A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Coupe has set a new record for the purchase of a car, with all proceeds going to charity.
The winning bid of €135 million (£114.5m) smashed the previous record, which is believed to stand at $78m (£62.5m) for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, set in 2018.
The Mercedes-Benz was bought by car dealer and expert Simon Kidston on behalf of an unnamed client at a secret, invite-only event hosted by the German car maker.
It uses a 302bhp 3.0-litre straight-eight-cylinder engine and is based on the open-top model that dominated the 1955 World Sportscar Championship. This version was adapted with a closed cockpit for endurance competition.
Although neither of the Coupe models were raced, they were used in practice sessions. In testing, it was found to go from 0-60mph in 6.9 second and have a top speed of 176mph.
Commenting on the record transaction, Kidston said: “If you had asked classic car experts and top collectors over the past half a century to name the most desirable car in the world, there’s a good chance that they would have come up with the same model: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.
“It’s a combination of exotic engineering, all-conquering racing history, the power of the three-pointed star on its nose and the fact that one had never, ever been sold. Many collectors had tried, all had failed.
All £114.5m will be donated to a charitable fund for young people, which is being set up by Mercedes-Benz.
