MERCEDES BENZ Typ 290 Cabriolet D (W18) 1934-1937 Photos, engines & full specs

Mercedes-Benz introduced the 290 range in 1933 at the Berlin International Motor and Motorcycle Show as a sedan and three convertibles.

The German carmaker built a chassis with a choice of two wheelbases, short and long. While Cabriolet A and C were based on the former, the B and D were built on the later version. Due to the big canvas, the engineers had to install a removable B-pillar.

At the front, the car sported a chromed bar mounted between the front fenders supported the two big headlights, and, behind them, the radiator stood flat and tall, creating a commanding view. With its sloped-down beltline toward the end of the car, it made an overall dynamic look. Mercedes-Benz offered the Cabriolet D as a long-travel vehicle, with a luggage rack behind the bodywork, in front of the rear bumper.

Its luxurious cabin offered room for up to five passengers, including the driver, on leather seats. For the front occupants, the two individual seats provided a comfortable ride. The removable B-pillars could have been installed when the canvas top was up. Due to the car's rear doors' shapes, the rear passengers couldn't completely wind down the back windows.

Mercedes-Benz installed a swing axle in the rear, with two coil springs on each side, allowing each wheel to have an independent travel behavior. Two parallel wishbones controlled the front wheels, with a coil spring between the upper and lower arms. All this setup allowed a comfortable ride over bumpy roads. Under the hood, the carmaker installed a 2.9-liter engine, which was an evolution over the 2.6-liter one from the Stuttgart 260. The 1934 Cabriolet D offered 60 hp, but the engineers upgraded the powerplant to 68 hp from 1935.