STUTTGART (January 27, 2025) – RM Sotheby’s, in association with Mercedes-Benz Heritage, present the sale of one of four known complete Stromlinienwagen-bodied examples of the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R, and the only one ever offered for private ownership. Among Chassis № 00009/54’s achievements are a victory at the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix, driven by future five-time Drivers’ Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. It was also piloted by celebrated driver Sir Stirling Moss at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, achieving fastest lap. The car is presented today with that streamlined bodywork. Donated in 1965 by Mercedes-Benz to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Museum, this “unrepeatable opportunity” Mercedes-Benz W196R Stromlinienwagen is now offered from 59 years of fastidious care by the IMS Museum.

Among the rarest and most beautiful competition cars ever created, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Stromlinienwagen stands as one of Mercedes-Benz’s greatest accomplishments. No one is better qualified to celebrate such a remarkable feat of engineering excellence than the man responsible for Mercedes-Benz’s Formula 1 revival, Team Principle and Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Toto Wolff.

“At Mercedes-Benz the company’s Heritage is the single most important thing that underpins our brand. The company has built its reputation on a long history of engineering excellence, performance, innovation and world leading quality. Mercedes-Benz has developed some of the most innovative and dominant sports and gran prix cars ever created. In 1954 and 1955—in just these two years—the incredible W196 grand prix car brought Mercedes another period of dominance and glory. It is incredible news that one of those unique cars will be offered for sale by RM Sotheby’s on February 1st in a unique single car auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. I believe this car is an unrepeatable opportunity for a lucky collector to own one of the most important competition cars that Mercedes-Benz has ever produced”

– Toto Wolff, Team Principle and Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

This 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Stromlinienwagen will be offered on February 1, 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart with a pre-auction estimate in excess of €50,000,000. For details, history file, or to register to bid, please visit RM Sotheby’s.