1955 Mercedes-Benz has sold for a record €135 million

Proceeds of the auction will be used to establish a worldwide Mercedes-Benz Fund that will provide educational and research scholarships in environmental science and decarbonisation, news.sky.com reports.

Named after its creator and chief engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the coupe was a "milestone" car with distinct "gullwing doors" that helped shape the Mercedes brand.

The auction took place with RM Sotheby's at Germany's Mercedes-Benz museum, with a select number of collectors and Mercedes-Benz customers.

The private buyer has agreed it will remain accessible for public display "on special occasions" and its twin remains in company ownership and will remain on display in Stuttgart.

 

"With the "Mercedes-Benz Fund" we would like to encourage a new generation to follow in Rudolf Uhlenhaut's innovative footsteps and develop amazing new technologies, particularly those that support the critical goal of decarbonisation and resource preservation," said Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

"At the same time, achieving the highest price ever paid for a vehicle is extraordinary and humbling: A Mercedes-Benz is by far the most valuable car in the world."

"As a global company and as a luxury brand, we bear a great level of responsibility towards society," added Renata Jungo Brüngger, a board member for Mercedes-Benz.