A rare 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen, chassis number 00009/54, has been sold by RM Sotheby’s in a single-car auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. The iconic racing car fetched €51.155 million ($53.917 million), making it the most valuable Grand Prix racing car ever auctioned.
Originally donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 1965 by Daimler-Benz AG, the W 196 R drew interest from collectors worldwide. A competitive bidding battle in person and over the phone led to the record-breaking sale.
The W 196 R was built to comply with the 1954 Grand Prix regulations for 2.5-liter engines. It became a dominant force in racing, driven by legends such as Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. The auction took place in the same room where the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupé” sold in 2022 for €135 million, the highest price ever paid for a car at auction.
Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH, emphasized the significance of the sale: “Very few Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows are privately owned. Today’s sale cements the W 196 R as the world’s most valuable Grand Prix racing car, just behind the Uhlenhaut Coupé.”
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Gord Duff, RM Sotheby’s Global Head of Auctions, described the event as historic. “This car is one of the most important racing cars ever, and it’s an honor for RM Sotheby’s to successfully sell it.”
Joe Hale, President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, highlighted the impact of the sale. “The proceeds will support our museum’s long-term sustainability and the expansion of our collection.”
The result reaffirms Mercedes-Benz’s prominence in the collector car market, with its Silver Arrows remaining among the most coveted vehicles in motorsport history.
Those interested on how the auction went down can watch the video below:
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