The 20 Most Expensive Cars Of All Time

Anyone who has ever purchased a car knows how costly they can be. Even the best and most affordable budget cars will cost thousands of dollars when brand new. What many people may not realize, though, is that car prices can go incredibly high in the right circumstances. In fact, the most expensive cars in the world could set you back millions of dollars rather than thousands.

Fortunately, you don't have to worry about shelling out that kind of money. These unique and costly vehicles are usually limited runs sold to loyal customers before they are even finished. These are generally high-end performance sports cars or luxurious vehicles that the average person does not need.

Described by the manufacturer as an "astonishing barchetta grand tourer," the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is a roofless luxury car inspired by past racing cars that were popular in Italy during the 1900s. Unlike those vehicles, which were designed for speed, the Mulliner Bacalar focuses entirely on comfort and style. Featuring a twin-turbocharged six-liter W12 engine and a twin-seat configuration, the car is almost fully customizable according to the tastes of each customer.

The cost of the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar largely comes from the fact that each car is handmade. The company plans to produce just 12, each costing $1.9 million, and customers can switch up the exterior paint and interior fixings to perfectly suit their own style. In its most basic form, the car takes on the shape of the Bentley Continental GT but has hand-made custom body panels. It also has adaptive dampers and anti-roll systems to ensure it remains steady — even on the bumpiest roads.

The Mercedes-AMG One takes its name from the fact that it has been developed using technology from Formula 1 cars. Most notably, the vehicle uses a hybrid engine that combines an internal combustion engine with four electric motors that can harvest and deploy electrical energy. However, the vehicle is also built using carbon fiber like modern F1 cars. In total, the drivetrain can produce up to 1,063 horsepower and propel the car to a top speed of 219 mph.

Production of the limited edition car only began in 2022, and less than 300 will be created, so it is unlikely to see the streets anytime soon. Many famous figures have already picked up a model, such as Formula One (F1) drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. According to reports, the basic price of a Mercedes-AMG One is between $2.7 million and $3 million. That is for the most basic version of the vehicle, though, and adding optional extras can significantly increase the price.

[Featured image by Andrew Basterfield via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]

Swedish high-performance manufacturer Koenigsegg is known for its range of powerful sports cars. The Koenigsegg Jesko was launched to the world at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and just five days later, all 125 planned cars had been sold for $3 million each. Powered by a 1,280 horsepower V8 engine, the vehicle is the successor to the company's successful Agera RS hypercar and also features a unique nine-speed gearbox and ultra-lightweight crankshaft.

Unusually, there are two distinct versions of the car available to buy, one that is built to attain the highest possible speed in a straight line and the other a more track-focused racer. The main difference between the two models is the configuration of the spoiler, with the Jesko Absolut having rear fins rather than the traditional spoiler of the Jesko Attack to decrease the overall downforce.

The Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is the first car from Gordon Murray Automotive, a company created by former F1 designer Ian Gordon Murray. He previously worked for both the Brabham and McLaren F1 teams during his tenure in the sport and subsequently worked on the McLaren F1 Road Car. This expensive car was the first project he was in charge of at his own company and is essentially a successor to the McLaren F1 car.

The Gordon Murray T.50 comes with a naturally aspirated V12 4.0-liter engine capable of outputting up to 654 horsepower. Combined with its ultra-lightweight body, it is one of the lightest sports cars in its class and can reach 62 mph from a standing start in less than three seconds and a top speed of 226 mph. It has a pre-tax price tag of $3 million and comes with no optional extras.

W Motors might not be a sports car company that is as well known to people around the world. That's because it is based out of Lebanon and is relatively new to the industry, founded in 2012. The Lykan HyperSport is the first production car from the manufacturer and cost $3.4 million when it went on sale in 2014.

Aimed at the super-rich living in the Middle East, just seven of these cars were created and each of them features an opulence of wealth. Most notably, the headlights can come embedded with several expensive jewels, from diamonds to sapphires and rubies. The car boasts a twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter engine and comes with either a 6-speed or 7-speed transmission, depending on customer choice, and it also comes with a holographic display.

The Bugatti Chiron is effectively the successor to the iconic Bugatti Veyron, which was first launched in 2016. This particular model, known as the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, is a 2020 variant that was produced in small quantities to handle better than the base model. To achieve this, Bugatti made it lighter by incorporating new construction techniques and materials, as well as making the airflow around the car more efficient.

The standard price without any fancy extras is $3.9 million. For that, customers get a car up to 50 kilograms lighter than the standard Bugatti Chiron, grippier tires developed in collaboration with Michelin, and a fixed-place rear wing. All of that is powered by a 1,479-horsepower W16 engine with an increased red line of 6,900 RPM — 200 more than its predecessors.

The Italian manufacturer has been producing vehicles for more than 60 years and is respected throughout the industry. One of the most recent lines in the company's line of luxury performance cars is the Lamborghini Veneno. Inspired by the previous Lamborghini Aventador, it launched in 2013 with a price of $4 million. However, the vehicle is likely to cost a lot more to pick up now as only just over a dozen were produced.

The Lamborghini Veneno comes with a 6.5-liter V12 engine, has a seven-speed transmission, and is capable of producing up to 740 horsepower. This allows the vehicle to get up to a top speed of 220 mph and go from 0 to 60 mph in under three seconds. It also features hydraulically assisted power steering and a self-locking differential to ensure the car can easily deal with different terrains.

Aston Martin is another manufacturer known for producing expensive but high-quality performance vehicles. The Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro is a limited edition variant of the original sports car that started production in 2016. Originally, the vehicle was a collaborative effort between Formula 1 team Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin, with noted designer and aerodynamic genius Adrian Newey playing a key role in its development.

The Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro is a track-only $4 million model of the car that is illegal to drive on roads. First shown in 2018, this version is limited to 25 units and combines the same 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine from the basic Aston Martin Valkyrie. However, it lacks the energy recovery system known as KERS, although it does make up for it with a higher horsepower output and carbon fiber brakes.

The Lamborghini Sian is another super expensive sports car from the Italian brand. The supercar entered production in 2024 and is a limited edition vehicle, as only 63  will be produced in tribute to the company's founding in 1963. Costing $4 million, the entire catalog of the car has already sold out, so no new customers will be able to grab it.

Like modern Formula 1 cars, the Lamborghini Sian is a hybrid car, featuring a powertrain that utilizes an internal combustion engine and an electric motor to make it more fuel-efficient and kinder to the environment. This is a first for Lamborghini, which has traditionally relied solely on powerful ICE powertrains. The V12 6.5 liter engine and 48-volt motor, which includes supercapacitors rather than standard battery packs, can produce up to 807 horsepower when combined, and reach a top speed of 217 mph.

Based on Pagani's Huayra model that began production in 2011, the Pagani Huayra Imola is a 2020 revision of the car that was produced in small numbers. In fact, just five units have been created since it was launched. Taking its name from the infamous Imola racetrack that Ferrari owns, the Imola variant uses the same Mercedes-AMG V12 engine as its predecessor but can extract up to 827 horsepower.

Costing $5.4 million, the Pagani Huayra Imola features several aerodynamic upgrades. These range from a new diffuser and front splitter to the oversized rear wing, which is now fixed in place. There's also a large fin extending down the back length of the car. That all allows it to reach top speeds well above 200 mph.

Over the last two decades, Bugatti has set new standards for what sports cars can do. The Bugatti Divo is one of the successors of the legendary Bugatti Veyron and, following the naming convention of the company's previous vehicles, it takes its title from the French-Italian racer Albert Divo. First unveiled in 2018, the original model left the production line the following year.

A W16 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged engine powers the car, producing 1,479 horsepower. It can reach a top speed of 236 mph and set a new record for a Bugatti car around the Nardò Ring test track. Only 40 vehicles were produced under this line and were sold out on the first day they went on sale, despite the $8 million cost. Although it was partly based on the Bugatti Chiron, the Bugatti Divo has a more angular shape and features more aerodynamic parts.

Created as part of a collaboration with the Mercedes-Benz Group, the Maybach Exelero is a limited sports car developed primarily by the Italian manufacturer Stola. Production began on the one-of-a-kind vehicle and wrapped in time for its official reveal the following year. It wasn't initially produced to be sold and was instead to test Fulda high-performance tires.

The Maybach Exelero is powered by a V12 twin-turbo six-liter engine that produces 690 horsepower and can reach a top speed of 218.3 mph. This particular Maybach weighs more than two and a half tons and looks more like a luxury car than a high-performance sports car. Rapper Birdman claimed to have purchased the only version of the car in existence, but it isn't clear whether this sale ever went through.

Unwilling to sit back and let the Imola take all of the limelight in the Huayra range, Pagani released another variant in 2022. Known as the Pagani Huayra Codalunga, it is a far more expensive version of the vehicle that takes everything to new extremes. That makes it a good choice for anyone who wants a great hypercar, as the original model was already ranked among the very best on the market.

In terms of looks, the Pagani Huayra Codalunga is far more elegant than the original Huayra or the Imola variant. Developed by the company's special projects department, it features a V12 6.0-liter twin-turbo engine and can produce 830 horsepower. Inspired by racers from the 60s, it has a huge rear tail and had a starting price of $8 million.

[Featured image by MrWalkr via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

The Bugatti Centodieci is one of the most recent vehicles produced by the French manufacturer. First announced in 2019, production began in 2022 on the 10 units that were intended to be created with a price of around $9 million. Like many of its most recent cars, the Bugatti Centodieci is heavily inspired by the Bugatti Chiron but does have some notable design differences, including a more angular shape and narrower headlights.

The mid-engine sports car features an 8-liter quad-turbocharged W16 powertrain and produces 1,578 horsepower. This allows it to reach a maximum speed of 240 mph, and reach 62 mph from a standing start in under two and a half seconds.

Rolls-Royce dominates the rankings when it comes to the most expensive cars ever made. The first entry in this list is the Rolls-Royce Sweptail, a one-off luxury car based on the famous Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé. Commissioned in 2013, it left the production line in 2018 and was shipped to the single customer who ordered it.

Costing $13 million to buy, the Rolls-Royce Sweptail has a design based on classic cars from the early 1930s and includes a panoramic glass roof. Like other Rolls-Royce vehicles, it is built for luxury and not performance. That means the V12 6.75-liter 453 horsepower engine won't reach outrageous top speeds but will keep the vehicle moving despite the luxurious trimmings inside.

Described by SP Automotive as the world's first ultracar, the Spyros Panopoulos Chaos is a vehicle that blows every other sports car on the market out of the water. It comes in two distinct flavors, an Earth variant, and a Zero Gravity model, with the first costing $6.3 million and the second a staggering $14.1 million. SP Automotive plans to build between 10 and 20 of these cars every year depending on customer demand.

The most expensive version of the Chaos features a V10 4-liter engine capable of reaching 12,000 RPG and producing over 3,000 horsepower, with some help from a hybrid electric motor. According to the company, it can reach speeds of up to 310 mph and go from zero to 62 mph in under two seconds.

The Pagani Zonda has been around since before the turn of the millennium and has established itself as one of the best sports cars. The Italian manufacturer has since upgraded and improved upon the initial design in several limited variants, including the most recent model known as the Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta.

Priced at $18 million, it is one of the most exclusive vehicles in the world. Only three of them were planned to be produced with one destined for the company's founder, Horacio Pagani. For that money, the three lucky owners get a stylish body with a V12 6.0-liter engine, which matches the 789 horsepower that the Pagani Huayra can produce. Despite all that, it weighs just 1,250kg, giving it a great power-to-weight ratio.

Like many of Bugatti's most expensive and fastest one-off vehicles, the Bugatti La Voiture Noire is designed around the same concept as the Bugatti Chiron. It was announced to the world at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and was bought for just under $19 million. The most notable features that separate it from the Bugatti Chiron are its longer shape, mid-engine layout, and unique trim features.

The powertrain providing the power for the car is a W16 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged engine. This provides 1,500 horsepower, meaning it can go from zero to 62 mph in only 2.4 seconds. The Bugatti La Voiture Noire is so expensive because it focuses on luxury, with a Cognac leather interior.

Like Rolls-Royce's other incredibly expensive rare cars, the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is a coach-built vehicle that puts style and comfort above speed and performance. Developed as a grand tourer, it takes inspiration from yachts with its shape, even though it borrows heavily from the design of the Phantom.

Yet, the vehicle has thousands of bespoke hand-made parts that were included specifically for each of the three customers lucky enough to get their hands on the car. The first Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, with a light blue paint job, was delivered in 2021, followed by a rose gold-colored version the next year. Costing $30 million, they include everything from cutlery and crockery to a folding parasol.

Taking the crown as the most expensive car in the world is the Rolls-Royce Droptail. Just three have been built so far, with a fourth planned to be completed soon. Each of the Rolls-Royce Droptails has lavish features and is fully customized and is centered around a different theme, with different names for each variant including La Rose Noire, Amethyst, and Arcadia.

The exact prices have not been confirmed, although they are believed to cost more than $30 million each. Like the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, the Rolls-Royce Droptail is a coach-built grand tourer that incorporates thousands of hand-built panels and fixings. Based largely on the Rolls-Royce Ghost, the three cars have a 6.75-liter V-12 engine and a distinctive monocoque chassis unique among Rolls-Royce vehicles.