The Most Expensive Car Ever Sold Is a $142M Mercedes-Benz
Considered a crowned jewel in the motor industry, the sleek vehicle sold at a record-breaking price at auction with Sotheby’s
In a remarkable auction from RM Sotheby’s, a one-of-a-kind Mercedes-Benz has officially been christened the most expensive car ever sold. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, built in 1955, sold to a private collector for an extraordinary €135 million—equivalent to $142 million—the highest price ever paid for a Mercedes-Benz. As one of just two prototypes ever made, this sale marks the first time since its creation that the vehicle will be owned outside of Mercedes-Benz.
Built and named after the company’s chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the inspiration for this luxury vehicle came from the W 196 R Grand Prix race car, which secured two World Championship titles. While this coupé version of the 300 SLR never made it to the race track, it’s been renowned by motor enthusiasts and experts alike as the most beautiful car ever created and considered a crown jewel among the industry. Now with this sale, having beaten the price of the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO, which sold for roughly $70 million in 2018, the 300 SLR has added yet another superlative to its roster.
All proceeds from the auction will go towards establishing the “Mercedes-Benz Fund,” which plans to provide scholarships for young individuals in areas of environmental science and decarbonization. The other prototype of the car will remain on display in Mercedes’ museum. Four years on, the record still stands: the top sale at Monterey Car Week 2026 reached less than a third of that figure.
“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,” says Oliver Barker, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe. “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.”