Fangio F1 Merc Sell For Almost $30 Million

[cosworth151]

The Mercedes W196 that Fangio drove to victory in the 1954 German & Swiss Grands Prix has sold at auction for £19.6 million ($29,619,826). The buyer has not been announced. There is some speculation that it could be Mercedes.

How such an historic car ended up in private hands is a mystery. Mercedes retained ownership after it was retired from racing, but at some point the car was sold -- first to a British collector, then to a French collector, then to a German collector and then it was bought and sold once more, and now this.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130712/carnews01/130719952#ixzz2Z2PmhJ00

[F1fanaticBD]

Maurice Hamilton sums it up really nicely..

http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/116335.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

[cosworth151]

Bit of a misprint in the article. (Well, it is ESPN) The car won the 1954 Swiss & German races. Other than that, well written.

The pre-sale speculation was around $10 million. I hope whoever ends up with it makes available for fans to see.

[F1fanaticBD]

Bit of a misprint in the article. (Well, it is ESPN) The car won the 1954 Swiss & German races. Other than that, well written.

I had the same notion Cossie, but was not sure about it though..

What is your take on ownership? Is it going to the private collection of Bernie or Mercedes buying it back (Its hell of a price to pay for if they did that)

[John S]

What is your take on ownership? Is it going to the private collection of Bernie or Mercedes buying it back (Its hell of a price to pay for if they did that)

Last I heard Bernie was selling off his collection not adding to it, but who knows with him. 

I'd say it's more likely Daimler Benz are the buyer, for a big corporate like them once they have decided they want it back they will pay over the odds to make sure it happens. I think honour and pride takeover once a big firm gets involved in claiming it's own history back.

   

[cosworth151]

I can't see Bernie shelling out that kind of money for a car. I don't know if a publicly held corporation like Merc would, either. I just hope it doesn't disappear into some private collection somewhere.

[Willy]

That is alot of money for a car, not matter who drove it.
I can think of a few things that the money could be used for that would be better served then to purchase a car.
I love cars......always have but 30 million...come on!

[lkjohnson1950]

is the Merc less a work of art in it's own way than a Rembrandt or Van Gogh? The value of any piece of art is whatever the high bidder will pay for it.

[vintly]

is the Merc less a work of art in it's own way than a Rembrandt or Van Gogh? The value of any piece of art is whatever the high bidder will pay for it.

You're right, it's more than just a car, it's (apparently) a work of art. Either way, $30M is an obscene amount. Yuk. I hope the buyer does some good with their money too. 

[lkjohnson1950]

There are some people in the world for whom 30 million is little more than pocket change. If you got it you might as well spend it, it does little good sitting in an investment account.

[F1fanaticBD]

I have always felt that these sort of auction ignites the ego inside the very rich, for whom pride matters much more that the money, so eventually in the tug-war scenario the agency ends up being the most benefited from this.

Perhaps unadulterated, being 100% antique was the final catch to fetch that crazy amount of money for this.