An iconic Mercedes W196 streamliner has shattered the record for the most expensive F1 car ever sold at auction. The machine from 1955 was driven by Juan Manuel Fangio to victory in Argentina and by Sir Stirling Moss at the Italian GP as Fangio wrapped up his third F1 drivers' title. The example of the car had been kept at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum, but recently became available for purchase. It was sold for £42.75 million GBP (€51.15 million, $52.98 million USD), which was in line with the estimated price of €50 million. Only four W196 Rs exist, with the old record, another old Fangio W196 of £19.6 million being shattered after it was sold in 2013. RM Sotheby's handled the sale at Mercedes HQ in Stuttgart, with it also becoming the second most expensive car sold, with a 1955 Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sportscar selling for £113 million in May 2022.
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A piece of motorsport history has just changed hands. The first-ever W 196 R offered to the public, this legendary Silver Arrow is now the most valuable Grand Prix car ever sold and the second most valuable car ever sold. A truly once-in-a-lifetime sale. https://t.co/XjcEJxdRNM pic.twitter.com/fehiaQUvzF — RM Sotheby's (@rmsothebys) February 1, 2025
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