Video: The most expensive car ever sold tackles the Goodwood Hill

27th May 2022

Simon Ostler

Even back in 2013, when the Mercedes 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe made its way up the Hill at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, it was quite a special moment. One of only two prototypes that were ever built before Mercedes’ withdrawal from motorsport in 1955, this was an incredibly rare occasion and a privilege to witness.

Fast forward almost ten years, and we now know that this exact car is in fact the most expensive car ever. It sold for $143million a week ago, and that gives this extraordinary run an extra thick layer of gravitas. As if the story behind this glorious car, with it’s streamlined bodywork, gullwing doors and exquisite 3.0-litre straight-eight engine wasn’t enough.

While you might wince at the value of the car as it’s driven at not inconsiderable speed up a hill that takes no prisoners, we all know that racing cars are meant to be driven, so we can only hope that the new owner plans to bring the Uhlenhaut coupe out to stretch its legs once more.

We wonder if any of the cars at this years’ Festival of Speed will one day be as valuable as the Uhlenhaut Coupe…