After the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe became the most expensive car ever sold at auction, here are the five most expensive Mercedes models ever sold at auction. The car in the second place is a close relative of 300 SLR.
A few days ago, the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe set the record for the most expensive car ever sold at auction. At the secret auction organized by Sotheby’s auction house, the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold for 135 million euros (144.6 million USD).
It may seem surprising but the second most expensive Mercedes ever sold at auction is a model very similar in technical terms to the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe. This is the Mercedes W196 Formula 1 car that was sold at a Bonhams auction in July 2013 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed for $29,607,760. This is still the most expensive F1 car ever sold at auction and until a few days ago it was also the most expensive Mercedes ever sold at auction. The Mercedes W196 F1 example sold won F1 races in the 1954 and 1955 seasons with Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel.
I said that the two cars are technically related because the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe is not derived from the 300 SL, but is based on the Mercedes W196 F1 car.
A second seat has been added, two gullwing doors and the inline 8 cylinder engine has been modified. The displacement has been increased from 2.5 to 3.0 liters and the power has been increased from 280 to 300 HP
Here is the list of the 5 most expensive Mercedes models in history:
1. Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe 144.69 mil USD
2. Mercedes W196 F1 29.6 mil USD
3. 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster 11.77 mil USD
Rumoured to have belonged to Baroness Gisela von Krieger. It was sold at an auction at Pebble Beach in 2012.
4. 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster 9.68 mil USD
It was one of the main attractions at the 2011 Monterey auction.
5. 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster 8.25 mil USD
It has a low-slung torpedo roadster body signed by Carrosserie J. Saoutchik of Paris and stands as a perfect example of coachbuilding in the late 1920s. It was presented at the New York show in 1929 and is the only one of the three surviving short windshield examples.
