deep South, and played a part in maintaining the culture of segregation there?
Yes, Hitler drove one, and Mercedes were the favoured manufacturer of the Nazi regime.
But consider the Alfa Romeo 158/159 F1 car. It was driven by Giuseppe Farina on his way to becoming the first ever Formula One World Champion. Incredibly, its origins lay in 1937 Italy, when that country was under the iron fist of the Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. I find the 158/159 cool, because of its history, and I'm willing to disconnect whatever links it has to a Fascist dictatorship.
Should we also declare every US car designed before the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act uncool too? Perhaps GM, Ford and Chrysler (and whatever other American car manufacturer groups there were) had factories in the Deep South, and played a part in maintaining the culture of segregation there?
