Mercedes-Benz may have just sold a car for a record $142 million

It appears like the opening scene from a spy novel.

Two Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes were crafted, but in no way raced or offered.
(Mercedes-Benz)

A handful of the world’s richest vehicle collectors secretly gathered in a closed museum to bid on an ultra-uncommon historic car.

That is reportedly what happened on May perhaps 6 at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany, when another person compensated $142 million for a single of the vehicles in the assortment.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe was centered on the 300SLR roadster.
(Uhlenhaut’s)

Sources familiar with the function advised typical vehicle lifestyle and coverage organization Hagerty that it was the 2nd of two 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut” coupes Mercedes-Benz designed for the 1956 racing year. Hagerty was able to validate that the museum was closed to the public for a personal party on the working day in question.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe was intended for racing before Mercedes-Benz discontinued its Motorsports actions.
(Michael Cole/Corbis through Getty Illustrations or photos)

The autos are hardtop versions of the 300 SLR roadster that was involved in the tragic crash at the 1955 operating of the 24 Several hours of Le Mans that killed 84 spectators and led to the discontinuation of Mercedes-Benz’s formal racing action for 30 a long time.

As these types of, the coupes had been by no means raced for the duration of the period or formerly bought, but they have appeared on track at extra modern historic activities. Their nickname name comes from the head of the testing section that designed them, Rudolf Uhlenhaut.

A Mercedes-Spokesman advised Fox News Autos that the automaker typically gets requests to acquire vehicles from its assortment, but would not affirm this event or the sale transpired.

“The marketplace for basic vehicles is regularly in motion and so there is usually a large amount of speculation. Make sure you realize we are not able to participate in these kinds of speculation,” he claimed.

the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe has produced appearances at historic racing events.
(Michael Cole/Corbis via Getty Illustrations or photos)

In accordance to Hagerty, the potential prospective buyers were decided on each for their suggests and willingness to manage the car or truck with the exact treatment Mercedes-Benz has.

If the tale is correct, the sale would be a new all-time report cost paid out for a motor vehicle, eclipsing equally the $70 million that WeatherTech founder David MacNeil reportedly paid in a non-public sale for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO in 2018 and the $48.4 million that a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO went for at an RM Sotheby’s auction the same 12 months.