The 5 Most Expensive Mercedes Ever Sold At Auction
Ever since Otto Benz filed his patent for the first practical automobile in 1886, his name has been ubiquitous for quality, craft ... and price. The Mercedes-Benz reputation for luxury and longevity has led to some astonishing models, and it inspired people to spend equally impressive amounts of money to own them. Beyond other legendary marques, however, the engineering and design of Mercedes-Benz seems to motivate its wealthy collectors to new heights of avarice.
Whether it's Mercedes mystique, the desire to own a piece of history, or the sheer desire to show off with the prettiest, most expensive vehicles money can buy, well-heeled gearheads have laid down historically high chunks of change to own masterpieces from the House of Benz. From legendary Formula 1 racing cars to zippy roadsters and mighty Autobahn-devouring touring cars, here are five Mercedes cars auctioned off for some of the highest prices in automotive history.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe
Far and away the most expensive car ever sold at auction was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe. It was auctioned at Sotheby's on May 5, 2022, at the astronomical price of $135 million Euro. Per FXTop Historical Converter, on the date of purchase, that price was the equivalent of an astonishing $142,668,000. By way of comparison, things that cost roughly that amount include the 79th floor of 432 Park Avenue in Manhattan, enough wind turbines to power 20,000 homes, and the entire net worth of Nicolas Cage.
That price, paid by a collector who chose to remain anonymous, wasn't just cash for a toy. A Mercedes-Benz press release details the company's plan for the funds, which has since proven to be rather altruistic. The SLR's price provided seed capital for the Mercedes-Benz Fund, a nonprofit global scholarship program for young people interested in studying environmental science and decarbonization.
1954 Mercedes-Benz W196
A former holder of the 300 SLR Uhlenlaut's "most expensive ever" record, this 1954 Mercedes racer sold for $29,607,760. Bonhams auctioned the vintage F1 at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. This W196, known to its owners as "Chassis 00006/54," wasn't just anybody's racer. Juan Manuel Fangio won four Formula 1 races with it in 1954, marking the triumphant return of Mercedes-Benz to Formula 1 racing for the first time since 1939. Other notable drivers of Chassis 00006/54 included Hans Herrmann and Karl Kling.
Like the $142.6 million SLR, the W196 was designed by legendary Mercedes engineer Rudolf Uhlenlaut. It was an engineering wonder of its time, built from the ground up to fit F1's new regulations on engine volume and aspiration. Its drivetrain, aerodynamics and chassis were cutting edge for the time, and so far ahead of contemporaries that Uhlenlaut used this W196 as his preferred testing car as late as 1969. Also, like the SLR, its buyer preferred to remain anonymous.
1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
When it comes to antique cars, history sometimes means a high price. In the case of this 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster, it caught $11,770,000. The pre-war 540K is a subject of passionate desire for car collectors all over the world. Only 400 were ever produced, and the 540K Special Roadster marque comprised just 25 models. Spec and history aligned at Gooding and Company in 2012 to make this particular 540K Special Roadster one anonymous buyer's dream come true.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest pre-war Benzes of all time, the 540K Special Roadster was a hand-assembled masterpiece. It boasted a top speed of 115 mph, courtesy of a 180-hp engine complete with a supercharger. It also came with a semi-automatic 4-speed transmission, custom pigskin interiors and high doors and a windshield suited to long cruises on the Autobahn.
As for history, versions of the 540K belonged to everyone from movie producer Jack Warner to Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering. The model sold at Gooding and Company belonged to Baroness Josephine von Krieger, an Old Prussian aristocrat with a fascinating and tragic biography.
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
Among a collection like the 540, another of the 25 pre-war 540K Special Roadsters sold at Sotheby's for $9.9 million. Slightly younger than the Baroness's model but in equally perfect condition, one in particular has a remarkable history all its own.
Unlike its pricier predecessor, this 1937 model was an American beast all the way. It was purchased and shipped to the U.S. by Reginald Sinclaire, a Colorado native and inheritor of the Corning Glass fortune. Sinclaire had his own adventures during both World Wars, flying alongside the French Air Force with the independent volunteer Lafayette Flying Corps before the United States had even entered the first World War and he served in the Navy during World War II.
Outside his service, Sinclaire lived at Larkspur Ranch near Colorado Springs, keeping himself entertained with several extraordinary vehicles. His pre-war collection included another 540K in the Cabriolet B spec and a Duesenberg SJ, while his post-war stock extended to yet another legendary Benz in the form of a 300SL Gullwing, plus a Maserati, a Bentley S3 and an Aston Martin DB4.
1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Torpedo
Our cheapest entry — if $8.25 million counts — would still buy you a 5-bedroom mansion and the entire Caribbean island it's on. It is also the oldest on our list, and a masterpiece of old-school Benz design. In an era when the automotive marketplace was dominated by the first wave of cheap, practical transport like Model Ts and Morris Minors, the 680 S Torpedo stood out as something truly special.
The 680 S Torpedo that Sotheby's sold for $8.25 million in 2013 was a marvel of both engineering and luxury design. The six-cylinder engine produced an astronomical-for-its-time 180 horsepower, courtesy of twin carburetors and two experimental superchargers. The design also situated the engine further back, anticipating future mid-engine supercar designs.
As for design, this particular 680S Torpedo was customized by the legendary coachbuilder Jacques Saoutchik, a Ukrainian expatriate who became one of the great pre-war car customizers. His Parisian shop, Carousserie J. Saoutchik, customized this Torpedo from the ground up, incorporating lizard skin interiors from Southeast Asia and purpleheart trim from South America.