Man puts his entire 83-car Mercedes-Benz collection up for auction with no reserve price after 20 years of gathering them

After nearly two decades of tireless curation, Austrian collector Hannes Daxecker is opening the doors to Europe’s most extraordinary private Mercedes-Benz collection.

Known as ‘Sammlung Sonderklasse’, the entire 83-car lineup will cross the block on November 7, 2026, through Austrian auction house Humer, Granner & Co.

This collection is potentially worth a small fortune.

And there’s one element about it that may be a little surprising.

This collector focused on an unusual characteristic

Generally, collectors prioritize engine performance, original condition, and documented provenance.

Yet occasionally, some collectors focuses on a far more understated detail: color palettes.

We had a look at some of the cars available and the color palette stands out.

There’s a noticeable absence of bright, vivid colors, and an equally obvious focus on understated tones, including several shades of gray, forest green, and beige.

Bright red or light blue examples remain rare exceptions across the 83-car fleet.

Some of the highlights of this varied collection

Daxecker’s collection began nearly 20 years ago with a single 280 SE sedan.

Over time, his focus turned toward flagship S-Class (Sonderklasse) models, particularly vehicles spanning the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

His extensive catalog features sought-after examples such as a 1968 300 SEL, a 1964 300 SE long-wheelbase, a 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (W116), a 1975 450 SEL, and an incredible 25 (!) different W126 sedans.

Although the core lineup centers on late 20th-century saloons, the collection includes notable outliers.

Rare pre-war classics – such as a 1933 Mercedes-Benz 170 Sport-Roadster and an imposing 1938 320 N Cabriolet A.

And there’s also a modern ‘hero’: a 2004 Maybach 62 limousine.

Every car in the Mercedes-Benz collection comes with no reserve

The seller clearly puts immense faith in these vehicles because every single item – literally every car without exception – is offered without reserve.

Broadly speaking, this strategy is likely to pay off.

Classic Mercedes-Benz models are still highly sought after by collectors and they are still expected to generate significant bidding momentum on auction day, whether there’s a reserve price or not doesn’t really make a difference.

Heavy hitters like the rare 1959 300 SL Roadster, the 1968 ‘Wilfert’ 300 SE 6.3 prototype, and the 600 Pullman will drive up the final numbers.

An educated estimate suggests the complete 83-vehicle collection could ultimately realize between $2.5 million and $4.5 million.

10 notable cars in the Mercedes-Benz collection

1933 170 Sport-Roadster W15 – est. $65,000-$100,000

1938 320 N Cabriolet A W142 – est. $160,000-$340,000

1952 300 b Cabriolet D W186 – est. $75,000-$120,000

1959 300 SL Roadster W198 II – est. $870,000 – $1.3 million

1964 300 SE Long-Wheelbase W112 – est. $27,000-$43,000

1968 300 SE 6.3 ‘Wilfert’ Prototype – est. $55,000-$85,000

1969 600 Pullman W100 – est. $150,000-$250,000

1970 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet W111 – est. $195,000-$270,000

1976 450 SEL 6.9 W116 – est. $50,000-$70,000

1988 300 SL by Anton Ostermeier Gullwing Motorcars – est. $170,000-$280,000