A highly rare 2017 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet has sold for a world record price during a Bonhams sale in Belgium.
The Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet was launched at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, as a cross between a chauffeur-driven limousine and an off-road vehicle.
The huge, 5-metre long 4X4 is powered by a Mercedes AMG V12 biturbo engine, and comes with a host of luxurious features such as heated massage seats.
It was described as a "masterpiece of automotive engineering", and by the end of the show all 98 available examples had been snapped up.
Just one remained, and it crossed the auction block this weekend to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which supports 100 projects in 40 countries around the world.
The vehicle sparked a bidding war between several telephone, online and auction room bidders, and was finally acquired by an anonymous Belgian collector for €1.2 million – almost double the original retail price of €630,000.
The second-highest price of the auction was achieved by a 1968 Ferrari 365 GTC Coupé which sold for €805,000.
Other vintage classics on offer included a 1967 Porsche 911S 2.0 ‘Sunroof’ Coupé which sold for €212,750; a 1957 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedsterm which realized €391,000; a 1965 Jaguar E-Type ‘Series 1’ 4.2-Litre Roadster which sold for €250,700; and a 1967 Citroën DS21 Décapotable which fetched €218,500.
A number of modern classics also achieved strong six-figure sums, such as a 1999 Aston Martin V8 Volante LWB Convertible which sold for €207,000; a 2000 BMW Z8 Roadster which sold for €316,000; and a 1993 Jaguar XJ220 which sold for €391,000.
"Such enthusiastic bidding in the room and across the world is always encouraging, and the prices achieved throughout the sale reflect the palpable excitement in the marquee at Zoute on Friday," said James Knight, the auctioneer of the sale and Group Motoring Chairman.
"As an auctioneer, this is one of my favourite sales to conduct as we participate with such an enthusiastic audience."
