Over a decade ago, Mercedes-Benz created one of the wildest vehicles ever to wear the three-pointed star. With no roof, no windshield, and a howling, supercharged V8 in the front, its performance matched its unconventional looks. The ferocious 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss is one of the rarest cars, but one lucky soul at the Sotheby’s auction took it home.

What is the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss?

The stunning SLR Stirling Moss debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. It’s a tribute to the record-breaking 300 SLR piloted by famed racer Stirling Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson at the 1955 Mille Miglia. Moss and Jenkinson smashed every race record, winning the grueling 661-car race in just over 10 hours. In fact, they crossed the finish line 32 minutes ahead of teammate Juan Manuel Fangio.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the SLR Stirling Moss at a time when many manufacturers were hopping on the “speedster-style” supercar bandwagon. Others included the Aston Martin V12 Speedster, Ferrari Monza, and the McLaren Elva. All featured very powerful engines, stripped-out yet tasteful interiors, and lightened bodies that dropped the windshield and roof for extra weight saving.

The SLR Stirling Moss featured at the Sotheby’s auction was delivered to its first and only owner in 2010, a German Mercedes-Benz enthusiast. As one of 75 examples manufactured, it’s one of the rarest Mercedes-Benz models ever produced. Since it rolled out of the factory, it has covered just 93 miles and remains in essentially new condition. Two tonneau covers for the cockpit are included with the sale, as are goggles for the driver and co-driver and other factory accessories.

How much did the SLR sell for?

When the SLR Stirling Moss was entered into the Sotheby’s auction, Forbes speculated that it would fetch between $3.26 million and $4.35 million. Given the speedster’s original MSRP of approximately $850,000, it’s a big bump in value.

However, Sotheby’s didn’t list the final price of the SLR. Given the fact that it’s hidden, it’s likely the gavel fell on a private high roller.

The performance of the SLR Stirling Moss

The SLR Stirling Moss is based on the also rare Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722. A supercharged 5.5-liter V8 nets 650 horsepower and 605 pounds-feet of torque. With a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, it can eventually hit its top seed of 219 mph. However, the speed is only for those who can hang on tight enough. Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz gave the SLR Stirling Moss civilized features, including a paddle-shifted automatic transmission, leather upholstery, and climate control functions.

The SLR Stirling Moss is also 440 pounds lighter than the car on which it’s based. Mercedes-Benz used an enormous among of carbon fiber to lighten it but decided to forgo the windshield and roof. The exposed interior is finished in Stirling Moss’ quintessential color scheme of metallic silver paint over a black and red leather interior. The modern rendition pays homage to the 300 SLR race cars campaigned by Mercedes-Benz in 1955.