Some cars are designed just to get you from point A to point B. Some cars are designed to get you from point A to point B really fast. And then there are cars designed with such lavish style and breath-taking performance that point B doesn’t even matter anymore - just driving it is the point.
These cars fall into the latter category. They are built with a level of luxury that most of us will never even see in person, let alone get the chance to own. But we don’t all get to own a Rembrandt or Monet, either. That doesn’t stop us from enjoying a trip to the museum. And the cars on this list are more than just cars - they are triumphs of engineering, works of art on wheels.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the 10 most expensive cars in the world:
10. Porsche 918 Spyder - US$850,000
Photo by Norbert Aepli/Wikimedia Commons
The Porsche 918 Spyder is a limited edition hybrid model, with only 918 in production. Actually, with a 608 horsepower 4.6 litre V8 engine, and two electric motors packing an additional 279 horsepower - it’s more like a super hybrid. The Spyder can operate in different modes; all-electric, hybrid, sport and race. It can cruise more than 12 miles on battery power alone, and in hybrid mode its fuel economy is far superior to any other car in its class. In race mode, it can go from 0 to 60 in a blazing fast 2.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 217 mph. Whoa.
9. Hennessey Venom GT - US$1 million
Photo by Mystfire/Wikimedia Commons
The Venom GT is designed by Texas-based Hennessey Performance Engineering. Built on a highly modified Lotus frame, the car is equipped with a 7.0 litre twin turbo V8 engine, made by General Motors and capable of churning out 1,200 horsepower. Somehow, even with all that American muscle, the Venom still weighs in at only 2,743 lbs (1,244 kilograms).
Hennessey claims that the Venom GT was the fastest production car in the world. It did set a new world record for accelerating from 0 to 300 kmh (or 0 to 186 mph) in only 13.63 seconds. The team also recorded a top speed of 270.49 mph - faster than the current record of 267.8 set by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. But due to technicalities, Bugatti’s record still stands.
8. McLaren P1 - US$1.3 million
Photo by Nan Palmero/Wikimedia Commons
Another super hybrid, the McLaren P1 was developed by British based company McLaren Automotive as the successor to their legendary F1 model. The 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 produces an impressive 727 horsepower on it’s own. But when you engage the Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), the electric motor boosts total output to 903 horsepower. That enables the P1 to go from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds - even faster than it’s predecessor. The top speed is electronically limited to 217 mph.
McLaren only made 375 of these cars. Production began in October of 2013, and every last one was sold before the end of the year.
7. Pagani Huayra - US$1.3 million
Photo by Aiace90/Wikimedia Commons
Named after the Incan god of wind, the Huayra (pronounced “why-rah”) is produced by Italian motor-sports company Pagani, makers of the Zonda. The Huayra has a curb weight of 1,350 kilograms (2,980 lbs) and is powered by a 720 horsepower, 6.0 litre twin turbo V12 engine. This powerhouse was designed by Mercedes-AMG, and is capable of propelling the car from 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 230 mph.
6. Ferrari LaFerrari - US$1.4 million
Photo by Clément Bucco-Lechat/Wikimedia Commons
Also known as the F150, the LaFerrari is the most expensive car ever built by Ferrari Motors - and the most powerful. Driven by both a 6.3 litre V12 engine and an electric motor (which they technically refer to as a “kinetic energy recovery system” or KERS), with a total combined output of 963 horsepower. And weighing in at just 1,250 kilograms (2,760 lbs), it’s light as a feather. This Italian stallion has a top speed of 217 mph and can go from 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds.
5. Lamborghini Reventón - US$1.6 million
Photo by Taco Ekkel/Wikimedia Commons
Essentially a redesign of the classic Murciélago, the Reventón is built on the same frame and powered by the same engine: a 750 horsepower, 6.5 litre V12. It will go from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds, and has a top speed of 211 mph. This car is beyond rare - only 27 were produced, and only 20 of those were sold. The rest are on display in museums and showrooms.
4. Koeniggsegg One:1 - US$2 million
Photo by Eduardo Parise/Wikimedia Commons
They said it couldn’t be done, but Swedish automaker Koeniggsegg went and did it. The Koeniggsegg One:1 is an insanely souped-up version of the Agera; the name represents the power to weight ratio (in metric units). Weighing in at 1,360 kilograms (3,000 lbs) and producing 1,360 PS (1,341 horsepower), it is the first vehicle to ever be able to make that claim. Amazingly, all that power comes from a 5.0 litre, twin turbo V8 engine that weighs just 434 lbs - due to it’s aluminium block and carbon fibre intake manifold.
According to Koeniggsegg, the One:1 can go from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, and has a top speed of 280 mph; which, if verified by Guinness and their rigorous testing standards, would make this the new record holder for fastest production car in the world.
3. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport - US$2.5 million
Photo by Autoviva/Wikimedia Commons
A true marvel of automotive engineering, Bugatti’s Veyron Super Sport currently holds the Guinness record for the fastest production car in the world, being clocked at 267.8 mph. It’s powered by a 16-cylinder, quad turbo engine which produces a jaw-dropping 1,200 horsepower. It takes 4 fuel pumps to feed that monster, and 10 different radiators to prevent a nuclear meltdown. This machine catapults from 0 to 60 in just 2.4 seconds. Any faster than that, and you might actually rip through the fabric of space-time.
Only 40 of these beauties exist in the world, and of those, only 5 are “World Record Editions” capable of reaching the car’s top speed. If you are one of the handful of people fortunate enough to ever drive one, be sure and bring a change of underwear.
2. Lykan Hypersport - US$3.4 million
Photo by Razor56/Wikimedia Commons
Produced by W Motors, a little-known Lebanese car company founded in 2012, the Lykan Hypersport is quite possibly the most luxurious vehicle ever manufactured. How so, you ask? The headlights are lined with 15 carat diamonds. The buyer can also choose from an array of rubies and precious stones to be incorporated into the interior design.
But US$3.4 million buys you more than just bling - this baby is built to zoom. It has a curb weight of just 1,380 kilograms (3,042 lbs), and it’s powered by a 3.7 litre twin turbo flat 6 engine that cranks out 740 horsepower. The manufacturers claim it can go from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, and reach a top speed of 240 mph.
1. Lamborghini Veneno - US$4 million
Photo by Clément Bucco-Lechat/Wikimedia Commons
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, Lamborghini unveiled the Veneno - a limited production based on their flagship model the Aventador. The carbon fibre body makes it look more like a fighter jet than a car, and weighs in at just 1500 kilograms (3,300 lbs). The 6.5 litre, 750 horsepower V-12 engine catapults you from 0 to 60 in just 2.8 seconds, and tops out at around 220 mph.
Sadly, only 4 were manufactured, and only 3 of those were sold (one was kept for display in the showroom). They also produced 9 topless Veneno Roadster models, which sold for a whopping US$4.5 million each. That makes them the most expensive car in the world - #1 with a bullet.
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