The 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World
While most of us pause to consider the financial implications of a new hatchback, the world’s ultra-wealthy proceed with a purchase of a hypercar without a second thought. These buyers often view marques like Rolls-Royce Phantom or Ferrari 12Cilindri as too mainstream, seeking exclusivity and limited production. Consequently, they are willing to pay prices that dwarf the cost of standard models from these iconic brands.
This echelon of automotive luxury is accessible only to the billionaire elite, far beyond the reach of lottery winners. Here are the 10 most expensive cars in the world.
Bugatti Divo – £4.4 million
For those who find the standard Bugatti Chiron insufficiently exclusive, the Divo presents a coachbuilt alternative, purportedly offering a more exhilarating driving experience.
Named in honor of the French-Italian racing driver Albert Divo—an air force pilot and mechanic who became a Bugatti works driver in 1928 and secured immediate victory at the legendary Targa Florio—the Divo shares the Chiron’s 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W16 engine. This powertrain produces 1,479 bhp, enabling a 0-62 mph time of 2.4 seconds. However, the Divo’s top speed is capped at 236 mph, lower than the standard Chiron’s. This limitation is a direct result of eschewing the ‘Top Speed’ mode and incorporating increased aerodynamic drag from a 1.8-meter wide fixed rear wing, a larger front spoiler, extended side skirts, and enlarged air intakes.
To distinguish it from the standard Chiron, the Divo features redesigned headlamps and taillights, along with a wider iteration of Bugatti’s signature ‘horseshoe’ grille.
Production of the Divo was capped at just 40 units, all of which were sold out on the first day of the order window. Customers were afforded near-limitless personalization options, ensuring that no two vehicles are identical.
Pagani Huayra Imola Roadster – £4.7 million
Pagani’s most affluent clientele are directed toward its ‘Grand Complications’ division, a specialized unit dedicated to the creation of ultra-limited-production bespoke projects. The Huayra Imola Roadster is a prime example of this division’s output, with only eight units produced, each featuring a unique specification curated by its new owner.
The Imola Roadster derives its name from the Italian circuit where its chassis underwent meticulous refinement. It is powered by a modified version of Pagani’s AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged V12 engine, delivering 838 bhp to the rear wheels through a seven-speed sequential gearbox. The top speed is electronically limited to 217 mph, or 350 km/h, a nod to the metric system favored by its Italian creators.
Despite these formidable performance figures, the Imola Roadster is remarkably lightweight compared to vehicles like the Bugatti Chiron, tipping the scales at just 1,260 kg—less than an Audi TT. However, its extensive aerodynamic appendages generate an additional 900 kg of downforce at track speeds, effectively ‘sticking’ the car to the road surface during high-speed cornering.
The weight savings are largely attributable to the extensive use of advanced composite materials, including the impressive-sounding Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62. These materials are lauded for their exceptional rigidity, which significantly contributes to the Pagani’s lauded handling characteristics.
Pagani Huayra Codalunga – £5.9 million
While the name might evoke imagery of marine life or feline expressions, the Codalunga boasts a far more compelling narrative.
Two discerning collectors approached Horacio Pagani with a request for a ‘long-tail’ variant of the Huayra Coupé, inspired by the aerodynamic efficiency of cars that competed at Le Mans in the 1960s. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these elongated designs were exceptionally aerodynamic.
Following a two-year collaborative design process with the commissioning clients, the vehicle was finally unveiled. The cars are finished in muted, sophisticated colors with matte paints, featuring interiors upholstered in woven leather and adorned with aluminum components machined from solid billets.
The eighth most expensive car in the world, the Pagani Huayra Codalunga
The quad-pipe exhaust system, another homage to the classic Le Mans racers, is finished in ceramic coating for a distinctive appearance.
Mirroring the Imola, the Codalunga utilizes the AMG-manufactured twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 engine, tuned here to produce 829 bhp, resulting in a top speed of 217 mph.
In addition to the original two buyers, a further three units were subsequently produced. All five examples are fully homologated for public road use—provided one possesses the audacity to share the asphalt with conventional traffic.
Mercedes-Maybach Exelero – £6.2 million
Imagine approaching your employer with the proposition of acquiring a new vehicle solely for tire testing purposes. The requirement specifies a substantial, heavy, and fast automobile. Rather than selecting an existing super saloon, the proprietors of Fulda—Goodyear’s German subsidiary—commissioned a one-off coupe from Maybach at a cost of £6.2 million.
The company had undertaken a similar initiative in 1938, resulting in the Maybach SW38, which achieved a top speed of 125 mph—a remarkable feat for its era. That vehicle was tragically destroyed during World War II, but its spirit and ‘streamliner’ design cues endure in the Exelero.
This 2.6-tonne behemoth features only two seats yet measures an imposing 5,834 mm in length, exceeding the dimensions of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. This extensive wheelbase necessitated an elongated bonnet, measuring an impressive 4 meters in length. Beneath this expansive hood resides a V12 engine, enlarged from the standard Maybach’s 5.6 liters to 5.9 liters and augmented with two turbochargers, boosting output to 691 bhp. The projected top speed is a blistering 217 mph.
The Exelero has made appearances in various films and television programs, and rumors circulated regarding its acquisition by a prominent rapper. However, the vehicle remains a fixture in a German museum.
Bugatti Centodieci – £7 million
For the billionaire Bugatti aficionado awaiting a successor to the iconic EB110 Supersport of the mid-1990s, the company delivered in 2019 with the unveiling of the Centodieci. This Chiron-based coupe pays homage to the EB110 while simultaneously celebrating the company’s 110th anniversary.
The Centodieci presents a surprisingly distinct silhouette compared to the standard Chiron, featuring an entirely reimagined roofline, a lower front fascia, and a rear section that sits considerably higher. The iconic Bugatti horseshoe grille is notably scaled down, echoing the EB110’s design, accompanied by the latter’s characteristic five circular air intakes arranged in a diamond pattern and an elongated glass engine cover.
Mechanically, the Centodieci shares its underpinnings with the Chiron, utilizing the 8.0-liter W16 engine in its 1,578 bhp configuration. This propels the Centodieci from 0 to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds. The top speed is limited to just under 240 mph, and the chassis has been recalibrated to deliver an even more sporting driving experience.
Only 10 examples of the Centodieci were hand-built, and each was sold prior to its completion at a unit price of €8 million.
Bugatti Chiron Profilée – £8.4 million
For those who have invested in one of Bugatti’s special editions, the prospect of encountering another billionaire in the same vehicle at a public venue like a supermarket parking lot must be a mortifying thought. To forestall such an indignity, only one solution exists: exclusivity.
This very solution was embodied by the Chiron Profilée, although it was not initially conceived for a specific customer. Rather, the vehicle was developed in response to the expressed desires of several collectors seeking a Chiron that combined the performance and handling enhancements of the track-focused Pur Sport with a greater degree of road usability. Bugatti commenced development but soon realized that serial production was untenable, as the Chiron production run was strictly limited to 500 units, all of which were already allocated.
Consequently, only a single Chiron Profilée was ever constructed.
Adding to its exceptional status, the Profilée represents the final Bugatti model to feature the W16 engine and stands as the fastest-accelerating of all Chiron variants, achieving a 0-62 mph time of 2.3 seconds.
Rolls-Royce Sweptail – £10 million
When selecting a new vehicle, most consumers opt for a few optional extras, such as metallic paint or a sunroof, which might add a few hundred pounds to the total cost. However, when a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur commissioned a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé, he opted for a bespoke body and interior, drawing inspiration from luxury yachts and the classic coachbuilt Rolls-Royce models of the 1920s and 1930s.
The construction of the Sweptail took Rolls-Royce four years to complete and incurred a cost of £10 million—equivalent to the price of 22 standard Phantom Coupés at the time. This made it the world’s most expensive car upon its
