Cars are a matter of pride for many. That’s why enthusiasts do everything in their power to make their rides memorable. From expensive models to hefty modifications, each addition to the collection is like a status symbol. Probably this is the reason why a vintage Mercedes Benz coupe was sold for as much as 1,100 crores! Don’t believe us? Read on.
The New Heights Extravagant Spending
A 1955 Vintage Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR became the world’s most expensive car to be ever sold in an auction after it fetched an extravagant Rs. 1100 crore ($143 million) as reported by Canada-based auction company RM Sotheby on 19th May 2022.
And surprisingly, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. The sale broke the previous all-time high record of over $95 million, which was higher than the record before it which stood at $70 million.
If reports are to be trusted, the sale took place on 5th May in a highly secretive and unusual auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany that saw only a few special Mercedes Benz customers and collectors as attendees.
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What Made the 1995 300 SLR So Special?
Even before the hot wheel was sold off, the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR was and continues to be one of the most valuable car models on earth. This is because the vehicle is a rarity in itself. Only two of these models were built in the 1950s, after which Mercedes retired from racing altogether in 1955.
The coupe was based on Mercedes’s successful W 196 R Grand Prix car, which brought the automaker not one but two world championships with driver Juan Manuel Fangio. The coupe was equipped with a large 3.0-liter engine helping it hit 180 mph, making it one of the fastest road-legal cars at the time. More than the rarity, what made 1955 300 SLR even more special was the fact that the vehicle had never been privately owned before.
Who’s The Lucky Guy?
Coming to the answer we all wanted to know, the winning bid of a whopping $143 million was made by British car collector, dealer, and advisor Simon Kidson on behalf of an unnamed client.
So this was the 1995 Mercedes Benz 300 SLR: the world’s most expensive car sold in an auction. Stay pinned to the GoMechanic Blog for everything automotive.
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