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 confirmed that it has marketed a luxury vehicle for a thoughts-boggling $142 million (135 million EUR), shattering the preceding report for the most high-priced vehicle ever bought.

“We [wanted], with just one one act, to reveal the electric power of the Mercedes brand name,” said their chairman, Ola Källenius, in a assertion next the shut invitation auction on May 5 at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart, BNN Bloomberg noted. The function was held in collaboration with vehicle auction business RM Sotheby’s.

The vehicle in dilemma was an ultra-scarce 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, just one of only two at any time made. Mercedes has not divulged the buyer’s identification having said that, the auction reportedly showcased all-around a dozen bidders with several Swiss-Italian, English and US Mercedes-Benz collectors being floated as achievable purchasers.

With the sale, the automobile organization topped — just about a few instances around — the previous general public report of $70 million, shelled out in 2018 for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO. Proceeds from the sale will reportedly go toward establishing the Mercedes-Benz Fund, a world scholarship fund aimed at helping income-strapped college students realize their job goals, for each a Mercedes press launch.

The price tag might feel steep, but automobile aficionados claim that the determine is correct specified the caliber of the vehicle, which can vacation up to 186 mph.

“That motor vehicle is 100% worth what it sold for,” stated unusual automobile broker Stephen Serio. “Nobody ever thought Mercedes would promote it.”

In truth, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR’s benefit is because of, in aspect, to the actuality that the motor vehicle is exceedingly rare. Of the 9 300 SLR autos manufactured, there were being only two SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé prototypes, which derive their title from Mercedes’ famed exam department head, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, in accordance to BNN Bloomberg’s report. He used a person of the styles as the enterprise vehicle, even though the second haute rod is stored securely away in the company vault.

“Their racing vehicles from the 1930s and 1950s are scarce, and most are nonetheless owned by the factory, so any that come to market are really sought following,” Hagerty’s Brian Rabold informed CNN.

Fortuitously, the recent buy does not preclude back seat car or truck buffs from at any time seeing this automotive holy grail yet again. Per the situations of the sale, the Uhlenhaut will stay on show at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, alongside the second SLR coupe, although the nameless owner will get the possibility to sometimes — and very meticulously — get their classic whip for a spin.