1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé Becomes Most Valuable Car in the World

RM Sotheby’s, in association with Mercedes-Benz, has sold one of two famed 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés to a private collector for upwards of $142M, making it the most valuable car in the world.

Photo Credit: RM Sotheby’s

The proceeds of this historic sale will be donated in order to establish a worldwide “Mercedes-Benz Fund,” which will aim to provide educational and research scholarships for young people in the areas of environmental science and decarbonization.

“We are proud that we can contribute with our historical collection to this initiative connecting the past with the future of engineering and decarbonization technology,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage. “The private buyer has agreed that the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé will remain accessible for public display on special occasions, while the second original 300 SLR Coupé remains in company ownership and will continue to be displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.”

One of the reasons this sale is such a seismic occasion in the motoring industry is that this car is just one of two ever made and it has always been considered one of the greatest automobiles ever designed. Few motor enthusiasts would have ever predicted the car would be sold. Named after chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the model is one of two prototypes created by Mercedes’ racing team and has often been cited as being “the most beautiful car in the world” by auto experts across the globe.

Photo Credit: RM Sotheby’s

The famed 300 SLR was based on Mercedes’ successful W 196 R Grand Prix car which won two World Championships in the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio, but with its engine enlarged to 3.0 liters for sports car racing. The car was capable of 180 mph, making it one of the fastest road legal cars to have ever been created at the time.

The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was sold on May 5th at an auction held in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. RM Sotheby’s worked hand in hand with Mercedes to ensure the sale was executed and concluded in the highest standard possible. Mercedes customers and international collectors of cars and art who share the corporate values of Mercedes were invited to the historic event.

Photo Credit: RM Sotheby’s

The $142M winning bid shattered the previous record by nearly $95M. This previous record was attributed to a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, sold by RM Sotheby’s in 2018. The May 5th sale places the 300 SLR now sits among the top ten most valuable items ever sold at auction.

“Words cannot really do justice to the importance and significance of this sale,” said Peter Wallman, Chairman of UK & EMEA, who spoke on behalf of RM Sotheby’s. “It’s reasonable to say that nobody ever imagined that this car would ever be offered for sale, so for Mercedes-Benz to ask RM Sotheby’s to conduct the auction was an absolute honor.”

Oliver Barker, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe added, “What an absolute thrill to bring the hammer down on this masterpiece of design and engineering, which now stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest works of art ever sold. Few ever dreamt that this great jewel of motoring history would ever come for sale, and how fitting that it should happen now, just as we embark on a new and exciting chapter with our partners at RM Sotheby’s.”

Photo Credit: RM Sotheby’s