Mercedes is a German luxury automotive manufacturer that has sold luxury vehicles for more than 100 years. A Mercedes is known for its driving performance and luxurious details which is what makes them so desirable. Mercedes are expensive cars regardless of customizations and upgrades, but the Mercedes on our list blow those out of the water, mainly because of how rare they are because of how few were produced.
The most expensive Mercedes on our list are mostly vintage models that range between the years 1928 and 1955. Remarkably, there is also a 1998 Mercedes further down our list that sold for over $1 Million.
The older models of certain Mercedes sell for so much because there were only a few hundred models produced each year. Many of them have special features designed specifically by Mercedes like supercharged engines, and owners have taken extremely good care of the cars by only putting just a few thousand miles on them. The features and the extremely low mileage make them rare and worth more than the newer models that were mass-produced.
Today, we will dive into the most expensive Mercedes to discuss how much they sold for and what makes them worth so much.
Most Expensive Mercedes
1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen
The 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen sold for $9,900,000 at the RM Sotheby’s auction in Arizona on January 29, 2016.
This Mercedes Benz vehicle had only been driven 10,277 miles at the time of the auction, which added to the value of this beauty. With only 419 chassis built, the 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen is a rare find.
The chassis number of this Mercedes is 130894 which is one of the earliest known chassis in this model class. Everything on this Mercedes model is original including the engine which shares the same engine number as the chassis. There are very few, if any at all, 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadsters known of today, causing this model to sell for more than $9 million in 2016.
1928 Mercedes Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster by Carrosserie J. Saoutchik
The 1928 Mercedes Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster sold for $8,250,000 on August 17, 2013. It was voted the Pebble Beach Best of Show winner in 2012 before being sold the following year. This model is the only model known that currently has a short windshield.
There were only 124 type S Mercedes built in 1928, adding to the value of this classic treasure. Between the few Mercedes type S built in 1928 combined with the short windshield design, it’s no surprise that the 1928 Mercedes Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster sold for just under $9 million in 2013.
1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing
The 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing sold for $6,825,000 earlier this year on January 27, 2022. It is one of the only Mercedes to have a matching engine and chassis number. It has many factory features that have never been changed including the sports suspension, high-speed 3.42 rear axle, uprated metric speedometer, belly pans, and Rudge wheels.
The color of the exterior and interior is also a Mercedes car original. It is silver-gray metallic over blue gabardine fabric with blue vinyl. It is estimated that only 29 of the Mercedes Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwings were produced in 1955 and 1956. The mid 50's have produced some of the most expensive cars ever sold as a 1957 BMW Roadster sold for just under $5 Million!
This Mercedes has chassis number 5500332 which is indicative of being the 13th chassis produced in 1955. The pristine condition of such a rare Mercedes makes it a collector’s dream.
1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing
The 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing sold for $1,352,500 on December 6, 2017, in New York. It has its original engine and original chassis. The Gullwing doors make this model Mercedes highly desirable. That, and the original engine and chassis, of course. This Mercedes Benz car is one of the world’s fastest automobiles for its time.
This 300SL Gullwing was sent to California to be restored in 1989. It took two years for the restoration to be completed. The color of the 300SL Gullwing was originally medium blue with light gray leather but the owner decided to paint it Fire Brigade Red which is one of the most famous 300SL colors for Mercedes. The engine was rebuilt to ensure that it matched its original condition by also using the same mechanical systems as the original.
Everything about this 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing matches the original condition and parts that would have been used during its original production in 1955.
1998 Mercedes Benz CLK GTR
Let’s fast forward a few years to 1998.
The 1998 Mercedes Benz CLK GTR sold for $1,100,000 on August 17, 2012. There were only 25 Mercedes Benz CLK GTR built in 1998, making this a rare find. The engine only had 1,335 miles on it at the time it was sold. It has enhancements including a performance “SuperSport” upgrade that features a 720 bhp, 7.3-liter V-12 engine. It has a six-speed sequential manual gearbox with a paddle-shift operation.
By 1998, Mercedes had to compete with racing manufacturers like Porsche if they wanted to stay relevant. Thus, the CLK GTR was born in 1998 and gave speed enthusiasts exactly what they were looking for.
2009 Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
Moving forward to 2009 models, the 2009 Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster sold in Canada for $434,500 in March of 2021. It has a supercharged V-8 engine that has 617 horsepower to top the maximum speed out at 208 miles per hour. There were only 2,157 SLR McLaren Roadsters built between 2003 and 2010 and this is one of them.
The SLR McLaren was designed with the 300SLR in mind. It followed many of the original features of the 300SLR. It was named the SLR McLaren Roadster after the Formula 1 racing team so that it let consumers know that this model was intended for racing enthusiasts.
Another feature that makes this Mercedes so valuable is the minimal number of miles recorded on the engine at the time of the purchase. There were just 441 miles recorded at the time the Roadster was available to buy. This helped the 2009 Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster sell for $434,500.
2005 Mercedes Benz CLK DTM AMG
You might not realize it by looking at it, but this 2005 Mercedes Benz CLK DTM AMG sold for $472,500 on May 22, 2021. It looks like a typical Mercedes coupe but it’s so much more than that.
The CLK DTM AMG is just one of 100 that were built and delivered specifically to Germany. In 2009, they were allowed to be imported to Texas. The DTM pays homage to Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters championship win in 2003 by creating this near replica of his race car.
The fact that there were only 100 built combined with the extremely low mileage of just 1,600 miles makes this 2005 Mercedes Benz CLK DTM AMG a racing collector’s dream.
2017 Mercedes AMG GT3 ‘Laureus'
The newest Mercedes on our list is the 2017 Mercedes AMG GT3 ‘Laureus’ which sold for $885,000 on August 25, 2018. The proceeds from when it was purchased at the RM Sotheby’s auction went to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. This Mercedes AMG was built to celebrate AMG’s 50th anniversary.
The AMG GT3 offers the most attractive bodywork of the newer year models of Mercedes. This Mercedes is finished in special chrome paintwork that provides a mirror-like finish, giving it an extremely sleek and futuristic look. Inside the vehicle is matte black paintwork with exposed carbon fiber parts.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many Mercedes that are sought after and sold each year. As you’ve seen on our list, vintage Mercedes can easily sell for over $1,000,000 while the newer models cost only a few hundred thousand. Some Mercedes are still available to purchase on Sotheby’s website if you’ve got the cash!
Not all of the Mercedes on Sotheby’s are rare finds. You can purchase mass-produced Mercedes there as well, but the most expensive car is a Mercedes to dream about!
