Rare 1955 Mercedes ‘Streamliner’ set for auction
Mercedes 1955 'Streamliner' poised to smash F1 auction record.
A historically significant Mercedes-Benz that once graced the Formula 1 circuits in 1955 could soon become the most expensive grand prix car ever sold at auction.
The W196 R Stromlinienwagen, or "Streamline car", which was raced by legends Stirling Moss and the five-time Formula 1 world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, will go under the hammer this Saturday in Stuttgart.
This masterpiece of automotive engineering, one of only four complete examples in existence, is being auctioned by RM Sotheby's on behalf of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The target price for this rare gem is set at an impressive €50 million ($52 million). Meeting this estimate would not only establish it as the priciest grand prix car to ever sell at auction but also make it the second most expensive car overall in auction history, following the 1955 Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe which sold for €135 million in May 2022.
To date, the record for the most expensive grand prix car sold at auction is held by another Mercedes, the ex-Fangio 1954 Mercedes W196, which fetched $29 million at Goodwood in 2013.
The IMS-held W196 R is particularly notable as the first streamline-bodied version to become available for private ownership. In its open-wheel configuration, it claimed victory at the non-championship Buenos Aires Grand Prix in 1955 with Fangio at the helm. Moss later raced the car with its streamline body in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, setting the fastest lap before retiring with an average speed of 215.7 kph.
Mercedes-Benz withdrew from factory-backed motorsport later that year following the tragic Le Mans 24 Hours disaster, which claimed 84 lives. The company made its return to Formula 1 in 1994 as an engine supplier.
Presented in its Monza livery and with full documentation, the car is accompanied by high praise from Mercedes-Benz heritage head Marcus Breitschwerdt. "Without any doubt, it's the most beautiful race car in the world and ever. Nothing can compare. It's simply a masterpiece of style and design," Breitschwerdt told Reuters Television.
"It is very fast. The top speed is actually above and beyond 300 kph. I wouldn't expect that it's too much of an effort to get it back to driving condition. And we gladly will offer whoever buys the car to do it for them," he added.
Chassis number 00009/54 has a storied history, having been donated to the IMS by Mercedes in 1965. The funds raised from its sale will be used to support the museum's restoration efforts. This auction is part of a broader effort by the Indianapolis museum, which aims to become more focused on U.S. automotive history, and includes the sale of a total of 11 cars from its collection in three separate auctions this year.
The legacy of the Mercedes "Silver Arrows" is impressive, with their dominance in the immediate pre- and post-World War Two grand prix racing era. The W196 R, in particular, was a world-beater in 1954 and 1955, celebrated for its high-speed capabilities epitomized by its streamlined bodywork with enclosed wheels, making it a pinnacle of engineering during its time.
With anticipation high, all eyes will be on Saturday's auction to see if this "Streamliner" can indeed make history once more.
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