A very special car, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, was recently sold for an incredible $142 million at an exclusive auction. It’s now the most expensive car ever sold at an auction, beating the previous record by a huge $95 million. This car is a prototype race car made for the 1956 season, and it’s super rare, with only two ever built.
The auction took place on May 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany, and the winning bid was made by classic-car dealer Simon Kidston on behalf of an anonymous buyer. What makes this car so valuable is not just its rarity, but also its stunning design that captures people’s attention.
Even though it’s a race car, the 300 SLR Coupe was never used for racing. Instead, it was used by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who was in charge of testing at Mercedes, as his personal company car. The car’s powerful eight-cylinder engine produced around 300 horsepower, and it could go as fast as 180 mph, making it one of the fastest road-legal cars back then.
This iconic vehicle is a hardtop version of the successful open-top 300 SLR race car. It has been part of Mercedes-Benz’s private collection since it was created, which adds to its historical importance and makes it even more valuable.
