Mercedes W 196 R sold for record 51 million euros at RM Sotheby’s auction

A few weeks ago, it was announced that a significant event would take place, and it has now been fulfilled. The American auction house, RM Sotheby’s, has made headlines for delivering one of the most expensive cars of all time. The car in question is a Formula 1 model, the Mercedes W 196 R, which was sold for a staggering 51 million euros, specifically 51,155,000 euros. This makes it the most expensive racing car in history.

By extension, it is also the second most expensive car ever sold, after another Mercedes, the 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupe” from 1955, which was sold for 142 million euros in 2022. Interestingly, both cars were auctioned in the same room at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The Mercedes W 196 R has surpassed the Ferrari 330 LM/250 GTO from 1962, which was previously sold for 51.7 million dollars (approximately 49.8 million euros) and held the second spot on the list of the most valuable cars in history.

The reasons why someone would pay such a large amount of money for this car are varied. One of the main reasons is the fact that the car was driven by famous automobile figures such as Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. Additionally, the car was kept in excellent condition since 1965 by the Indianapolis Motor Speedwary Museum, which guarantees its fabulous state. The fact that only four W 196 R units with the streamliner body exist, and only this one has been auctioned for private owners, makes it a very exclusive car and especially desirable for billionaire collectors.

The W 196 R Streamliner has become the world’s most expensive racing car, surpassing the previous record held by another F1 car, also a Mercedes, which was sold for 22.1 million euros in 2013 by the British auction house Bonhams. The hands of Fangio and Stirling Moss guided this silver arrow in the F1 of the 50s, making it an even more significant and valuable piece of racing history.

The W 196 R Streamliner’s sale has set a new record for the most expensive racing car ever sold. The previous record was held by another F1 car, which was sold for 22.1 million euros in 2013. The sale of the W 196 R Streamliner has more than doubled this record, demonstrating the significant value and desirability of this rare and historic car.

The top 10 most expensive cars ever auctioned include several notable models, with the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupe” (1955) taking the top spot at 142 million dollars. The list also includes other rare and valuable cars, such as the Ferrari 330 LM/250 GTO (1962) and the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962).