A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for €135 million (US$143 million) at an auction at RM Sotheby’s, making it the most expensive car, and one of the top 10 most valuable collectible items, ever sold in the world.

Previously, the highest price achieved by a car at auction was a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which sold for €90 million through RM Sotheby’s in 2018, the auction house said.

One of just two prototypes built by the Mercedes-Benz racing department, the car has been owned by the German luxury automaker for the past 67 years. Mercedes-Benz will donate the proceeds to establish a fund to provide scholarships for young people pursuing environmental sciences.

“We are proud that we can contribute with our historical collection to this initiative connecting the past with the future of engineering and decarbonisation technology,” Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage, said in a news release.

The sale took place on May 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

The private buyer, whose identity was not disclosed, “has agreed that the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé will remain accessible for public display on special occasions,” Breitschwerdt said.

The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was designed by and named after Rudolf Uhlenhaut, chief engineer of Mercedes-Benz’s racing department from the mid-1930s until early 1970s. It was based on the W 196 R Grand Prix car, which won two World Championships raced by Italian Juan Manuel Fangio.

The car’s 3.0-liter engine enables it to reach 180 mph, making it one of the fastest road legal cars to have ever been created at the time. (SD-Agencies)