A Mercedes-Benz W196R that helped Juan Manuel Fangio to his second Formula 1 championship in 1954 is now the most expensive car ever sold at auction. The car sold for a staggering $29.65 million at an auction held by Bonhams in conjunction with the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The sum nearly doubles the previous record, held by a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa Prototype that was sold by Gooding & Company at its 2011 Monterey auction for $16.4 million

Mercedes-Benz W196R chassis number 00006/54, which was driven by Fangio to two grand prix race wins and  was later raced by Hans Hermann and Karl Kling, is the only W196 in private hands. The car was authenticated by Mercedes-Benz Classic prior to being offered for sale by Bonhams.