MERCEDES-BENZ has once again made history in the world of automotive auctions. A rare 1954 W196 Stromlinienwagen, bearing chassis number 00009/54, was recently sold for a staggering €51.2 million (approximately RM262 million), making it the second most expensive car ever auctioned. The sale was conducted by RM Sotheby’s at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, with proceeds directed towards restoration efforts for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which had owned the car since 1965.
This remarkable sale places the W196 Stromlinienwagen second only to another legendary Mercedes-Benz model—the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé—which fetched an unprecedented $143 million (around RM669 million) in 2022.
The W196 Stromlinienwagen was initially built in an open-wheel configuration and underwent its first tests in December 1954. It made its racing debut at a non-Formula 1 event in Argentina in January 1955, driven by none other than five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio. The car was powered by a 3.0-litre M196 engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission.
The vehicle’s final race took place at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix, with British racing icon Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel. Featuring its distinctive streamliner bodywork, the W196 performed impressively before a mechanical issue forced its retirement after 27 laps. Despite this, Moss managed to set the fastest lap of the race, hitting a top speed of 216km/h.
Mercedes-Benz produced only a handful of these magnesium-bodied streamliners, each weighing just over 40kgs. Designed for high-speed tracks, these aerodynamically advanced race cars were selectively used during the 1954 and 1955 seasons, making them a rare and highly sought-after piece of motorsport history.
The record-breaking sale reaffirms the enduring value of Mercedes-Benz’s racing heritage, further cementing the German automaker’s place at the pinnacle of both automotive and auction history.
