Mercedes-Benz W 196
The W 196 Grand Prix and sports-racing family, from the W 196 R to the W 196 S 300 SLR.
What to check before buying
Reconcile the individual chassis with works entries and period photographs. Establish which body was fitted at each race or when a car was sold.
The W 196 S used a three-litre version of the inline-eight and two-seat bodywork. Chassis histories keep the 300 SLR and the W 196 R auction evidence distinct.
Documented auction results
If you’re deciding what to offer, start with transactions for cars of similar specification and history. Check the sale date, condition, and whether the price included buyer’s premium.
| Chassis | Date and auction | Outcome and price | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00009/54 | 1 Feb 2025RM Sotheby’s · W 196 R: The Monza Streamliner1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen | SoldEUR 51,155,000 · Published sold price | Auction evidence |
| 196.110-00008/55 | 5 May 2022RM Sotheby’s · The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 'Uhlenhaut Coupé' | Sold for charityEUR 135,000,000 · Published sold price | Auction evidence |
Commission a search or pre-purchase review
Source a car
Set the model, specification, budget, and timetable. We run the private search and screen candidates against your brief.
Private sourcingAssess a car you’ve found
Review the seller’s records, comparable sales, and questions for an independent marque specialist before deciding what to offer.
Pre-purchase advice
We agree the written scope, fee, and any specialist costs before work begins.
Factory specification and chronology
- Public introduction
- 1954
- Production
- 1954–1955
- Factory purpose
- Competition
- Body styles
- Open-wheel single-seater, Streamlined single-seater, Sports racing roadster, Sports racing coupé
The W 196 R was built for Grand Prix racing. The technically related W 196 S was developed for the World Sports Car Championship and ran in 1955.
Documented variants
| Variant | Production | Body style | Coachbuilder | Wheelbase | Factory specification | Documented examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz W 196 R StreamlinerStromlinienwagen | — | Streamlined single-seater | — | — | Competition | 00009/54 |
| Mercedes-Benz W 196 R | 1954–1955 | Open-wheel single-seater, Streamlined single-seater | — | — | Competition | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) | 1955 | Sports racing roadster | — | — | Competition | |
| 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé | — | — | — | — | — | 196.110-00008/55 |
Individual chassis histories
- Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S), chassis 196.110-00008/55
One of two Uhlenhaut prototypes and the car sold to fund the Mercedes-Benz fellowship initiative.
- Mercedes-Benz W 196 R, chassis 00009/54
Fangio and Moss raced this chassis. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum held it before the Stuttgart sale.