Mercedes (or Mercedes-Benz) is one of the most popular and well-established German automotive brands. While this automaker produces several commercial vehicles, they’re generally known for making luxurious sedans, SUVs, and coupés. But which of these vehicles commands the highest prices?
The most expensive Mercedes car in the world is the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, the Uhlenhaut Coupé. This silver two-door is a street-legal version of the racing 300 SLR and one of only two made. When it went to auction in 2022, it sold for $142 million.
A brand-new Mercedes sedan might cost about $60,000, but many Mercedes vehicles are worth millions! This ranking will explore which of these cars are the costliest.
Here Are the Top 10 Most Expensive Mercedes Cars in the World:
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR ‘Uhlenhaut Coupé’ – $142 million
- 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 Single-Seater – $29.65 million
- 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster – $11.77 million
- Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream – $11 million
- 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR Strassenversion – $10 million
- 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster – $8.25 million
- Mercedes-Maybach Exelero – $8 million
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing – $6.825 million
- 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Roadster – $5.92 million
- 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer – $5.395 million
10. 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer – $5.395 Million
Several of the priciest Mercedes vehicles are antiques. The Mercedes-Benz brand dates back to 1926, and one of the costliest cars belonging to this brand is the 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer.
If you’re a fan of antique vehicles, you’ll likely appreciate this car’s extended coach-style chassis and sweeping fenders. It has an elegant Art Deco look but with some significant industrial components.
For example, the wheels partially hide copper brake drums, and the engine compartment features several bronze-colored exhaust pipes that contrast with the vehicle’s sleek black exterior.
These less-than-luxurious touches aren’t surprising considering the fact that several of the earliest Mercedes cars were used for racing, not commuting.
Still, the 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer wouldn’t look out of place sitting outside an opulent mansion or coasting along a quiet country road. But you’d have to pay millions for such an experience.
In 2021, a refurbished 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer sold at a Bonhams auction for $5.395 million!
This particular antique car has a fascinating history. Initially purchased by a buyer in Dresden, it soon traveled to a new owner in London.
It then changed hands between multiple British owners, ensuring it enjoyed a grand tour of England and Scotland. After that, the car again traded hands thrice in the USA until the most recent owner’s father acquired it in 1964. The Type S then spent the lion’s share of its lifetime in the most recent ownership.
From that point forward, the most recent owner and his descendants kept the Type S, maintaining and refurbishing it to its original glory until the auction. This Mercedes is undeniably speedy, incredibly attractive, and bound to appreciate in value thanks to its classic design and comparative rarity.
9. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Roadster – $5.92 Million
If you’ve ever seen the 2013 film The Great Gatsby (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire), you might have noticed that the characters in this movie drive some truly colorful classic cars. While the 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Roadster isn’t part of this film’s automotive lineup, it wouldn’t look out of place in the decadent 1920s, despite its 1935 release date.
With a bright candy-red exterior and a long coach-style chassis, this rare antique Mercedes is one of less than 30 ever built in 1935, and it was also one of the few genuine 100mph road cars available in the 1930s. Because of its stylish design and incredible supercharged speed (up to 110mph or 177km/h), this roadster has always been pricey.
But the price during its 1935 debut can’t compare to its modern-day value. When this Mercedes-Benz went to auction in 2016, it sold for $5.92 million!
Although this car doesn’t have a well-documented history (unlike the 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S Sports Tourer mentioned beforehand), this sporty German roadster is still a valuable asset thanks to its rarity and innovative (for the time) engineering.
8. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing – $6.825 Million
Many pre-World War Mercedes cars are worth a fortune, but they’re not the only antique Mercedes-Benz vehicles that fetch millions at auction. Take the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing, for example.
This neo-futuristic sports car is one of the most striking Mercedes coupés ever released.
Although it’s street-legal with headlights, rear-view mirrors, and other features common among standard consumer vehicles, it’s also a classic racing car. It has a lightweight body and an NSL engine capable of producing 215hp, making it one of the fastest cars of its time.
Few of these cars were built in 1955 (only 24), making the 300 SL Alloy Gullwing rare not only for its time but for the modern era.
So when a factory-correct 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing went to auction in 2022, bidders quickly began making their moves to add this car to their collection. The winning bid was $6.825 million.
This Mercedes-Benz, the 13th 300 SL Alloy Gullwing produced in 1955, has enjoyed more than half a century of exceptional maintenance and care. The alloy body and engine are original, which is something you don’t typically find in sports cars dating back to the 1950s.
Because this Alloy Gullwing has enjoyed such an extraordinary level of care over the passing decades, and because it’s one of the rarest Mercedes cars in the world, it’s sure to only become a more valuable treasure over time. However, this stylish two-door sports car isn’t the costliest Mercedes of all time.
7. Mercedes-Maybach Exelero – $8 Million
Mercedes-Maybach is a high-performance division of Mercedes that specializes in creating cars that exemplify the ultimate in contemporary luxury. In fact, the priciest brand-new Mercedes you can buy today is likely a Mercedes-Maybach!
But while an off-the-lot Mercedes-Maybach might cost upwards of $194,000, some models are worth millions. The Mercedes-Maybach Exelero is a fantastic example.
Unlike factory-produced Mercedes-Maybach S-Class vehicles, the Mercedes-Maybach Exelero is one-of-a-kind and jaw-droppingly valuable. This sleek two-door coupé is worth $8 million and is currently part of rapper Jay-Z’s extensive car collection. It’s also worth noting that Jay-Z is one of the people who own the most expensive cars in the world!
Still, while you might assume that this car’s rarity is the main factor behind its incredible price tag, there’s much more going on here than just exclusivity.
The Mercedes-Maybach Exelero tests the limits of street legality. Its V12 engine can push the car to speeds of around 218mph (about 351km/h).
It’s also an aesthetically-pleasing vehicle, with a bullet-like retro-futuristic design and a low-riding frame that glides just above the pavement as it zooms along the road. Though this vehicle originally had a silver trim on its bottom portion, it’s now almost entirely black (save a few chrome accents), giving it both a classic and enigmatic look.
6. 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster – $8.25 Million
It’s impossible to deny the elegance and classic charm of the 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster.
This antique automobile (primarily white with cherry-red accents and lines) wasn’t a one-of-a-kind vehicle when it was built, with three identical models finishing production the same year. But it’s now the only short-windowed model left on the planet.
The 680S Torpedo Roadster shares several qualities with the Type S Sports Tourer. Like the Type S, it has engine exhaust pipes along its coachbuilt chassis. But unlike the Type S (released the same year), these pipes are partially obscured by the chassis-side spare tire and its fender-built well.
This car was also a precursor to the 500K Roadster, making it an excellent example of the automotive engineering evolution Mercedes-Benz participated in throughout the 20th century.
As you can imagine, the car’s status as a rare find (coupled with its historical significance and eye-catching look) makes it an expensive must-have for any Mercedes-Benz enthusiast. In 2013, this roadster sold at auction for $8.25 million. Nowadays, it could probably change hands for a few million more!
5. 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR Strassenversion – $10 Million
In many ways, the 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR Strassenversion is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing that’s been brought into the 1990s. It’s a sleek, sporty two-door coupé with a swooping compact cabin and a silver exterior.
That said, there are plenty of notable differences and upgrades. One of only 25 ever built, this rare Mercedes-Benz is a street-legal version of the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, a car built for competitive racing.
Consequently, it has a minimalistic, utilitarian interior that places the primary focus on driving. But with a top speed of 214mph (about 344km/h), this supercar is too powerful for most highways. That said, you could put the pedal to the metal while driving through the unrestricted parts of the German autobahn!
Of course, you’d first need to find and buy one of these coveted cars. Unless you’ve got several million to spend, this part could be tricky. After all, the CLK GTR Strassenversion is valued at a staggering $10 million.
4. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream – $11 Million
When discussing supercars, it’s almost impossible not to mention McLarens. These lightning-fast sports cars are uniquely fast and typically feature conceptual designs that you won’t find with other supercars.
But what happens when you combine the British McLaren with the German Mercedes-Benz? If you’re lucky, you get the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream.
Also called the “Alp Dream,” this $11 million supercar is the height of luxury, containing 11lbs (5kg) of gold and 600 sparkling red rubies. It also features the name of its designer, Ueli Anliker, along its bottom trim. In short, it’s anything but subtle.
This supercar is also wickedly fast, with Anliker stating that he was planning on ensuring the vehicle could reach 1,000hp before heading to auction. But considering how much 24-karat gold there is inside each wheel hub, you might want to cruise along slowly while driving this Mercedes.
This Mercedes-McLaren collab might not be the most expensive McLaren supercar. But it’s definitely one of the most recognizable thanks to its unique body design and bright red exterior.
3. 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster – $11.77 Million
Only a fortunate few could afford to special order the Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster that debuted in 1936.
Though we’d view this car as an antique nowadays, it was a pinnacle of design and engineering during its time. But at least one thing hasn’t changed since the 540K Special Roadster left the production line; it’s still considered magnificently elegant.
The coachbuilt chassis is slightly shorter than the ones of previous Mercedes-Benz roadsters, though the tail-end is elongated, allowing it to keep the spare tire out of sight. Each roadster was customized for the buyer, making them all unique.
But finding a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster is challenging. Most disappeared or were destroyed during World War II.
Yet, at least one of these luxury-quality roadsters managed to survive. This car, once owned by Baroness Gisela von Krieger, sold for $11.77 million when it went to auction in 2012.
Because it’s one of the few 540K Special Roadsters left (and once owned by a member of the aristocracy), it’s a historically important Mercedes that is absolutely irreplaceable.
2. 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 Single-Seater – $29.65 Million
Mercedes-Benz, like Porsche and Ferrari, is well-known for producing some of the fastest racecars of all time. But did you know that they also made one of the most expensive antique Formula 1 vehicles?
The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 Single-Seater is more valuable than the most expensive Porsche cars! Of course, this vehicle isn’t your average Mercedes car.
Once driven by Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio, this Mercedes-Benz W196R has an illustrious history that’s impossible to replicate. It was the first German car to win the French Grand Prix since the end of World War II.
It then dominated the international Formula 1 competition races until 1955, when it was replaced by the 300 SLR. But the one driven by Fangio is the most beloved and expensive of all 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 Singer-Seater cars.
In 2013, this rectangular silver car (bearing the number 12 on its sides and hood) sold for $29.65 million. For a brief time, this W196R held the record for the most expensive automobile ever sold at auction.
Hopefully, its current owner understands what a valuable piece of German automotive history they have on their hands!
1. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR ‘Uhlenhaut Coupé’ – $142 Million
The most expensive Mercedes is the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, the Uhlenhaut Coupé. This silver sports car is worth $142 million and sold at auction for €135 million in 2022.
At first glance, you might think that the Uhlenhaut Coupé is just an altered version of the 300 SL Alloy Gullwing. And, in some respects, you’d be correct.
After all, the Uhlenhaut Coupé is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, and its body style and size are remarkably similar to that of the Alloy Gullwing. However, the Uhlenhaut Coupé was built to fly past slower vehicles. The “R” in SLR stands for “Rennsport,” which translates to “racing.”
When this silver coupé debuted in the mid-1950s, it was the fastest street-legal vehicle in the world. Only two were built, and the one that sold for $142 million was lovingly preserved and maintained by the Mercedes-Benz company until reaching auction.
Essentially, the Uhlenhaut Coupé is a pristine piece of driveable history that looks and functions exactly as it did more than half a century ago. Its historical significance and exceptional condition (not to mention its rarity and speed) easily make it one of the most valuable cars in the world.
What’s the Most Expensive Mercedes in the World?
The most expensive Mercedes-Benz car in the world is the Uhlenhaut Coupé, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. One of only two coupé versions made of the racing 300 SLR, this two-door beauty sold for $142 million when it went to auction in 2022.
In addition to being in like-new condition thanks to painstaking restoration work and a lifetime of ownership by the Mercedes-Benz company, this car boasts impressive speeds. It’s worthy of the best automobile museums and private collections.
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