Andy Warhol’s Mercedes-Benz W196 R Grand Prix Car (Streamlined Version, 1954), executed in 1986, one of his greatest works goes under the hammer on November 12 as part of Christie’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York. This monumental work of nearly fourteen feet tall which was produced for the Daimler Art Collection on the occasion of the automobile’s centenary in 1986, is estimated to achieve $12-16 million. The work depicts the iconic Mercedes-Benz W196, which was driven to victory at the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1950s. It is part of the Cars series, which includes some of the most striking works in Warhol‘s late oeuvre. This silkscreen art was one of only 35 that were created for the 100 anniversary collection.
The Daimler Art Collection which was established by Daimler in 1977 now contains almost 2,000 works by over 700 modern and contemporary artists. Proceeds from the sale will be used to further develop the collection, as well as benefit the Daimler education programme. The same auction will also include Andy Warhol’s Coca-Cola (3) Painting, which is expected to fetch $60 million, and the day following his large-scale Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster) will try to find its new owner at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale.
