Angela Merkel’s 1990 VW Golf fetches €10,165 at online sale
The 1990 Volkswagen Golf once owned by German Chancellor Angela Merkel sold online for €10,165, far below the sum achieved by the Pope’s former car.
A 1990 Volkswagen Golf that belonged to German Chancellor Angela Merkel was sold online for €10,165, drawing interest as a piece of political memorabilia rather than for its technical merits. The car changed hands in early May 2012 after an internet auction.
The Golf, finished in a typical early-1990s specification, was originally registered to Merkel in 1990 and remained in her and her husband Joachim Sauer’s use until 1996. It had covered 190,000 kilometres by the time of sale and was powered by a 70hp petrol engine, a common output for the model at the time.
Comparison with other celebrity car sales
The seller had hoped the car might match the sum achieved by Pope Benedict XVI’s former Golf, which sold for €250,000 in 2005. In the event, Merkel’s car attracted a fraction of that figure, though €10,165 is still well above the typical market value for a Golf of its age and mileage.
| Owner | Year Sold | Sale Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pope Benedict XVI | 2005 | €250,000 |
| Angela Merkel | 2012 | €10,165 |
The difference in sale price reflects the high premium attached to papal memorabilia, as well as the broader appeal of the Pope’s car outside Germany. The Merkel Golf, by contrast, was bought by Dirk Fricke, a German buyer who made clear he wanted the car to remain in the country as a piece of national history. Fricke stated he had no political affiliation and did not want a repeat of the Pope’s car leaving Germany after its auction.
What the sale means for collectors and buyers
For collectors, the Merkel Golf sale underlines the unpredictability of the celebrity car market. While provenance can add value, the identity of the previous owner and the context of the sale play a decisive role. The Golf’s modest mechanical specification and high mileage would not usually draw attention, but its association with Merkel made it a curiosity for buyers interested in political or German history.
The buyer’s intention to keep the car in Germany suggests it could eventually appear in a museum or exhibition. For now, the Golf joins a select group of ordinary cars made extraordinary by their previous owners, though its value remains well below the heights reached by other celebrity vehicles. For more on how used cars can sometimes break the mould, see Mazda 3 Tops List of Affordable Cars That Break the Boring Mould.
