The global health crisis has fundamentally changed the way we interact with the world, with more and more activities moving online. Among them, we saw online auction platforms like Bring a Trailer (BaT) taking off. Just recently, a new record was set by BaT, as the platform intermediated the sale of a rare 1930 Mercedes-Benz 770K Cabriolet for $2,555,555.
It’s safe to assume online auctions will surpass the live auction houses money for money, and it won’t take long. We know they already did sell more cars in 2021, although the most valuable examples are still going to live auction events.
The things are about to change, though. In January, a Porsche Carrera GT set a record after it was sold on Bring a Trailer for $1.9 million. The buyer never saw the car in person. Now, the same platform raised the bar with a 1930 Mercedes-Benz 770K Cabriolet. The car that once belonged to King Faisal I of Iraq was sold by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum for a cool $2,555,555.
Despite the seven-figure winning bid that made it a record for Bring a Trailer, this is pocket money for big auction houses. To put things into perspective, this is only number 43rd on the list of the most expensive Mercedes-Benz cars sold on auction. And yet, the tides are turning, and collectors are taking notes, as more fine, Concours-ready collectibles like this one get auctioned off online.
For the $2,56 million, the winner took home a museum exhibit in perfect shape. The 1930 Mercedes-Benz 770K Cabriolet is one of the only 117 units produced between 1930 and 1938. The car was ordered by King Faisal I of Iraq and Karosserie Voll & Ruhrbeck of Berlin-Charlottenburg was tasked with building the cabriolet body. The Benz served as the official car of the state through the reigns of King Ghazi and King Faisal II, before being purchased by the IMS Museum in 1967.
The listing mentions a refurbishment in 1970 and an upholstered interior in 2007, without other restorative work documented. It’s safe to assume the car was kept in perfect condition by the staff at the IMS Museum. The power comes from a numbers-matching supercharged 7.7-liter inline-eight paired with a three-speed manual transmission. The supercharger allows the power to increase from 150-horsepower to 200-horsepower when the throttle is wide open.
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News