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The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R Stromlinienwagen, the fabled Formula 1 car raced by Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, has broken all records in an auction that took place on February 1, 2025, fetching £42.75 million, or €51.155 million. The highest price ever paid for a Grand Prix car came at an auction by RM Sotheby’s at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
The W196 R Is one of just four complete examples in existence, immediately identifiable by its signature streamlined form. Chassis number 00009/54 boasts an impressive racing history that includes winning the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix with Fangio at the wheel. Several months later, Stirling Moss took the same car to the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, establishing the fastest race lap at an average 134 mph before retiring from the event.
This particular W196 R had been part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum’s collection since 1965. The museum wanted to sell the car to raise funds for its restoration projects and future purchases. Jason Vansickle, curator at IMS, said, “It’s a beautiful car, it’s a very historic car, it’s just a little bit outside our scope window.”
The previous record for the most valuable Grand Prix car ever sold at an auction was held by another ex-Fangio Mercedes W196, which commanded £19.6 million back in 2013. The latest sale surpassed that figure more than twofold to underline the unique importance of W196 R within motorsport history.
But monumental as the sale of the W196 R was, it is not the most expensive car to have been sold at an auction. That remains the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which went for €135 million (£113 million) in May 2022.
The W196 R Stromlinienwagen epitomizes an engineering marvel from automotive and racing history. This sale price testifies not only to its rarity and historical importance but also to the enduring charm of the era of the “Silver Arrows” in Formula 1.
