Can you put a price on exclusiveness?
Versace. Hermès. Vuitton. Bulgari. All these names remind aficionados of ultra-prestigious brands that exclusiveness has a price. The world of automobiles is no different. LUXE presents its choice of super-performance vehicles.
1st place: Lamborghini Veneno Roadster
The Veneno Roadster, launched by Lamborghini to celebrate its 50th anniversary, takes the top spot for extravagance. For $4.6 million you can get behind the wheel of one of the nine examples assembled by the manufacturer in 2014. Another possibility: the new Huracán LP 610-4.
Under the hood: 750 HP
Top speed: 355 km/hr.
0-100 km/hr.: 2.9 seconds
2nd place : Bugatti Veyron 16.4
Just as powerful but not quite as rare, the Bugatti Veyron drew our attention. Since its launch in 2009, the brand that Volkswagen’s Ferdinand Piech breathed new life into has assembled about 40 of these fabulous cars. The price varies depending on the model from $1.7 up to $2 million US for the 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. Other possibility: none. Bugatti does nothing by halves.
Under the hood: 1001 HP
Top speed: 407 km/hr.
0-100 km/hr.: 2.5 seconds
3rd place : Ferrari LaFerrari
The mythic brand with the prancing horse invites us to spare a glance for Ferrari and its LaFerrari model in particular. After it was launched at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show, the Italian maker’s 499 cars, 120 of which were produced for the American market, all found takers for a price of around $1.7 million. By combining an 800-HP V12 engine with an 163-HP electric engine, Ferrari wanted to demonstrate the potential of hybrid technology in terms of performance. Other possibility: why not the new Ferrari 458 Speciale A, unveiled this year at the 2014 Paris Mondial de l’automobile?
Under the hood: 963 HP
Top speed: 350 km/hr.
0-100 km/hr.: under 3 seconds
4th place : Mclaren P1
Each year for over 60 years, Pebble Beach, California, has been home to one of the most crowded society events for lovers of high-end classic cars: the Concours d’Elegance. For McLaren, it was the perfect spot to unveil a vehicle that was the complete opposite: the P1. According to this company from the United Kingdom, the 375 cars that left the assembly plant were all sold in a few months. The crowning glory, if we have to choose, is a technology that makes it the first hybrid supercar in the world. Note that McLaren was only asking about $1 million US. Other possibility: about a quarter of the price will give you the new 650S.
Under the hood: 903 HP
Top speed: 350 km/hr.
0-100 km/hr.: 2.8 seconds
5th position : Porsche 918 Spydre
Why 918? That’s the number of owners who will be lucky enough to drive a Porsche 918 Spyder. As with the LaFerrari and McLaren P1, the builder’s engineers chose a hybrid engine. The difference is that they added to the 609-HP V8 two electric engines with a total power of 285 HP. One is over the front axle, the other over the rear axle. Despite a starting price of $845,000 US, the order book is full. Other possibility: certainly a 911, all models taken together.
Under the hood: 893 HP
Top speed: 345 km/hr.
0-100 km/hr.: 2.6 seconds
Text: Jean-Pierre Bouchard
