Friday 20th May 2022

Mercedes 300 SLR 'Uhlenhaut' sets auction record

Thought 250 GTOs sold for a lot? This old Benz just made more than double any Ferrari...

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It’s a tough market for used car buyers at the moment, with values having risen and showing no signs of letting up. If it seemed a problem even down at Shed level, spare a thought for those collectors buying automotive royalty - the current situation pushed the price of this 300 SLR to 135 million euros…

Alright, we’re being a bit silly. The sale of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe - one of just two original prototypes, named after engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut - was always going to be an enormous deal. But not many will have expected such an extraordinary amount of money to be paid; the 135 mil (or almost £115m) makes the SLR the most expensive car ever sold at auction by a country mile. You could add together the next three biggest sales (a pair of Ferrari 250 GTOs and a Ferrari 335 S), all sold in the past decade, and still be millions off the Mercedes. While nothing is truly unbelievable in this world, it is an incredible amount of money.

The SLR was sold as part of a Mercedes-Benz Classic clear-out earlier this month, where almost 1,100 cars from its non-public collection were sold with the help of RM Sotheby’s. Mercedes says those in attendance “were among selected Mercedes-Benz customers and international collectors of cars and art, who share the corporate values of Mercedes-Benz.” The collector who now owns this SLR (imagine what else is in the portfolio!) has agreed that the car will be made accessible for public display on special occasions, with the second car remaining on display at the Benz Museum.

Mercedes will invest the proceeds of the sale in the F1 tea… just kidding. Instead the money will go to the Mercedes Benz Fund, a global scholarship programme to assist young people in their education. “With the ‘Mercedes-Benz Fund’ we would like to encourage a new generation to follow in Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s innovative footsteps and develop amazing new technologies, particularly those that support the critical goal of decarbonisation and resource preservation,” said Ola Källenius, Mercedes CEO. He also described the SLR’s position as by far the most valuable car in the world as “extraordinary and humbling.” Even in the crazy world of rare collectible automobiles, it seems safe to say that 135 million euros isn’t going to be beaten for a while yet. But you never know…

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[deejay005]

Wowzers.

It’s a beautiful looking thing though.

[BigChiefmuffinAgain]

I wonder if last weeks winner of the Euro Millions bought it ?

Lovely looking thing - silly money though.

[anonymous-user]

Stunning price

Stunning car though.

[pb8g09]

I guess for some it's this or an expensive painting as a piece of art.

I'd probably rather give that amount of money to a charity and have them name a building or structure after me. Immortality and what not...

[McRors]

Lovely thing, but I'm not sure I'd be able to get in it. The height and width of those sills, combined with the narrow doors, would make it rather daunting. If you're a woman in a miniskirt I guess you'd give it a miss.

Edited by McRors on Friday 20th May 11:42

[EyeHeartSpellin]

pb8g09 said:

I guess for some it's this or an expensive painting as a piece of art.

I'd probably rather give that amount of money to a charity and have them name a building or structure after me. Immortality and what not...

That’s basically what they have done though. Given £115mil to a charity and got arguably the most beautiful car ever made. I would hands down.

[RiccardoG]

Wow, this was by far my favourite car when visiting the MB museum and possibly one of my favourite cars ever. Never thought one would be for sale.

So, is the second one still owned by Mercedes?

[pb8g09]

EyeHeartSpellin said:

That’s basically what they have done though. Given 115mil to a charity and got arguably the most beautiful car ever made. I would hands down.

But without the immortality... except being in Guinness Book of Records for paying the most for a car ever until another one sells for more..

[Kawasicki]

It’s not just beautiful outside either…

[McAndy]

Has this now been confirmed then? The price seemed to be a rumour a day or two ago.

I'd like to see a list of the most expensive cars sold at auction in each year or decade, corrected for inflation to see them at "today's" prices. Could be interesting.

RiccardoG said:

So, is the second one still owned by Mercedes?

I believe so.

[cobra kid]

pb8g09 said:

I guess for some it's this or an expensive painting as a piece of art.

I'd probably rather give that amount of money to a charity and have them name a building or structure after me. Immortality and what not...

Until it gets knocked down.

[thegreenhell]

McAndy said:

Has this now been confirmed then? The price seemed to be a rumour a day or two ago.

Yes, RM Sotheby's posted a video of the sale yesterday.

[Turbobanana]

pb8g09 said:

I guess for some it's this or an expensive painting as a piece of art.

I'd probably rather give that amount of money to a charity and have them name a building or structure after me. Immortality and what not...

[jbforce10]

Like all Matchbox and Corgi cars... it's worth a lot more because it comes with the box.

[ducnick]

I bet the new owner's insurance premiums are on the steep side. I wonder if they get a multi car discount.

[WCZ]

so pretty!

[Matt_T]

I don't understand why manufacturers sell they heritage cars.

£115m is 2000 x AMG A45s. Mercedes sell 70,000 AMG cars per year.

So increasing sales of AMG's by 2% covers the cost... and surely sales fluctuate by 2% based on external factors (economy, tax changes, stock market etc)

So the maths just doesn't make sense to me...

Edited by Matt_T on Friday 20th May 12:40

Edited by Matt_T on Friday 20th May 12:41

[Gecko1978]

Ok I get some people have billions and it was for charity of sorts. But its a car that won't be driven I guess it's more art now. An no point in saying I would buy x or y because they already will have.

[Robertb]

I suppose it didn't cost them alot/anything to buy in the first place, gets some publicity and is a good chance to donate to their charitable cause in a way they could not from normal revenues.

What a beautiful car.

[McAndy]

thegreenhell said:

Yes, RM Sotheby's posted a video of the sale yesterday.

Nice, thanks