The winning bid on the car was an incredible €135,000,000, making it the most valuable car ever sold and a
price which exceeds the existing record by more the €90,000,000. In what felt like a surreal experience, the
bidding opened at a price higher than the selling price of the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold by RM Sotheby’s in
2018, the car which previously ranked as the most valuable ever sold at auction. The 300 SLR now sits in the
top ten most valuable items ever sold at auction. The proceeds will be used to establish a worldwide
“Mercedes-Benz Fund” that will provide educational and research scholarships in the areas of environmental
science and decarbonisation for young people.
“We are proud that we can contribute with our historical collection to this initiative connecting the past with
the future of engineering and decarbonisation 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.”
Speaking on behalf of RM Sotheby’s, Peter Wallman, Chairman, UK & EMEA, said: “Words can’t really do
justice to the importance and significance of this sale. It’s reasonable to say that nobody ever imagined that
this car would ever be offered for sale, so for Mercedes-Benz to ask RM Sotheby’s to conduct the auction
was an absolute honour.”
Oliver Barker, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, said “What an absolute thrill to bring the hammer down on this
masterpiece of design and engineering, which now stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest works of art
ever sold. Few ever dreamt that this great jewel of motoring history would ever come for sale, and how fitting
that it should happen now, just as we embark on a new and exciting chapter with our partners at RM
Sotheby’s.
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