Legendary BMW with 290 horsepower engine hits auction at eye-watering £41.8MILLION after making motoring history

ONE of the astir iconic racing cars ever built is expected to fetch implicit £40million erstwhile it goes nether the hammer.

The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R, is besides known arsenic "Stromlinienrennwagen," is 1 of lone 4 ever built.

The legendary car, volition beryllium sold astatine an exclusive auction astatine the Mercedes-Benz Museum successful Stuttgart and expected to fetch up to €50 cardinal (£41.8m/$52.5m)

This singular instrumentality not lone claimed triumph connected its debut astatine the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix but besides boasted a apical velocity of 186mph a staggering feat for 1955 making it 1 of the astir precocious racing cars of its time.

Few cars correspond the aureate property of motorsport rather similar the Mercedes-Benz "Silver Arrows," which dominated Grand Prix racing earlier and aft World War II. Known for cutting-edge engineering and lightning-fast speeds, the W 196 R was purpose-built for the 1954 “up to 2.5-litre” Formula One rules.

Driven by racing legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, it rapidly became the car to beat, boasting a revolutionary straight-eight motor delivering 290 horsepower.

Its aerodynamic, enclosed-wheel plan was tailored for high-speed circuits, portion an open-wheel mentation handled tighter tracks.

The W 196 R boasted a revolutionary straight-eight engine, delivering up to 290 horsepower aft 2 years of development.

Its streamlined, enclosed-wheel plan was crafted for high-speed circuits, portion an open-wheel configuration suited tighter tracks.

The W 196 R made its debut astatine the 1954 French Grand Prix successful Reims with a sensational one-two finish. Fangio and Karl Kling took archetypal and second, with teammate Hans Herrmann mounting the fastest lap. Fangio went connected to unafraid the 1954 Formula One World Championship with the W 196 R.

Chassis 00009/54 archetypal competed successful the 1955 Formula Libre Buenos Aires Grand Prix, wherever Fangio started connected rod and claimed victory. Later that year, the car raced successful the Italian Grand Prix astatine Monza, fitted with its streamlined assemblage for the archetypal time. Moss, down the wheel, acceptable the fastest thigh of the race.

By the extremity of 1955, the W 196 R had cemented its legacy, winning 9 of 12 Formula One points races and aggregate championships.

This peculiar car is portion of an 11-vehicle postulation from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, being sold by RM Sotheby’s to money restoration efforts. Mercedes-Benz Classic is preparing a elaborate study connected the car's authenticity and originality.

Donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation successful 1965, the iconic car has been preserved and showcased astatine prestigious events, including the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but has ne'er been judged successful a concours, keeping it successful pristine condition.

One of lone 4 surviving W 196 R cars with its archetypal streamlined bodywork, it’s a uncommon gem of motorsport history.

This auction marks conscionable the 2nd clip a W 196 R has been offered for backstage sale—and the archetypal with the iconic streamlined design. It volition beryllium presented successful its 1955 Monza livery, on with extended humanities documentation.