The Mercedes Benz W18 Typ 290 series cars were powered by a 60 hp 2,867 cc / 174 cui straight six side valve engine and first seen in 1933 was capable of 67mph.

The W18 was initially offered only with a 113″ chassis which was supplemented from 1934 with a 130″ chassis option, the front suspension was by transverse leaf and coil springs while the rear wheels were attached to swing axles, hydraulic breaks were fitted all round.

Among the body options offered on the original short wheel base chassis were three cabriolets, 4 door 4 seat as seen here, 2 door 4 seat and 2 door 2 seat which was supplemented by a fourth 2 door 2 seat cabriolet with a lower body in 1936.

This particular right hand drive Cabriolet was built for the German Consul in Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika Territory which had been handed over to British Colonial rule, where driving on the left was the norm, from German Colonial Rule, where driving on the right was the norm, by a League of Nations Mandate in 1922.

The Consul did not have long to enjoy the car before Adolph Hitler, who had no interest in the British colony, became the Chancellor and recalled the Consul and his staff back to Germany in 1934.

The car appears to have remained warehoused in Africa until 1987 when it was shipped from Durban in South Africa to the UK with just 3,678 documented miles on the clock.

In all 3,566 short wheel base models, 3,929 long wheel base models and 719 military variants of the W18 were built between 1933 and 1937 when the 290 was replaced by the W142 Typ 320.

Thanks for joining me on this “Left In Dar es Salaam” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a three seat sports car. Don’t forget to come back now !