Any time a used car hits the market with a bit of celebrity provenance, buyers and sellers can prepare for values to skyrocket. Just look at anything ever owned by Hollywood star and bonafide car guy Steve McQueen for proof. But what if the celebrity history involves a legit Formula 1 world champion like Michael Schumacher? Well, a driver-level Mercedes-AMG station wagon set for auction by Bonhams next month in Paris should test just how much added value the Schumacher name brings for what might otherwise seem like just another high-performance Mercedes Benz.
Celebrity Provenance For A Super-Wagon
Bonhams will bring the 2010 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG wagon to auction on February 3 at Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris with documentation that proves Schumacher's history with the car. Technically, Mercedes-Benz AG owned it from new, though Schumacher is listed as the Conducteur in Swiss paperwork (and, somewhat hilariously, with his name spelled Mickael). These were the years that Schumacher joined the new Mercedes GP Petronas team, so the carmaker clearly wanted Schumacher to ride around in style.
152,000 Kilometers On A 6.3-Liter AMG V8
Schumacher drove the AMG wagon until July 28th of that year before the car transferred ownership to a Swiss owner who proceeded to put the large majority of mileage on the car's 6.2-liter V8, which would have been rated at 451 horsepower with 443 lb-ft of torque when new here in the United States. Keep in mind, this was just before the AMG cars started bolting a pair of turbos on to produce monstrous power figures, but that naturally aspirated engine should be absolutely bulletproof despite having just shy of 152,000 kilometers (or a little less than 94,500 miles) on the clock.
Highly Optioned For Schumacher's Enjoyment
Of course, befitting Mercedes-Benz's new prize possession, Schumacher's car received just about every option on the checklist, totaling over €20,000 when new (over $22,000 today). Later ownership included a Mercedes-Benz engineer in Germany who drove the car minimally, plus the seller, who reportedly only drove it in summer months for the past four years. The condition looks nice for a decade-plus-old vehicle, with some rock chips and wear apparent in the photo gallery.
Bonhams claims four new tires and an inspection will be included before the sale takes place, with an estimated final gavel between a wide range of $57,000 and $110,000—clearly, the question of how much collectors might be willing to spend on an ancillary piece of Formula 1 history clearly leaves Bonhams a bit in the lurch as well.
Source: bonhams.com.