The Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe became the world's most expensive street car when it was sold at a private auction in the summer of 2022. Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is said to be the buyer.
He made a fortune in chemistry, owns a large part of Manchester United, Mercedes' Formula 1 team and the world's most expensive car.
Back in May 2022, one of just two Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes ever built was sold at a private auction. The car, which was over 67 years old at the time, was sold for 135 million euros.
This corresponds to more than 1 billion Danish kroner. And now we know a little more about who the buyer, who wished to remain anonymous, is. Several media outlets point to the buyer as Sir James Arthur "Jim" Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe, who is 71 today, is said to be worth a staggering 16.7 billion dollars, equivalent to 111 billion Danish kroner. Which makes him one of England's absolute wealthiest people.
The money that Mercedes received from the sale of the car then went into a new fund which will support young people in education. The fund has been named the Mercedes-Benz Fund.
READ ALSO: Mercedes owner escaped parking stall because he doesn't obey Tesla
But that doesn't mean that Mercedes has let go of the ultra-rare car. As part of the purchase agreement, the car is still stored at the factory in Stuttgart.
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut is based on the racing car 300 SLR but has a fixed roof. The car is named after Mercedes' factory coach Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who designed one of the two examples as a company car.
Having said that, there is a dark story behind the world's most expensive car. Indeed, more should have been built than the two copies that were created in 1955.
But because the racing car was involved in a terrible accident at Le Mans, which in the same year claimed the lives of 84 spectators, all construction plans were shelved. The accident meant that Mercedes stayed out of racing for the next 44 years.
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
