From March 21 through March 25, RM Sotheby’s is offering the ex-Juan Manuel Fangio 300SL roadster for sale via sealed bid.
The car was presented to Fangio from Mercedes-Benz in 1958, and was known to have been one of the driver’s favorite cars. It was delivered to him in time for his 47th birthday and presented at the Dorchester Hotel in London as a retirement gift — a special thank you for his efforts with Mercedes over the years.
Fangio kept the car throughout his later life and used it often in South Africa. He eventually passed it on to his family. It’s been on display at the Juan Manuel Fangio Museum in Balcarce, Argentina since 1986.
The car is remarkably original throughout, with its matching-numbers chassis, engine, body, gearbox, differential, top frame and hardtop. The interior is also original as well, showing plenty of wear that highlights the 72,000 km on the clock — most of which added by Fangio himself. The next owner of the car will be the first registered owner outside of the Fangio family.
RM Sotheby’s has not published a pre-sale estimate on the car, but that makes sense, as both the car’s originality and its ownership history make it unique and therefore likely much more valuable than a similar, typical 300SL roadster.
Learn more about the car here.
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