A Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen has made history, becoming the second most expensive car ever sold at auction. This rare model, chassis number 00009/54, fetched a staggering $52.7 million (approximately ₹435 crore) at an RM Sotheby’s auction. This sale gives Mercedes-Benz two spots on the list of the most expensive auctioned cars, joining the Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which sold for $143 million (around ₹1,180 crore) in 2022.
The W 196 R Stromlinienwagen’s high price reflects its iconic status. It made a spectacular debut in July 1954 at the French Grand Prix, securing both first and second place, driven by racing legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Sir Stirling Moss. Remarkably, this particular car had been held by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum since 1965 until this auction.

Initially built as an open-wheel racer, chassis number 00009 was first tested by Mercedes-Benz in December 1954. It entered its first race, a non-Formula 1 event in Argentina in January 1955, driven by Fangio. For this race, it was equipped with a 3.0-liter M196 engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission.
The car’s racing career culminated at the Italian Grand Prix in September 1955, with Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel. Despite a strong performance, Moss was forced to retire after 27 laps due to a problem with the fifth cylinder.

Mercedes-Benz produced very few of these magnesium streamliner bodies, using them selectively on high-speed circuits during the 1954 and 1955 racing seasons.
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