Mercedes-Benz crashes record for most expensive car sold at $142M
These wheels of fortune are turning in Mercedes-Benz’s favor.
The German automotive brand name verified that it has offered a luxury auto for a mind-boggling $142 million (135 million EUR), shattering the preceding history for the most costly car at any time bought.
“We [wanted], with one particular single act, to demonstrate the electric power of the Mercedes brand,” mentioned their chairman, Ola Källenius, in a statement pursuing the shut invitation auction on Might 5 at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart, BNN Bloomberg reported. The celebration was held in collaboration with vehicle auction business RM Sotheby’s.
The auto in dilemma was an extremely-scarce 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, 1 of only two ever created. Mercedes has not divulged the buyer’s id nevertheless, the auction reportedly featured around a dozen bidders with numerous Swiss-Italian, English and US Mercedes-Benz collectors currently being floated as achievable purchasers.
With the sale, the automobile company topped — virtually a few moments above — the prior community file of $70 million, shelled out in 2018 for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO. Proceeds from the sale will reportedly go toward developing the Mercedes-Benz Fund, a international scholarship fund aimed at supporting dollars-strapped learners realize their occupation dreams, for each a Mercedes press release.
The selling price might appear to be steep, but car aficionados declare that the determine is ideal provided the caliber of the car, which can vacation up to 186 mph.
“That car is 100% worth what it marketed for,” reported uncommon car broker Stephen Serio. “Nobody ever thought Mercedes would provide it.”
Indeed, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR’s value is thanks, in part, to the fact that the auto is exceedingly uncommon. Of the 9 300 SLR cars designed, there were only two SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé prototypes, which derive their title from Mercedes’ famed exam section head, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, according to BNN Bloomberg’s report. He utilised a single of the models as the firm vehicle, even though the second haute rod is stored safely away in the organization vault.
“Their racing vehicles from the 1930s and 1950s are scarce, and most are continue to owned by the manufacturing unit, so any that arrive to industry are very sought soon after,” Hagerty’s Brian Rabold told CNN.
Luckily, the recent invest in does not preclude back again seat car or truck buffs from ever seeing this automotive holy grail yet again. Per the ailments of the sale, the Uhlenhaut will continue to be on show at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, together with the second SLR coupe, whilst the nameless operator will get the opportunity to often — and quite very carefully — get their vintage whip for a spin.
