Bonhams to sell 105 year old Outback Mercedes in Stuttgart

A 1909 35hp Mercedes, estimated at €480,000-680,000, is being offered at the first Bonhams Mercedes-Benz Sale at the company's Museum in Stuttgart, Germany on 12 July. Already confirmed at the sale are 40 important classic cars manufactured by marque during its long and distinguished history.

The car comes from - unusually - Isis Downs, an isolated sheep station in Queensland, Australia. The 5.3 litre shaft-drive car was the Station Manager’s car from 1914 and remaining on the property until the early 1930s. It proved a wise choice, the owners keeping it for approaching 20 years. It was purchased by a neighbouring farmer in the 1930s and remained there until the 1960s, when it was rescued and restored. Amazingly, the car has had only five owners since new.

The 1909 Mercedes offered for sale is quite possibly the world’s oldest shaft-driven 35hp Mercedes. It was with this model first launched in 1908 that Mercedes introduced shaft drive into their cars. By 1914 the whole range of passenger cars was equipped with shaft drive instead of the former chain drive.

This will be one of the centrepieces of the new Mercedes-Benz Museum sale, being held by Bonhams. It's a first for the company, and should be a fitting venue to the sale - a total of 1500 exhibits, including 160 vehicles, are on display in the 16,500 square metre musem.

James Knight, Group Motoring Director at Bonhams commented, 'We had been in discussion for a while with the Mercedes’ Australian owner and are delighted to have secured such an interesting early Mercedes for the Sale. When we were in a position to announce the Mercedes-Benz auction to him, he did not hesitate and jumped at the opportunity to sell his car at the home of the marque. The Sale is attracting motor cars from all over the world and this extremely important entry further endorses the stature of the event.'

More at Bonhams' website