For some people, life is all about what drives them. For others, it’s all about what they drive. The automobile has evolved from something more than just a vehicle to take you from point A to point B, or the horseless carriage for a pleasant Sunday drive with the family. These days it’s a status symbol, a fashion statement, an extension of who and what you are.
Not all cars are created equal. There are those that do not even merit a glance, there are others that we wish we had, and then there are some that can only be had by the very, very wealthy.
So what are the top most exclusive cars today?
10. Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell
The only mini-van to make the list of exclusive vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell may look normal, but under the hood it’s all about power. Green power, that is. Unlike other electric cars that have bulky batteries that often become the source of problems, the Mercedes’ E-Cell’s two lithium ion batteries is more reliable. It can also save enough juice to give your car more then 124 miles between charges and it can reach a speed of 93 mph. Only 500 Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cells were ever made, and it’s only available in Europe, mainly France, Germany and the Netherlands. There’s a small consolation for those living in the U.S., the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell is being offered to people living in Southern California, but only if they pass qualifications.
9. Jaguar XKR 75
For the occasion of its 75th anniversary, the Jaguar rolled out the Jaguar XKR 75. Staying true to the sequence of numbers; for it’s 75th anniversary, only 75 of these XKR 75 cars were made.This vehicle is only available in six countries being; Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Offered at $133,568 the XKR 75 is everything a standard XKR is, except for upgraded handling and suspension, increased power and torque and improved acoustics, resulting in a stronger faster car. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds but cannot go over 174 mph due to internal restrictions. The 75 comes in a gray finish but those who want can also get a unique body-length graphic feature.
8. Lexus LFA
After Toyota almost crashed with the recent recall mess regarding their drive shafts, the company hoped to change things by offering cars that not just look hot, but are also marvels of engineering. With that they came out with the Lexus LFA. The two-seater luxury sportscar comes with a leather or Alcantara fabric-lined interior, a liquid crystal display panel and comfortable leather seats. It’s powered by a 4.8L, V10 engine capable of a top speed of 202 mph. While the car is fast, assembly is not. Each car is built by hand and each engine is also hand-built by only one engineer. A total of 20 are built every month. Just because you have $375,000 don’t think you can just walk into a Lexus showroom and buy one. First, there are only 500 of them available, so chances of one being in your local showroom are close to none. Second, the LFA is only sold to buyers who pass requirement based on location, the other cars they own and where they drive. In short, where the car can be seen.
7. Tramontana
If you can shell out $700,000 you don’t need and if you can wait eight months to reach the top of a waiting list then maybe, you can possess a Tramontana because only 12 people every year get to have one. Built by A.D. Tramontana, the Tramontana does not look like any sportscar out there, rather somewhat between a sportscar, an F1 racer and a fighter jet. The two seats of the car are arranged one after the other, making it feel like you are in the cockpit of a fighter, the vertical-opening door adds to that effect. The Tramontana is powered by a 12 cylinder, V60 Biturbo engine capable of going from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 202 mph. It is reportedly the closest you can get to a race car (also a fighter jet) while still being street legal. You can also say the car is poetry in motion; each Tramontana has a unique verse from a poem instead of a serial number.
6. Lamborghini Reventón Roadster
Making a car exclusive may be one of the best ways to make sure it is sold. Case in point, the only 15 Lamborghini Reventón cars ever produced were sold out even before it officially went on sale. The $1.56 million price tag did nothing to phase the buyers in thinking about purchasing this unique vehicle. It was named after a famous fighting bull, and has incredible acceleration speed with its V12 650-horsepower engine which lets it accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Its top speed is 205 mph. Each car comes with a g-force meter so you can measure the gravitational forces acting against your body as the acceleration presses you against your seat.
5. Zenvo ST1
Danish-made to the very core, the Zenvo ST1 is available for $1.2 million. There were only 15 of these exclusive cars ever made making them a bit harder to come by. It’s only offered for sale to “specially approved” customers. Powered by a 7L V8 engine with both a supercharger and a turbo, the ST1 can produce 1.104 BHP of power at the flick of a switch, capable to taking it from 0 to 62mph in three seconds flat. The shape of the car is intended to minimize air drag as much as possible while still being sleek and aesthetically appealing to the eye.
4. Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang
By itself, Bugatti’s Veyron line is already exclusive. Add another layer of exclusivity to that exclusive line and you have the Veyron Pur Sang. This car is so exclusive that only five of them were ever sold. They were all sold out less than 24 hours after they were made available during the unveiling. The only people invited to the unveiling were exclusive European clients whom seller knew had $3 million to spend on these automobiles. Built with almost no sharp edges, the two-seater Pur Sang was meant for luxury and also speed. Its 8L 1001 horsepower 16-cylinder engine lets the car go from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds. You might also have to brace yourself; its smart braking system will bring that automobile from 62 mph to 0 in 2.3 seconds.
3. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster
The Zonda models have been in production since 1999 and less than 120 of them have been produced since. Just because there’s quite a lot of them does not mean they are not exclusive, U.S. law prohibits them from being sold to the States. Not that you can get any of them even if you worked around the law; all five cars of the Cinque model (hence the word ‘cinque’) were all sold before they were even manufactured. Named after the Argentinean air current, the Cinque Roadster can go from 0 to 62kpn in 4.3 seconds thanks to its V12 engine. This car set back its buyers buy a pricey $1.8 million. Buyers of this exclusive car allegedly consider it a solid investment. Its price as a collector’s item is bound to rise with the passing of time.
2. Koenigsegg Trevita
If you own this car you are one of the only three people in the entire world who do. The word “Trevita” itself means “three whites” in Swedish and there were only three made. Owning one also means you would have already spent $2.21 million for this glittering-white automobile. The Trevita is considerably lighter than conventional sportscars but can go from 0 to 62mph is 2.9 second and reach a top speed of 250 mph. It has it’s own tire monitoring system, a rear-mounted camera and climate control. According to a website one such Trevita, allegedly owned by a Swiss executive has been “abandoned” in a Zurich parking lot. While the vehicle appears to be functional the owner does not seem to mind that he has built up quite the parking fee. Not to mention car lovers who visit to have their photo taken with the famous automobile.
1. Lamborghini Veneno
The latest car to make the exclusive list is also the most expensive to date; the Lamborghini Veneno. Like the Trevita, only three such cars were made; but unlike the Trevita it costs a whopping $3.9 million. The Veneno was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva motor show only last March. It has a 552kW 6.5-litre V12 engine that can bring the car from 0 to 62 kph in just 2.8 seconds. The Veneno, which means “venom” in Spanish and Portuguese, unfortunately also has the distinction of being named one of the ugliest cars in the world, with one car review site calling it “the worst thing out of Italy since fascism.” The Lamborghini chairman himself, Stephan Winkelmann, defended its appearance at the show. “When we have a small run we have much more freedom in design,” he said.
Its up to you whether you agree or not.
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