Once raced by Fangio and Moss, this 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen just became one of the most expensive cars ever sold—here’s why.
A rare piece of Formula 1 history has just changed hands for a record-breaking sum. A 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R Streamliner, once driven by racing legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, was sold at auction for an astonishing $54 million. This makes it the second-most expensive car ever sold at auction, falling just behind the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which sold for $142 million in 2022.
The W196 R is a car with incredible pedigree. It marked Mercedes’ return to Grand Prix racing after World War II, and it quickly established itself as a dominant force. Fangio piloted the car to two of his five Formula 1 world championships, and Mercedes secured nine wins in 12 championship races. Out of 14 total races, the W196 R took 11 victories, proving its superiority on the track.
The car that just sold, chassis 00009/54, is particularly special. It’s one of only four remaining Streamliner versions, and the only one not owned by Mercedes-Benz. After its racing days, it was donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 1965, where it remained for decades.
This specific W196 R made its race debut at the 1954 French Grand Prix, where Mercedes took a 1-2 victory, solidifying their return to the sport. Fangio also drove it to victory at the Buenos Aires Grand Prix in 1955, a non-championship event. Later that year, Stirling Moss took the wheel at Monza, setting the fastest lap of the Italian Grand Prix before Mercedes withdrew from F1 at the end of the 1955 season.
Selling a car like this is no small event. The auction, handled by RM Sotheby’s, took place at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. With an opening bid already in the tens of millions, it didn’t take long for the price to skyrocket past the $50 million mark. The final price, after fees, totaled €51.1 million ($54 million USD).
To put that into perspective, the last time a W196 R was sold at auction—an open-wheel version in 2013—it went for $29.6 million. This latest sale nearly doubled that record, further proving the increasing value of rare motorsport history.
The new owner remains anonymous, but they now possess a piece of racing royalty. While the car has not run since its time at the Indy Museum, experts say it could be restored to driving condition—with enough patience and a few extra million dollars for the process. Whether it stays in a private collection or one day returns to the track, there’s no doubt that the W196 R remains one of the most legendary race cars of all time.
Gallery: 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen
