1954 Mercedes W196 R: Second Most Expensive Auction Sold Vehicle

In 2022, the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which sold for USD 143 million, became the most costly vehicle ever to be auctioned off in the world.

But just recently, another Mercedes-Benz, which, according to Boomerang, was driven by renowned Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, made it to the platform of car auctioning.

Meet the rare 1954 W 196 R Stromlinienwagen race car that was sold for over $52 million this past weekend at an auction conducted by RM Sotheby’s.

On February 1, the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, hosted a special one-car auction where the W 196 R Stromlinienwagen, also known as the Streamliner, was up for sale.

The car, which had belonged to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, sold for €46,500,000, or roughly $48.2 million, but due to a 10-percent buyer’s premium, the final sale price was €51,155,000 ($53 million).

In the fall of 2023, a 1962 Ferrari 330 LM/250 GTO sold for $51.7 million, making it the third most expensive car ever to be sold at auction, with RM Sotheby’s in charge of all three sales.

Why The Mercedes-Benz Could Attract Such Price

The Mercedes-Benz W 196 R is one of the most recognizable and cutting-edge Formula One vehicles in motorsport history.

It was created to compete in the recently created Formula One World Championship, which had implemented new rules restricting engine displacement to 2.5 liters

The Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen brought a high price at the auction due to its iconic status in the automotive industry.

This is because the car, which debuted at the Grand Prix in July 1954, took first and second place, with Fangio and Stirling Moss, respectively, piloting the vehicle at the time.

Before the auction, the car had been owned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum since 1965.

In December 1954, Mercedes started testing chassis 00009, which was initially completed in an open-wheel configuration.

Driven by Juan Manuel Fangio, the car made its competitive debut in January 1955 at a non-Formula 1 event in Argentina.

When Sir Stirling Moss drove the iconic car in the Italian Grand Prix in September 1955, it marked the end of its racing career.

The car performed well in the race. But after 27 laps, Moss was forced to retire from the race due to an issue with the number five cylinder.