The world's most expensive car ever - sold for £113m and has secret owner

The automotive industry has long attracted the world’s wealthiest individuals, with collectors willing to spend millions to get their hands on the most exclusive and sought-after cars. Over the years, rare models have fetched eye-watering sums at auction, but none come close to the record-breaking sale of the most expensive car ever sold.

And that would be a rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which shattered records when it was auctioned for £113 million ($146 million). The sale, which took place at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on May 5, 2022, stunned the automotive world, with the car selling for more than £90 million higher than the previous record-holding Ferrari.

The auction was held in cooperation with RM Sotheby’s, with only a select group of Mercedes customers and high-profile collectors invited to bid.

The car, named after its creator Rudolf Uhlenhaut, is one of only two ever built. It was originally part of Mercedes-Benz’s private collection, which includes more than 1,000 historic vehicles dating back to the invention of the car in 1886.

Described by experts as “one of the finest examples of automotive engineering and design,” the 300 SLR was based on the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Grand Prix car, which won two World Championships with Juan Manuel Fangio behind the wheel.

However, the SLR featured an enlarged 3.0-litre engine, making it one of the fastest road-legal cars of its time, with a top speed of 180 mph.

Despite the high-profile sale, the identity of the £113 million buyer remains a closely guarded secret.

However, according to the RAC, it is widely rumoured to have been bought by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of Ineos.

Following the record-breaking auction, Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage, confirmed that the proceeds from the sale would be used to establish the Mercedes-Benz Fund, supporting research and education in environmental science and decarbonisation.

He also reassured fans that the winning bidder had agreed to allow the car to be publicly displayed on special occasions, while the second original 300 SLR remains in Mercedes-Benz’s collection at the Stuttgart museum.

Peter Wallman, Chairman of RM Sotheby’s UK & EMEA, called the sale “an absolute honour” and said that nobody ever imagined the car would come up for sale.

Oliver Barker, the Chairman of RM Sotheby’s Europe, added: “Few ever dreamt that this great jewel of motoring history would ever be sold, and how fitting that it should now stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest works of art ever auctioned.”