One of just four ever built, this Mercedes-Benz W196 R Stromlinienwagen or streamliner, is a racing Silver Arrow with some serious provenance. Driven in anger by five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio and motorsport legend Sir Stirling Moss, this W196 R with a closed fender body is quite a special car. Being offered as a private sale for the first time ever is a big deal — it’s estimated to easily fetch over $55 million when it goes under the hammer.
The Mercedes-Benz W196 F1 car is what underpinned the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which broke all records when it sold privately for $143 million in 2022. The most expensive car in the world is a heavy title to bear, but the Uhlenhaut Coupe had the history to back it up. It was the private company car of Rudolf Uhlenhaut himself, Mercedes’ most valued engineer and father of the 300 SL — the most beautiful car of all time.
This W196 R Stromlinienwagen is another of Rudy Uhlenhaut’s creations. The aerodynamic body helped the 2.5-liter straight eight-cylinder with 290 horsepower push this Silver Arrow to a top speed of 186mph.
This car won at its first F1 outing with Fangio behind the wheel, signaling Mercedes’ return to racing after a post-war hiatus. It also helped the Argentine driver seal his second F1 world championship, gathering a total of 11 victories from just 14 starts.
Gifted by Mercedes-Benz to the Indianapolis Motor Museum in 1965 where it’s seen two restorations and been ever since, this Silver Arrow would make for a collector’s prized possession – and another world record if it exceeds the guide price.
