An incredibly rare 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner piloted by racing icons Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, and a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM that conquered the 24 Hours of Le Mans, among others, belonging to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, are set to be auctioned at leading motor auction house RM Sotheby’s in late 2024 and through 2025.
The Mercedes is estimated to sell for somewhere between a staggering $50-70 million.
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What is the history of the Mercedes-Benz W196?
The sleek silver arrow of a car was raced by two of the most revered names in motorsport: Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. It was a technological marvel of its time, featuring fuel injection and desmodromic valves, which were innovations in that time.
The W196 dominated the 1954 and 1955 Formula One seasons.
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“Originally featuring an open-wheel body, Fangio would pilot this car in a non-points race in Buenos Aires in 1954,” according to RM Sotheby’s. “Later on, this chassis would receive the iconic streamlined body work and was then driven by Moss at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.”
The car was subsequently used by Mercedes-Benz as a practice and test car, after which, the factory donated it to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 1965.
What is the history of the Ferrari 250 LM?
The 1964 Ferrari 250 LM on offer, conquered the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is one of the most challenging motorsport races in the world. Only 32 of them were ever made, making this one a rarity.
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“Following Le Mans, the Ferrari would compete in the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona finishing sixth in class and ninth overall with Jochen Rindt and Bob Bondurant behind the wheel,” according to RM Sotheby’s. “This 250 LM would go on to compete at Le Mans two more times, making it a three-time entrant in the 24-hour endurance classic, and one of just six Ferraris to compete at Le Mans three times in the Enzo era (1947 to 1988).”
What other iconic cars are being auctioned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum at Sotheyby’s?
- A 1957 Chevrolet Corvette SS Project XP64; One of only two ever built. It debuted in Sebring 1957.
- A 1907 Itala driven by Henri Fournier.
- A Czech 1911 Laurin & Klement Racer, which features active aerodynamics, where the car can change its outer shape slightly, so as to reduce aerodynamic drag and go faster; A concept still used by supercars today.
- A 1909 Mercedes Brookland ‘Semmering Hill Climb’ with a fully documented race history and records that stood for years.
Why is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum auctioning these iconic cars?
The museum is selling these iconic cars as they’re all not directly connected historically to the Indianapolis 500 or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The funds raised from the auction are to be used to create more interactive exhibits and improve the care of the Indy-specific artifacts.