For 41 million pounds (about 49.2 million euros) you can buy a lot, a huge yacht and even an island, but the new owner of the extremely rare Mercedes-Benz W196 R model, which will be sold in February, will have to spend so much money in 2025.
It is one of only four examples of the W196 model, which was produced in 1954 to mark Mercedes’ return to racing after a post-war hiatus, and it was this car that won on its debut at the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix. It was driven by the famous Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio, and his teammate was Sir Stirling Moss, who set the best lap time at Monza that year in the same car.
In 1955, Fangio secured his second drivers’ title after a four-year wait, with Moss finishing second. In total, this car achieved 11 wins in 14 races for the W196 program, sealing its status as a true legend.
Therefore, it is clear that this is an extremely important car, so it is no wonder that it ended up in a museum in Indianapolis, writes Klix.ba.
This Mercedes was dominant on the track thanks to its 2.5 liter 8-cylinder M196 engine, which was essentially a fusion of two four-cylinder engines and was upgraded with appropriate racing components such as a dry sump and high-pressure fuel injection. This engine delivered 290 hp and allowed the car to accelerate up to 300 km/h. The bodywork in the form of a torpedo also made its contribution.
The single-seater will be auctioned on February 1, 2025, and it won’t be a surprise at all if it tops the £41m reference price.
Source: Klix.ba / Motor1.com
Foto:
RM Sotheby’s
Source: autoblog.rs
