Mind-blowing: 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R sold for almost 30 million $.
Update: We have watching video of the hammer falling on the Fangio W196 get. Check it out below. Looks like the car was not really on the block, but that apparently does not deter anyone... or maybe English auctioneers really can sell anything.
Mercedes-Benz W196R housing 00006/54 roared to victory in the 1954, German and Swiss Grand Prix with none other than Juan Manuel Fangio behind the steering wheel.
We do not imagine, it roared Bonhams auction block at the today's Goodwood Festival of speed (a lot at the same time reach to cover his ears would perspective cause a lot of confusion from an auctioneer), but the results were incredibly anyway: bidding reached $29,619,826 before the Hammer came down.
Yes, nearly $30,000,000. That is not quite double in the current record price paid for a car at an auction-a $16,390,000-1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa at the Pebble Beach sold in 2011.
14 Mercedes-Benz W196s produced there are 10 today-- a survival rate much better than that of the men who drove cars. But Fangio association with chassis 00006/54 makes it, well, especially. One-of-a-kind, in fact. That it is a bit of a surprise given a still privately owned.
Mercedes retained possession after it from racing, retired, but at some point the car-first was sold to a British collector then to a French collector, then to a German collector and then was bought and resold, which brings us to where we are today.
We are not sure who will now take the car home, but your wallet is considerably lighter. The fuel injected, tube-framed, open wheel legend would quite nicely in the Mercedes-Benz Museum existing quivers of the silver arrows perched. It is hard to imagine that the automakers a chance, this automotive artifact again pass; Earlier this year, when the news that the car would be auctioned broke, we have a couple Benz officials they had no interest in acquiring it. They seemed surprised that the car had reappeared, but something about a hasty would give not us (if tempting) "no comment."
So we'll see.
00006/54 Crossed the block prior to housing a few other bits of the W196 Automobilia, some accessible even for those without GDP Tuvalu at their command. A child size mobile model of the car sold for a not too shabby $8.688, although its 50cc engine can hold no candle to the 2, 5-liter version in the real deal (not that you own nothing this kind of makes her little Fangio would entrust).
A one eighth scale version of the famous car costs $5.288 and for lovers with a tough budget, a Fangio-signed photo of the driver in a W196 Grand Prix of Monaco in 1955 would sell for a mere $1,133.