1955 MERCEDES COULD SHATTER F1 AUCTION RECORD

A rare piece of Formula One history is set to hit the auction block, with experts predicting it could become the most expensive grand prix car ever sold.
The 1955 Mercedes W196 R ‘Streamliner,’ once driven by legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, is expected to fetch more than 50 million euros ($52 million) at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Stuttgart on Saturday, February 1, 20250.
If the car meets its target price, it will surpass the previous F1 auction record set by another Fangio-driven 1954 Mercedes W196, which sold for $29.6 million at Goodwood in 2013. It would also become the second most expensive car ever auctioned, following the 1955 Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which was sold for a staggering 135 million euros in May 2022.
A Masterpiece of Engineering and Speed
The W196 R Streamliner, one of only four complete examples in existence, was initially built for high-speed circuits. Fangio piloted its open-wheel version to victory at the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in 1955, while Moss raced the streamlined variant at Monza, setting the fastest lap before retiring.
“This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful race car in the world,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz heritage. “Nothing compares. It’s a masterpiece of style and design.”
With a top speed exceeding 300 kph (186 mph), the car remains a symbol of Mercedes’ engineering dominance in the 1950s. The Silver Arrows team ruled the grand prix scene before withdrawing from motorsport in late 1955, following the tragic Le Mans disaster that claimed 84 lives.
A Historic Sale for a New Era
Chassis number 00009⁄54 was donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Museum by Mercedes in 1965. The museum is auctioning the car to fund its restoration projects as it shifts towards a stronger focus on American motorsport history.
The W196 R is one of 11 cars the IMS Museum plans to sell across three auctions this year. Whoever takes ownership of the Streamliner will acquire not just a car, but a defining piece of motorsport history.