When the Mercedes-Benz W196 R Streamliner came up for auction in February this year, it became the second most expensive car ever sold. The car was sold for $54 million!
The legendary race from the 1950s was recently spotted on the streets of Mexico City. Who in their right mind would drive a car this valuable on public roads, you would think? Well, fortunately, this one’s a replica.
Mercedes had built 4 examples of the W196 R to go racing. The car, which sold for a record amount, was chassis no. 00009/54, raced by none other than Juan Manuel Fangio and Sir Stirling Moss.
The W196 R is characterised by its streamlined body, designed to slice through the air. The speedster has a single seat with a tiny windscreen, a 4-spoke wooden steering wheel and a roll hoop at the back.
Under the long hood is a 2.5-litre straight-eight M196 engine, which makes 290 hp and features dry sump lubrication and fuel injection.
Source: @aless_spotter