When there’s so much money at stake, it’s hard to keep the news completely under wraps. Mercedes sold one of its two legendary Uhlenhaut Coupés on May 5th, making it the most expensive car of all time. The secret auction at the Mercedes Museum brought in 135 million euros, which went into a find.
A murmur went through the classical music scene, which became an earthquake two weeks ago. Did Mercedes actually sell one of its two 300 SL Uhlenhaut Coupés? Industry insiders and classic fans couldn’t believe it. But even if the information piled up, the news is ultimately thin. There is talk of a secret auction of ten bidders earlier this month, who ultimately bid in the region of $140 million. Only with a delay is the official report of completion now coming. Mercedes actually auctioned off one of the two Uhlenhaut models from its Classic Collection via the auction house RM Sotheby’s. The proceeds of an impressive 135 million euros make the Mercedes 300 SLR from 1955 – named after chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut – the most expensive car ever traded. A Ferrari 250 GTO from 1962 has held this title since 2018 with around 50 million euros.
“It is an absolute thrill to bring this masterpiece of design and engineering under the hammer, which now stands alongside the greatest works of art ever sold,” said Oliver Barker, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, “few would ever have dreamed of that this great gem of automotive history would ever be for sale. How fitting that this is happening just as we are starting a new and exciting chapter with our partners at RM Sotheby’s.” The spectacular Mercedes 300 SLR coupé was based on the highly successful W 196 R Grand Prix car driven by Juan Manuel Among other things, Fangio won two world championships, with the engine being enlarged to 3.0 liters for sports car racing. At the time, the car was one of the fastest street-legal cars with a top speed of around 290 km/h.
What does Mercedes do with the proceeds? The money will set up a global Mercedes Benz fund that will enable education and research grants in environmental sciences and decarbonization for young people. “The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés are milestones in sports car development and important historical cornerstones of our brand. The decision to sell one of the two unique sports cars was a carefully considered one for a good cause,” says Ola Källenius, CEO of the Mercedes Benz Group. “The proceeds from the auction will be used to finance a global scholarship program. With the “Mercedes-Benz Fund” we would like to encourage a new generation to follow in the innovative footsteps of Rudolf Uhlenhaut and to develop great new technologies, especially for decarbonization and resource conservation”.
The proceeds from the auction of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé serve as start-up capital for a global initiative. The Mercedes Benz fund is intended to appeal to two different target groups: on the one hand, students are to be supported with university scholarships. The aim is to network them, to educate them and to encourage them to do environmental research and projects. On the other hand, pupils are supported with school scholarships in the implementation of environmental projects. The funds are intended for people who otherwise do not have sufficient financial resources to carry out these projects and pursue corresponding career paths
“We are pleased that, thanks to our historical collection, we can use this proceeds for our training initiative and thus combine the past with the technological future and decarbonization,” says Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage, “the private buyer has agreed to make the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé accessible to the public on special occasions even after it has been sold. The second original 300 SLR Coupé remains in the company’s possession and is still on display in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.”
Source: Stern
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
