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Legendarische Mercedes-sportwagen wordt verkocht voor recordbedrag van $ 146 miljoen

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Used vehicle prices have been going up and up but the recent auction of a legendary Mercedes-Benz coupe from its historic vehicle collection for almost $146 million — a new world record — took that to a new level.

Mercedes set a new auction record of $146 million with the 1955 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.

De 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was sold to an unidentified private collector for a record price of €135 million, or $146 million. The final bid exceeded the previous record by €90,000,000, or about $100 million.

The bidding on the Uhlenhaut — one of two in existence — began higher than the previous record for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO in 2018. In fact, the final price places the Uhlenhaut among the top 10 most expensive collectibles ever auctioned, according to RM Sotheby’s, the auction house that handled the auctions for the Mercedes Uhlenhaut and the 250 GTO.

Big plans for big money

Proceeds of the auction will be used to establish the “Mercedes-Benz Fund,” a global scholarship program, according to Mercedes-Benz.

“The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes are milestones in sports car development and key historical elements that have shaped our brand. The decision to sell one of these two unique sports cars was taken with very sound reasoning — to benefit a good cause,” said Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. 

Mercedes Uhlenhaut coupe vert front
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut coupe sold was garage-kept for much of its time with Mercedes.

“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 decarbonization and resource preservation.” 

“At the same time, achieving the highest price ever paid for a vehicle is extraordinary and humbling: A Mercedes-Benz is by far the most valuable car in the world,” added Källenius.

The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold during the auction was part of the non-public vehicle collection belonging to Mercedes-Benz Classic, which includes more than 1,100 automobiles from the invention of the automobile in 1886 until today. 

Mercedes surrenders icon for cash

The car is considered an automotive icon and an absolute rarity and named after its creator, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Mercedes chief engineer in the 1950s. The design of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe stands out on account of its distinctive “gullwing” doors and outstanding performance delivered by racing technology incorporated into the vehicle. 

The cars were based on the automaker’s massively successful W 196 R Grand Prix race car that captured two World Championships. Following that formula, which included the additional of a larger engine for racing, the 300 SLR was capable of 180 mph — almost unheard of for street-legal cars of the era. The circumstances behind its creation, its unique design and its innovative technology have endowed the car with a mystique, which endures to this day. 

Mercedes Uhlenhaut coupe rear
The Uhlenhaut coupes were basically street-legal race cars, capable of 180 mph — unheard in its day.

Both 300 SLR Coupés remained at Mercedes-Benz factory since new. The other car is nicknamed “Blue” — due to its upholstery — on museum display; however, the auction car — Red — was kept mostly in storage.

Mercedes-Benz hosted a secret invitation-only auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum earlier in May with strict requirements for bidders, which were hand-picked by Mercedes.

The winning bid was made by British expert and dealer Simon Kidston on behalf of a client, after lobbying Mercedes-Benz board for 18 months to consider selling the car.

“If you had asked classic car experts and top collectors over the past half a century to name the most desirable car in the world, there’s a good chance that they would have come up with the same model: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. It’s a combination of exotic engineering, all-conquering racing history, the power of the three-pointed star on its nose and the fact that one had never, ever been sold. Many collectors had tried, all had failed,” Kidston said.

Money for scholarships

The proceeds from the auction will serve as seed capital for the Mercedes‑Benz Fund, which will finance university scholarships to connect, educate and encourage students to realize/conduct research on environmental science projects and school scholarships focusing on local environmental projects in their communities. 

“We are proud that we can contribute with our historical collection to this initiative connecting the past with the future of engineering and decarbonization technology”, says Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage. 

“The private buyer has agreed that the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé will remain accessible for public display on special occasions, while the second original 300 SLR Coupé remains in company ownership and will continue to be displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.”

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