RM Sotheby's will offer a Mercedes-Benz 540K special roadster in its January 19-20 auction in Arizona.

It's valued at $7.4m-8.4m.

The second world war broke out shortly after the 540K was delivered to its first owner

The car has an intriguing backstory. It was delivered new to its first owner, Berlin based interior designer Rolf Horn, in August 1939 - a month before the second world war began.

It was put into storage, where it remained until it was found by Soviet soldiers in East Berlin in 1949.

It was requisitioned for used by Soviet diplomats up until 1953, when it passed into the hands of Russian businessman and car lover Arthur Leshtin. He sold it onto a Swedish translator, who pulled the gutsy move of simply driving the car over the Russian border into Sweden in 1964.

Since then it has passed through a number of major European collections, earning itself a reputation as one of the very finest examples of its type still in existence today.

Its stunning restoration earned it a second in class at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The model is among Mercedes' most sought after cars. A 1936 540K sold for $11.4m in 2012.

Other highlights of the auction include a 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB coupe, which is valued at $3.2m-3.8m.

It features stunning Pininfarina coachwork and is likely to be one of the sale's biggest draws.