Mercedes-Benz 300SLR, Worth Millions, Caught Casually Cruising

The Mercedes-Benz 300SLR, also known as the Uhlenhaut coupe, is an extremely rare vehicle, with only two ever produced. One of these cars fetched an astonishing $143 million at auction in 2022, making it the most expensive car in the world. Recently, this iconic car was seen cruising the streets of Monaco, captured in an Instagram video as it navigated the famous Turn Six during road closures. Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Mercedes’ former racing director and the namesake of the coupe, famously used one as his personal vehicle. Born in London to a German father, Uhlenhaut worked for Mercedes starting in 1931, contributing to the creation of the dominant W125 racing car. After a tumultuous wartime period, he returned to design the racing version of the 300SL, known for its distinctive gullwing doors, which were not merely stylistic but a practical solution to design constraints. The road version of the 300SL features a fuel-injected inline-six engine, producing just over 200 horsepower, while the racing variant, the W 196 R, has a more powerful inline-eight engine with around 300 horsepower, akin to a Formula 1 engine. This engine is renowned for its deafening roar, so much so that Uhlenhaut eventually needed hearing aids due to its noise. Uhlenhaut often drove the 300SLR for his daily commute, which was legendary for its speed. It could reach a top speed of about 186 mph, and it is said that he once completed the 137-mile journey between Munich and Stuttgart in just an hour. The current owner of this extraordinary car remains a well-known collector from the UK, and it’s commendable that such a valuable vehicle is being driven rather than hidden away in a collection. Uhlenhaut would surely approve, though he might suggest overtaking that Volkswagen along the way.