A Mercedes Benz used by Nazi German tyrant Adolf Hitler as a parade car went up to auction on Wednesday. Despite its massive media coverage before the sale, Hitler's wartime Mercedes fails to sell and remains unsold. After all, owning a Hitler's vehicle is not something to boast about.

Billed as "the most historically significant automobile ever offered for public sale" by Worldwide Auctioneers, the lot is a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 770K Grosser Offener Tourenwagen ordered by, built for, and used by Adolf Hitler. One of its high-profile outings took place in June 1940, when it was used on parade in Munich for the state visit by Italian Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. In the July of the same year, it carried Hitler on his victory parade held in Berlin following the defeat of France.

The Mercedes was expected to fetch around US$15m but it only received the highest bid of US$7m, failing to meet its undisclosed minimum price. The auction house is considering selling this car through a private sale, hoping to attract museums or educational institutions to be the potential buyer. Whether the Mercedes ends up in a museum, historians and others agree the car should be used for education. A desire to use the car as a teaching tool was one of the bidder qualifications, according to Worldwide Auctioneers.

1939 Mercedes-Benz 770K Grosser Offener Tourenwagen

Auction house: Worldwide Auctioneers
Location: Arizona, US
Auction date: 2018/1/17
Lot no.: 62
Estimate Upon Request
Unsold