Mercedes W196 R Streamliner driven by Fangio and Moss auctioned for over 50 million euros
It's not an auction record in today's gloomy economic climate, but it's a staggering sum nonetheless. 51.5 million euros, or the amount bid by a buyer for this 1950s jewel. Excluding RM Sotheby's commission.
We announced it last September, a Mercedes W196 R Streamliner driven by Juan-Manuel Fangio was auctioned off this weekend. The result of the sale is somewhat disappointing for the auction house RM Sotheby’s, which estimated the 1957 Mercedes to be worth between 50 million and 70 million euros.
Driven by Juan-Manuel Fangio in 1955 during the Buenos Aires Formula 1 Grand Prix and by Stirling Moss during the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, this silver-gray Mercedes W196 R Streamliner sold for 51,155,000 Euros, or approximately 52.3 million dollars.
This amount will have to be increased by the percentage of the commission of the auction house RM Sotheby’s, which should reach more than 2 million euros according to our estimates.
It is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum that currently has the single-seater, given 59 years ago by Mercedes.
Note that the world record for the sale of a car at auction is not a Formula 1, but nevertheless a Mercedes. It is a 1955 Mercedes Coupé 300 SLR, also sold for more than 135 million euros, again by RM Sotheby’s, in 2022.
In Paris, this Wednesday, February 5, 2025, another RM Sotheby’s auction will take place featuring several lots of Formula 1 cars and suits and helmets, including several suits of Michael Schumacher.
