Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz “Grosser Mercedes” Cabriolet C (W07) (1932–1938)

General information & model overview

Category	Specification Details
Model name	Mercedes-Benz “Grosser Mercedes” Cabriolet C (W07) (1932–1938)
Family	Mercedes-Benz Typ 770 / “Grosser Mercedes” (Großer Mercedes)
Internal code	W07 (first-generation Typ 770)
Production years	Approximately 1932 – 1938 within the W07 programme
Manufacturer	Daimler-Benz AG, Untertürkheim
Market role	Ultra-luxury / state and ceremonial passenger car — flagship above mid-size and luxury eights such as the Typ Nurburg
Body focus of this entry	Cabriolet C — intermediate formal open body on W07
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Family overview	Typ 770 hub
Related bodies	Cab A, Cab B, Cab C, Cab D, Cab F, Tourenwagen, Stadt Coupé
W07 programme scale	Approximately 117 W07-series cars built 1930–1938 (all bodies combined; individual body tallies are much smaller)

Body & dimensions (W07 chassis class)

Specification	Details
Wheelbase	Approximately 3,750 mm (about 148 in)
Overall length	Roughly 5,600 – 5,700 mm depending on body
Width	About 1,850 mm class
Height	About 1,800 – 1,830 mm class (body-dependent)
Track	About 1,500 mm front and rear (period figures)
Chassis	Boxed ladder frame; beam axles; semi-elliptic leaf springs
Coachwork	Factory-associated and specialist coachbuilt bodies on the long W07 chassis; exact fittings vary by order
Seating	Multi-seat formal layouts typical; exact count depends on body and partitions

Engine specifications (W07 / M07 theme)

Theme	Details
Configuration	Inline eight-cylinder petrol, overhead camshaft, aluminium pistons
Displacement	7,665 cc (approximately 7.7 litres)
Output (naturally aspirated)	About 150 PS / 150 bhp (112 kW) at roughly 2,800 rpm
Output (with optional supercharger)	About 200 PS / 200 bhp (149 kW) at roughly 2,800 rpm when Roots-type blower engaged (typically full-throttle engagement)
Induction	Naturally aspirated base; optional Kompressor (770 K theme in collector language)
Character	Smooth multi-cylinder luxury power for formal mass — not a short-chassis sports special
Fuel & cooling	Period carburation; liquid cooling; thermal load under formal closed mass is a central ownership subject

Drivetrain, chassis & brakes (W07)

Category	Details
Gearbox	Four-speed manual; third direct, fourth overdrive-style ratio in period descriptions
Drive	Rear-wheel drive
Suspension	Solid beam axles, semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear
Brakes	Servo-assisted mechanical brakes (period practice; not the later W150 hydraulic system)
Steering	Low-geared mechanical steering suited to formal parking and parade speeds

Performance (approximate, condition-dependent)

Measure	Details
Top speed (blown)	Up to about 160 km/h (99 mph) class quoted for supercharged cars under favourable conditions
Top speed (unblown)	Lower; formal body drag and gearing dominate
Use envelope	Ceremonial, diplomatic, and elite private transport — not modern high-speed dual carriageway use
Mass effect	Heavy coachwork and optional armour (where fitted later or specially) rewrite acceleration and braking demands

Mercedes-Benz “Grosser Mercedes” Cabriolet C: body identity on the W07 Grosser chassis

The Grosser Mercedes Cabriolet C occupies an intermediate formal open position on the W07 Typ 770 chassis. Period letter codes for large Mercedes open cars move from more intimate A/B themes toward larger multi-seat formal D/F themes; C sits between those poles as a social open formal style rather than the purest two-seat cut or the largest Pullman open carriage.

Years associated with this body theme on Motor Wiki are approximately 1932–1938 inside the broader 1930–1938 W07 window. Mechanicals remain the family eight-cylinder package on the long leaf-spring chassis — see the Typ 770 hub.

Compare with Cabriolet B and Cabriolet D to locate C on the formality spectrum.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Design and coachwork

Coachwork should present formal open proportions with folding weather equipment and multi-seat capability appropriate to a flagship chassis. Door count and rear compartment layout vary; plates and period photographs beat assumptions.

The long bonnet required by the inline eight defines the side profile. Closed-top photographs can make C look closer to a formal limousine; open-top photographs emphasise ceremonial presence. Both states are part of correct identity.

Hardware quality, top structure, and interior trim decide whether a survivor is a coherent Cabriolet C or a mixed open reconstruction. Disclose rebody or mixed parts where known.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Mechanical basis and driving character

Driving remains slow, deliberate, and mass-limited. Optional supercharging changes power availability more than control weights. Brakes and tyres are the safety ceiling.

Fair-weather use, dry storage, and specialist maintenance are non-negotiable. Cooling and fuel systems fail after neglect even when the body photographs well.

The correct comparison set is other W07 open Grossers, not mid-size Stuttgart cars or W06 sports models.

Collecting and documentation

Because overall W07 production is only about 117 cars, each lettered open survivor is a primary historical object. Price without provenance is incomplete.

Cross-link research through the hub and the Tourenwagen page when open multi-seat parade use is the research question.

Ownership: strengths and things to watch

Strengths

Intermediate open identity — fills the gap between compact and Pullman open cuts.
Display usefulness — clarifies the letter map beside A and D.
Full W07 engineering — same 7.7-litre flagship basis as siblings.

Things to watch

Identification disputes — intermediate cars attract wrong captions.
Mixed weather gear — long lives produce hybrid tops.
Thermal load — slow open events still heat the large eight.
Specialist dependency — not a mid-size parts-bin classic.

Sibling comparisons

Cabriolet C is the intermediate open formal step on W07. Compare door count and rear depth with B and D before accepting labels. Closed formal contrast: Stadt Coupé. Second generation: W150 open pages only.

Legacy

Cabriolet C is easy to mis-caption because intermediate open formality photographs poorly. Its legacy is as a reminder that Typ 770 open bodies were a spectrum, not a single convertible product.

Museums that display a C beside an A and a D teach the letter map more effectively than any table alone.

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