The world of cars is full of many wonderful products, each catering to a different customer at a different price point. While manufacturers mostly build cars to be profitable and try to keep them as competitively priced as possible, they do flex their creative muscles from time to time. It is during these rare occasions that we see the boundaries of automotive innovation and design be pushed beyond the limit. The result is usually a car that is ultra-expensive and only in the reach of a handful of people around the globe. Here are 10 of the most expensive cars in the world. (We did not include concept cars or ones sold at auctions.)
10) Lamborghini Veneno ($4 million)
We begin the list with a vehicle that made millions of pupils dilate when it was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Made to mark the brands 50th anniversary, the Veneno was based on the Aventador and only 13 units were produced. Four of these were the coupe version and the rest were roadsters. It made use of the 6.5-litre V12 from the Aventador but had larger air intakes and a modified exhaust to produce more power. The Veneno had a distinct look to it and was unlike the Lamborghini models preceeding it. Key highlights included the drooping headlamps, a vented engine cover and a three-way adjustable rear wing.
9) Bugatti Bolide ($4.8 million)
This track-only hypercar from Bugatti will be the last one to use their W16 engine. Unveiled as a concept first, the Bolide entered production in August last year. A total of 40 units will be made, all of which have already been sold out. The production version of the car will produce 1,578bhp and 1,600Nm of torque. Weighing in at just 1,450kg, the Bolide is rather light for the power it produces and should be able to lap the Nurburgring in around 5 minutes and 30 seconds. In terms of design, it aodopts sharp creases and a bolder look compared to most other Bugattis that tend to be a bit more curvy. It was even named the most beautiful hypercar at the 2021 Festival Automobile in Paris.
8) Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita ($4.8 million)
Koenigsegg only produced two units of this rare hypercar and it sold for a price of USD 4.8 million. The Trevita employs a special diamond weave that made it very complex to produce the initially announced three units, prompting the manufacturer to only produce two instead. A unique aspect of the CCXR Triveta was the white finish of the carbon fibre which was courtesy of the proprietary weaving technology of Konigsegg. It came with a 4.8-litre twin-turbocharged engine that could produce a peak power figure of 1,365bhp and peak torque of 1,080Nm. It boasted a top speed of over 400kmph and a 0-100kmph time of 2.9 seconds.
7) Bugatti Divo ($6 million)
When Bugatti wanted a track-focused version of the Chiron, they gave the world the Divo. Just like the Bolide, this vehicle is also limited to 40 units. The supercar even gets its name from the French racing driver Albert Divo, who used to drive for the company during the 1920s. While the top speed of the Divo is down from 420kmph to 380kmph, compared to the Chiron, it is 35kg lighter and gets a 1.8 metre-wide fixed rear wing. All of this has resulted in a faster pace around the track as the car has more grip. There is plenty of power and torque thanks to the W16 engine bolted to the middle of the car.
6) Bugatti Centodieci ($8.9 million)
Another entry from Bugattin in the list is the Centodieci that marked the completion of 110 years of the company. It also paid homage to Bugatti’s EB110 and only 10 models were made. In true Bugatti fashion, this beast also gets an 8.0-litre, W16, quad-turbo engine that makes 1,577bhp. It is also 20kg lighter than the Chiron and can accelerate from 0-100kmph in just 2.4 seconds. The sleeker and sharper design language of the Centodieci sets it apart from the rest of its siblings. An especially captivating detail of the car are its headlamps that look like eyes with swooping eyelashes.
5) Rolls-Royce Sweptail ($12.8 million)
The Sweptail gets its name from its distinct rear design. The right and left edge of the roof smoothly trails lower and mergers together at the boot. Another unique detail on the outside is the beautiful twin-glass panel that gives onlookers a good look at the immaculate interior. The entire exterior design harkens back to the Rolls-Royce cars of 1920s and 1930s. Revealed at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2017, it was the most expensive car in the world for a few years. It came with a 6.5-litre V12 engine mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox and made 453bhp.
4) SP Automotive Chaos ($14.4 million)
Chances are, you might not have heard of SP Automotive, a carmaker hailing from Greece. In 2021, the company announced their first product – Chaos. It is being offered in a base trim called Earth and a top-end trim called Zero Gravity. The top trim costs USD 14.4 million while the base version costs less than half at USD 6.4 million. We will just feature the car in one spot though, this one. The top-spec model comes with a 4.0-litre V8, twin-turbo engine and an electric motor. The hybrid setup sends a power to all four wheels via a 7-speed DCT. It makes a total power of 3,064bhp and 1,983.5Nm, resulting in a 0-100kmph time of a mere 1.55 seconds and a top speed of 500kmph.
3) Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta ($15 million)
The Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta marked the end of production of the iconic Zonda nameplate. And boy was it an explosive farewell! This special version of the Zonda was built from the ground up and there are only three examples of this car, out of which one was gifted to Horacio Pagani. That man, if you did not know, is the founder of Pagani (the name is a bit of a giveaway). Propelling the Zonda HP Barchetta is a 7.3-litre V12, naturally aspirated engine from Mercedes-Benz. Power output stands at a whooping 788bhp while the peak torque figure stands at 850Nm.
2) Bugatti La Voiture Noire ($18.68 million)
If Batman was real, this is what he would drive. La Voiture Noire is French for ‘The Black Car’. This one-off model was shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It is based on the Chiron and takes its design cues from the Type 57 SC Atlantic. This magnificent piece of machinery has been made with hand crafted carbon fibre. Under the hood resides the familiar 8-litre W16 engine with quad turbos. While not as quick as the Chiron, it still spits out roughly 1,500bhp. If you have any doubt regarding the car’s capabilities, you need only look at the rear section of the car that has not one or two, but six exhaust pipes sticking out!
1) Rolls-Royce Boat Tail ($28 million)
It is no surprise that the most expensive car on this list comes from Rolls-Royce, a brand known for making cars exquisitely luxurious. The Boat Tail was built by the company’s Coachbuild division, keeping the needs and character of the customer in mind. It has the distinct lines and shape of a Rolls Royce but the exterior has been splashed with blue. This was a deliberate choice as it was the favourite colour of the client. The bespoke interior has even has a place to hold the Bovet Fleurier watches that can also be used as wrist watches. The rear of the car has two butterfly doors that open to reveal two fridges that can keep champagne at a temperature of 6 degrees and also house a parasol.
