Short answer
The 1955 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is the most expensive Mercedes-Benz sold at auction at $143 million. The W196R Stromlinienwagen follows at $53.9 million and a 1954 W196 at $29.6 million, ahead of an F1 W04, a 540K Special Roadster and a CLK GTR Roadster.
- Highest price
- 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, $143 million
- Grand Prix cars in the top ten
- Three: 300 SLR, W196R, W196
- Basis
- Auction sales, not private deals
Top 10 Most Expensive Mercedes-Benz Cars Sold at Auction at a Glance
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The scale of the difference
Auction sale price (US$ millions, as sold)
First 10 entries shown. Bar lengths compare the magnitude of the reported values.
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé$143,000,000
- 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Stromlinienwagen$53,917,370
- 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196$29,600,000
- 2013 Mercedes F1 W04$18,815,000
- 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster$11,770,000
- 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster$10,235,000
- 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster$9,905,000
- 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster (2016 sale)$9,900,000
- 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster (2011 sale)$9,680,000
- 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing$9,355,000
Top 10 Most Expensive Mercedes-Benz Cars Sold at Auction: Entry Details
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé
RM Sotheby’s, 5 May 2022The Uhlenhaut Coupé is the most expensive car ever sold at auction in this reference list. It sold at RM Sotheby’s in May 2022.
- Model year
- 1955
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Stromlinienwagen
RM Sotheby’s, 1 February 2025The streamlined W196R Grand Prix car sold at RM Sotheby’s in February 2025. It is the second-highest Mercedes sale.
- Model year
- 1954
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
1954 Mercedes-Benz W196
Bonhams, 12 July 2013A 1954 W196 Grand Prix car sold at Bonhams in July 2013.
- Model year
- 1954
- Auction house
- Bonhams
2013 Mercedes F1 W04
RM Sotheby’s, 17 November 2023The 2013 Formula 1 car sold at RM Sotheby’s in November 2023. It is the most recent car among the top ten.
- Model year
- 2013
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
Gooding & Company, 19 August 2012The 540K Special Roadster sold at Gooding & Company in August 2012. It is the highest-priced pre-war Mercedes road car in the list.
- Model year
- 1936
- Auction house
- Gooding & Company
2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster
RM Sotheby’s, 17 November 2023The CLK GTR Roadster sold at RM Sotheby’s on the same day as the F1 W04. It is the highest-priced road-going Mercedes of recent decades here.
- Model year
- 2002
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
RM Sotheby’s, 19 August 2022A 1937 540K Special Roadster sold at RM Sotheby’s in August 2022.
- Model year
- 1937
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster (2016 sale)
RM Sotheby’s, 29 January 2016A separate 1937 540K Special Roadster sold at RM Sotheby’s in January 2016, $5,000 below the 2022 sale.
- Model year
- 1937
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster (2011 sale)
RM Auctions, 20 August 2011A 1937 540K Spezial Roadster sold at RM Auctions in August 2011.
- Model year
- 1937
- Auction house
- RM Auctions
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing
RM Sotheby’s, 26 October 2024The aluminium-bodied 300 SL Gullwing sold at RM Sotheby’s in October 2024. It is the only 300 SL in the top ten.
- Model year
- 1956
- Auction house
- RM Sotheby’s
Top 10 Most Expensive Mercedes-Benz Cars Sold at Auction: Analysis
Why the Uhlenhaut Coupé is far ahead
At $143 million, the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for 2.7 times the next Mercedes. The W196R and W196 Grand Prix cars occupy second and third place, so racing machinery takes the three highest places.
Pre-war roadsters fill the lower half
Three of the lowest five prices belong to 540K Special Roadsters sold in 2011, 2016 and 2022. Those three sit within $225,000 of each other, and a fourth 540K ranks fifth. See also the most expensive cars in the world.
Our verdict
Editorial verdict
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is the most expensive Mercedes-Benz sold at auction by a very wide margin. Grand Prix cars lead the table, while 540K Special Roadsters make up much of the rest.
Things to consider
- Individual sales, not model averages
FAQ: Top 10 Most Expensive Mercedes-Benz Cars Sold at Auction
What is the most expensive Mercedes-Benz ever sold at auction?
The 1955 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, sold for $143 million at RM Sotheby’s on 5 May 2022.
How much did the W196R Stromlinienwagen sell for?
$53,917,370 at RM Sotheby’s on 1 February 2025.
Are the prices adjusted for inflation?
No. They are the prices as originally sold.
Why does the 540K appear several times?
Each row is a separate car at a separate sale. Several 540K Special Roadsters have sold for between about $9.7 million and $11.8 million.
Are private sales included?
No. Only public auction sales are included.
Sources & methodology
Highest public-auction sale prices for Mercedes-Benz cars, taken from a reference list of record auction sales and listed in US dollars as sold. Each row is one car at one sale, ranked by price, so a model can appear more than once. Private sales are excluded.
Maintained by Artsiom Dusau, a software engineer and BMW 4 Series owner. Editorial policy
