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Add Texture to GoogleFifty-three kilometers. That’s all the odometer reads on a car designed to exceed 350 km/h without a roof or windshield—a car that has spent most of its life sheltered from the very wind it was meant to face. The last Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss ever built—painted in a color none of its 74 siblings shares—will be offered this winter by RM Sotheby’s with an estimated value of over $6 million. It was delivered new in 2010 and has hardly ever been driven.
A tribute to 1955, limited to 75 units
The SLR Stirling Moss was born out of a collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and McLaren, and a deep look back at the past. It pays homage to the 300 SLR that won the 1955 Mille Miglia, driven by the team of Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson. From that race, the modern version drew inspiration from the concept of an open-top barquette, stripped down to the essentials, rather than that of a grand touring coupe.
Production was limited to 75 units worldwide. Factory production ended in December 2009, with the cars bearing the 2010 model year. Buyers couldn’t simply walk in with a check: the Stirling Moss was reserved for SLR owners, at a price of approximately 750,000 euros before taxes—nearly one million dollars at the time. The model was therefore sold from the outset to an existing circle of the brand’s customers.
The vehicle up for sale is the 75th and final one in this series, which the auction house describes as “The Final Example Built.” Its exact chassis number, however, does not appear on the public listing.
A Car Without a Windshield
The Stirling Moss is a two-seater speedster with no roof, no side windows, and no windshield in the usual sense of the term. Two small glass deflectors divert airflow away from the occupants, and removable tonneau covers protect the cabin when the car is parked. It is not intended for driving in the rain.
Under the long hood lies the 5.4-liter AMG V8 (often rounded up to 5.5 liters) supercharged by a mechanical supercharger. It produces 650 ch, or 641 bhp or 478 kW, transmitted to the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission. The 0 to 100 km/h time is reported to be approximately 3.5 seconds, and the top speed ranges from 350 to 354 km/h. These figures take on special significance when one considers the absence of a windshield. The weight reduction of approximately 200 kg compared to the standard SLR accounts for part of this performance.
The Only “Fire Opal Red” Example
Most limited-edition cars are distinguished by their serial number. This one, however, is immediately recognizable by its color. It was originally painted in Fire Opal Red—a shade from the factory color chart—and is the only Stirling Moss model to have been finished in this color.
The interior continues in the same vein. The Silver Arrow red leather is accented with contrasting yellow stitching. The trim is made of Alutex aluminum, whereas the series typically uses carbon fiber. The owner also requested oversized seats and gold-painted brake calipers. None of these features is spectacular on its own, but taken together, they clearly set this car apart from the standard model.
The final detail is the most subtle: a factory-installed audio system. Experts on the brand estimate that only two Stirling Moss models in the world were delivered new with a radio, the other belonging to the Jordanian royal family. This information is widely accepted among historians of the model, but it does not appear in the press materials published by Mercedes-Benz in 2009. It should therefore be taken with a grain of salt.
Sixteen Years in Storage
The car was ordered by the Kuwaiti royal family. However, it was delivered new to Switzerland, where it was first registered on March 16, 2010, in the canton of Vaud. It then remained in climate-controlled storage in Switzerland until 2024.
The odometer currently reads 32.9 miles, or approximately 53 kilometers. Given the sixteen years that have passed since delivery, this amounts to just over three kilometers per year—the equivalent of a few test drives. For a car designed around the sensation of the wind at full speed, the contrast is striking. For a collector, however, this is precisely the main selling point.
This lack of use comes at a mechanical cost. Before the change of ownership in 2024, the car was taken to the United Kingdom, to Stratton Motor Company, for a service costing approximately 40,000 pounds—nearly 47,000 euros. Getting a car that has barely been driven back into running condition is no small feat, especially with a supercharged V8.
From Vaud to Culver City
Since it was new, the car has had only two private owners: the Kuwaiti royal family until 2024, and then the current seller. The latter had it shipped across the Atlantic. In 2026, G&K Automotive Services adapted it and had it certified for use on U.S. roads. It is now located in Culver City, California.
Certification is not just a bureaucratic formality. A classic car authorized to drive in the United States can appeal to a much broader market than one confined to a garage or a private track. The future buyer will therefore have a choice between two options: driving the car or keeping it with its virtually zero mileage.
A Value That Has Skyrocketed
The available figures allow us to track the evolution of this car’s value. It sold new for around one million dollars. It went under the hammer at Bonhams in the first half of 2024 for approximately 3.5 million dollars (nearly 3.25 million euros). This figure has been circulating in specialized circles, but RM Sotheby’s has not officially confirmed it. Two years later, the reported value exceeds $6 million, or approximately 5.6 million euros at the exchange rate at the end of 2026.
The ratio between the catalog price and the current estimate is greater than six. Between the last two sales, the value has nearly doubled, even though the odometer reading has barely changed. The market is paying for several factors at once here: its status as the last car produced, a color unique to the series, royal provenance, and virtually zero mileage. None of these characteristics can be replicated on another example.
However, this $6 million figure remains an estimate. The official phrasing, “Value In Excess Of $6,000,000 USD,” sets an expected range, not a guaranteed result. The final price will depend on the bids submitted.
Sealed-bid auction
The sale will take place online on the RM Sotheby’s platform, as part of its “RM Sotheby’s Sealed” format, during the session titled “Sealed December.” Bids are submitted in sealed envelopes from November 25 to December 2, 2026. There will be no auction room, no auctioneer, and no live bidding. This format is well-suited to a car that has spent most of its life out of the public eye.
The result will be announced at the close of the auction on December 2. Until then, the last Stirling Moss SLR awaits in Culver City, with its U.S. license plate and 32.9 miles on the odometer.
