Which is the most expensive Mercedes Benz model?

This blog will answer the following questions: which is the most expensive Mercedes Benz model? What are the technical specifications of the Mercedes Benz model? Where was the car sold?  What are the other expensive Mercedes Benz models? 

Which is the most expensive Mercedes Benz model?

The most expensive Mercedes Benz model is the 1955 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, named after the engineer that designed it. 1995 300  SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was sold at a private auction for an eye-watering price of 142 million USD. There are only two cars in existence and the code names are Blue and red based on the color of the interior. The red was sold but the blue 300 SLR is under the ownership of the Mercedes Benz museum and it is displayed in the museum.

The identity of the owner is not disclosed as it was a private auction held at the Mercedes Benz museum. However, the car was sold to a private car collector and the money was put into a Mercedes Benz fund. Despite the change in the ownership of the car, a deal was made which allows Mercedes Benz to display the cars at certain events.

The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is based on a race version of the 300 SLR. The Mercedes 300 SLR factory race car won the constructors championship in 1955 and also won the races in Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Tourist Trophy. 

Mercedes Benz did not continue the development of the race car after the 1955 Le Man disaster. However, Rudolf Uhlenhaut had ordered two chassis of the race car before the incident at Lemans. Rudolf Uhlenhaut modified the two chassis into a hybrid version of the SLR and SL, the two gull-wing doors were carried over from the SL as underneath the sculpted bodywork, the space frame had no way of mounting conventional door hinges.

One car was used by Rudolf Uhlenhaut for a daily commute, he also had to use a makeshift muffler because the resulting noise from the race-spec engine was too loud for road use. 

What are the specifications of the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut coupe?

The specifications of the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut coupe are given below:

The naturally aspirated 3.0 L M196s inline 8 engine is mounted behind the front axle. The engine is mounted as low as possible to improve the handling and weight distribution of the car. The maximum torque produced by the engine is 311 Nm.

Instead of mounting the engine in a front axle carrier, it is mounted directly in the tubular frame of the SLR coupe. The frame is made of lightweight magnesium alloy called Elektron. One of the key changes to the design of the SLR is the engine is offset by 53 degrees so the aerodynamic efficiency of the body can be increased.

The M196s in the SLR carried over the dry-sump lubrication system so the center of gravity is as close to the road surface as possible. Mercedes Benz used overhead camshafts and two valves per cylinder. The valves were actuated by a cam and a leverage system instead of conventional springs and tappets.

Cylinder walls are chromium coated and the engine is designed to run on 98 octane fuel, unlike its race-spec version the M196 R. The compression ratio of the race-spec engine was higher as it ran on high octane race fuel, it was reduced to less than 10 so that commercially available fuel can be used in the engine.  Double magnetos provided the voltage required for the ignition system.

One of the most peculiar features of the M196 s is that the input shaft of the 5-speed manual transmission is connected to the center of the crankshaft. This design feature reduces the torsional vibrations on the crankshaft and also protects the dry-sump oil pump from getting damaged.

There is independent suspension on all four wheels, the front wheels have double wishbone geometry and the steering knuckle is mounted between the upper and the lower control arms. Torsion bars fitted inside the tubes of the frame were used to absorb the road vibrations.

The handling of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is very impressive. Several automotive journalists have driven the car on the unrestricted sections of the Autobahn highways. The car can stay planted in a corner without a hint of understeer. There is no body roll due to centrifugal force as the frame of the car is very lightweight.

One of the aspects of handling that is problematic is the snap oversteer. If the driver lets go of the throttle pedal the rear can easily step out. However, the steering is very accurate and it is easy to catch the slide and apply the correct degree of counter-steer.

Where was the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold?

The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe was sold in May 2022 at a private auction located on the French Riviera. It is very close to Nice where the Mercedes One was unveiled at a racetrack in 1901. Over the years many car collectors approached the Mercedes Benz Museum for the Uhlenhaut Coupe.

Therefore, Mercedes’s board of legal affairs and Management of Integrity set up a Mercedes-Benz Fund. The 142 million USD will be used in a Global scholarship program and it will support the education of the youth.  

What are the other expensive Mercedes Benz models?

The other expensive Mercedes Benz models are given in the table below:

The SLR roadster is the spiritual successor of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé. It was jointly developed with Mclaren as Mercedes had some stakes in the Mclaren automotive company. It did not have the gull wing door as the chassis of the SLR is not made of a space frame.

The engine is also supercharged and it is mounted behind the front axle in some way like the 1955 SLR 300 Uhlenhaut Coupé.

Conclusion

This blog explained the details of the most expensive Mercedes Benz model ever sold. The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was reviewed by automotive journalists like Robert Braunschweig and the Mercedes Benz museum management even allowed a full 2000-mile road test. With a top seed of over 180 mpg, the SLR was the fastest road-going car