A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for Rs. 1100 crore ($143 million) in a secret auction in Germany on May 5, Mercedes-Benz Chairman Ola Källenius has confirmed.
British car collector Simon Kidson made the winning bid on behalf of an unnamed client in what is being called a secret and a remarkably unusual auction.
The record sale was made during a secret auction on May 5 at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany, Mercedes-Benz chairman Ola Kaellenius confirmed.
"We [wanted], with one single act, to demonstrate the power of the Mercedes brand," said Kaellenius during an interview on May 18 near Monte Carlo.
The extremely-rare arrow-shaped coupe is one of only two of its kind ever made and was never owned privately until now.
"That car is 100 per cent worth what it sold for—and some people would tell you even that number was low," says Stephen Serio, a vehicle acquisition agent who sources rare cars for his ultra-high net worth clients.
"Nobody ever thought Mercedes would sell it."
Only, Mercedes refuses to name the buyer as speculators try to narrow the list down to a dozen potential bidders.
The sale broke the previous public record of $48.4 million paid in 2018 for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at an RM Sotheby’s auction.