F1 car fetches fortune

A classic Mercedes-Benz race car driven by Formula 1 legend Juan Manuel Fangio has sold for 19.6 million pounds ( $29.6 million) at auction. The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 single-seater was driven by the five-time world champion racer when he clinched his second title in 1954. The Argentine drove the car to victories in the 1954 German and Swiss Grand Prix races. Robert Brooks, chairman of Bonhams auctioneers, which handled the deal, called the car the most important historic Grand Prix racing car offered for sale. The auction house said the steel-colored car is in a “remarkably unspoiled” condition and that its parts are believed to be complete and workable after proper preparation. It was sold to a private buyer at a classic cars auction in southern England’s Goodwood. – AP