One of the legendary 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Grand Prix cars raced by five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio will be offered for sale at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed auction on Friday July 12 at Goodwood House in Chichester, Sussex, and is expected to establish new records for cars sold at auction.
In Fangio’s hands, this W196 (chassis 00006/54) won the 1954 German and Swiss Grands Prix. Among the technological innovations the W196 introduced to F1 were fuel injection, lightweight tubular space frame chassis construction and all-independent suspension, and it also featured driving force taken from the center of the straight-8 engine’s crankshaft in order to minimize vibration.
“My motoring auction career spans five decades,” commented Bonhams chairman Robert Brooks, “and I have been privileged to have handled some of the world’s most desirable and important motor cars. To handle the sale of this legendary W196 Grand Prix car—the only one out of captivity—could well be the pinnacle. Our Goodwood Festival of Speed auction is shaping up to even eclipse the record breaking Sale of last year.”
For complete information, visit www.bonhams.com
