The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupé” is one of the most iconic and rare cars in history. Built as a road version of the racing 300 SLR, it was named after Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the legendary Mercedes chief engineer who oversaw its development.
Based on the W196 Formula 1 car, the 300 SLR was designed to compete in the world’s toughest endurance races, such as the Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamericana. It featured a 3-liter straight-eight engine with direct injection, capable of producing over 300 horsepower—a remarkable feat for its time.
The 300 SLR gained fame in 1955 at the Mille Miglia, where Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson achieved a legendary victory, completing the 1,600-kilometer Italian race in record time. However, that same year, the car was involved in a tragic incident at Le Mans when Pierre Levegh’s SLR was part of a horrific crash that resulted in over 80 fatalities. This tragedy led Mercedes to withdraw from racing for an extended period.
Uhlenhaut developed two coupé versions of the 300 SLR for road testing. These cars, with their distinctive hardtop and iconic “gullwing” doors, had exceptional performance, reaching speeds of 290 km/h—a stunning feat for a road car in the 1950s. It is said that Uhlenhaut used one of these coupés as his personal vehicle, famously driving the 220 kilometers between Stuttgart and Munich in under an hour, showcasing the car’s power and agility.
Of the two Uhlenhaut Coupés built, one remains in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, while the other was sold in 2022 for approximately 135 million euros, making it the most expensive car ever sold. This model is not only a masterpiece of design and engineering but also a symbol of Mercedes-Benz’s extraordinary automotive legacy. The 300 SLR “Uhlenhaut Coupé” has endured as a symbol of technical perfection, speed, and beauty, celebrated by enthusiasts and collectors as one of the most valuable and captivating cars ever created.
TOP128A
NAME: Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut (1955)
VERSIONS: Red leather interior
BRAND: Mercedes
YEAR: 1955
SCALE: 1:18
CATEGORY: Street car
TOP128B
NAME: Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR coupè Uhlenhaut (1955)
VERSIONS: Blue leather interior
BRAND: Mercedes
YEAR: 1955
SCALE: 1:18
CATEGORY: Street car
