Mercedes-Benz acknowledged on Thursday that the world's most costly car had just been sold. A private owner paid €135 million, or $142 million, for a very rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz SLR coupe that had been preserved in the German automaker's collection. According to Hagerty, a company that analyzes collector car prices, the amount makes it the most expensive car known to have ever been sold.
According to Mercedes, the proceeds from the sale will go toward the Mercedes-Benz Fund, a global scholarship fund.
A 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO reportedly sold for $70 million in 2018.
Only two 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe prototypes were sold, and this Mercedes was one of them. The 67-year-old automobiles are said to have a top speed of 186 mph and were named after Mercedes' chief engineer at the time, Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart held a special invitation-only auction on May 5 to sell it. The sale was co-hosted by RM Sotheby's, a business that specializes in auto auctions.According to a Mercedes-Benz announcement, the other Uhlenhaut Coupe will be kept in the Museum's collection.
"Their racing cars from the 1930s and 1950s are rare, and most are still owned by the firm," said Brian Rabold, vice president of automotive intelligence at Hagerty.Mercedes' "Gullwing" SLRs, so named because of its curving doors, are among the world's most desired automobiles. Rare and racing editions are particularly valued.
The SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, powered by a 300 horsepower eight-cylinder engine, was essentially a hard-top variant of Mercedes' legendary open-topped SLR racing vehicle. A closed car, it was thought, would better protect drivers from wind and rain while also improving aerodynamics.
Mercedes discontinued competing in motorsports shortly after these cars were developed, therefore they were never raced.
While the name of the car's new owners is unknown, Simon Kidston, a British classic automobile dealer, claimed in a press statement to have put the winning bid on behalf of a customer.
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