There are very few places on Earth where the ultra-wealthy feel more at home than Monaco. A tiny yet dazzling principality on the French Riviera, Monaco is a magnet for billionaires, celebrities, and the world’s most extravagant supercars. But even in a place where Bugattis and Pagani hypercars are as common as taxis, something truly special was recently spotted cruising through its streets: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, the most expensive car in the world. A video was posted on Instagram by a page named Billionaire’s Flix.
In 2022, the automotive world was left in awe when a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold at a private auction for a staggering €135 million (~$142 million), making it the most expensive car ever sold. The auction, held at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart by RM Sotheby’s, saw this incredibly rare vehicle—one of only two ever built—pass into the hands of an undisclosed collector. Most assumed this automotive masterpiece would disappear into a private collection, never to be seen again. But that’s not how the story unfolded.
Recently, Monaco’s famed streets became the stage for an unprecedented sighting: the Uhlenhaut Coupe was casually spotted navigating the iconic Fairmont Hairpin and later heading toward Sainte Devote, the very corners where Formula 1 legends battle for supremacy every year.
What makes the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe so special?
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe is not just any classic Mercedes—it’s a legend. Named after Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Mercedes-Benz’s chief engineer, the car was derived from the W196 Grand Prix car that propelled Juan Manuel Fangio to two Formula 1 world championships. Under the hood, a 3.0-liter straight-eight engine roars to life, pushing the car to an astonishing 180 mph, making it one of the fastest street-legal cars of its time.
More than just a machine, the Uhlenhaut Coupe represents a turning point in motorsport history, built in an era when performance engineering was evolving at a breakneck pace. Until its record-breaking sale in 2022, the car had been housed in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, rarely seen by the public.
Monaco: The billionaire’s playground
Seeing a $142 million car casually roaming Monaco’s streets is shocking anywhere else—but here, it’s just another day in paradise. Monaco is the undisputed playground of the ultra-rich, a place where exclusivity is not a luxury but a way of life. From lavish yachts moored in Port Hercule to multi-million-dollar apartments overlooking the Mediterranean, the world’s wealthiest individuals descend upon Monaco to bask in its tax-free luxury, world-class casinos, and elite social scene.
Nowhere is this display of wealth more evident than on the roads. Walking through Monte Carlo, you’ll regularly see Ferraris, Bugattis, Koenigseggs, and Rolls-Royces lining the streets. The famed Casino Square is an unofficial showroom where the newest, fastest, and rarest hypercars make their appearance. Yet, even in such an opulent setting, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe stood out as something truly one-of-a-kind.
