When is a VW Beetle not a VW Beetle?

Dan Trent writes:
Greetings from the US of A, where after a couple of days on the road internet coverage has been discovered lurking outside Tucson and I can at last post some blogs.

Anyway, first of these should focus on my first assignment here, driving an old classic. Now, looking at it you’re probably thinking “that’s familiar.” And, yes, it’s a German car, designed in the 1930s and with a rear-mounted engine. But not the one you’re thinking of. Teasingly I removed the badge from that first photo but here, in all its glory is its identity.

Yup, it’s a Merc! A Merc that pre-dates the Beetle/KdF wagen/Volkswagen it so closely resembles by some years.

The full explanation why this and its two related rear-engined Mercs are in California will come in due course. Once I’ve employed my rusty GCSE German on the inch-thick press pack of period sales brochures and company minutes supplied by our hosts from Mercedes Classic!