US$179,500.00 Mercedes-Benz has long demonstrated the power of a diverse product portfolio. With an ethos of quality and innovation above all, Mercedes-Benz has made their mark in virtually every aspect of over the road transport, from taxicabs to Formula 1 cars, supercars to heavy trucks. Although they are most closely associated with luxury, Mercedes-Benz wisely relied upon the middle of the market to provide the majority of their sales over the years. When the luxury car market sagged in the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz was quick to realize the importance of expanding their offerings, yet crucially, they managed to do so without cheapening their brand and damaging their reputation for quality. The 170 was conceived to compete in the mid-priced market, making its debut at the Paris Auto Salon in 1931. Chassis engineer Hans Nibel designed the platform which featured revolutionary all-independent suspension in a lightweight chassis. The ride quality and handling prowess were far and above superior to other vehicles in the same class. The new model proved quite popular, with nearly 70,000 examples built before 1941.Found within the 170 range was a wide variety of vehicles that utilized the innovative chassis. Mercedes-Benz offered it as a two- or four-door sedan, two- or four-seat cabriolet, roadster, cabrio-sedan, open touring car, Sedan Delivery, taxi, ambulance, or pickup. Eventually, the range-topping Cabriolet A was added to the mix. The Cabriolet A was a product of the prestigious Sindelfingen coachbuilding department, Mercedes’ in-house custom body builder.Herman Ahrens arrived at Mercedes-Benz in 1932, setting up a custom coachbuilding shop at the Sindelfingen works. His reputation for quality was established at that Deutsche Industrie Werke in Berlin as well as with Horch where he designed some of that firm’s most prestigious motorcars. Alongside Walter Hacker, who joined him at Mercedes in 1933, Mercedes-Benz styling was transformed...