THE most expensive cars sold last year have been revealed, with some going under the hammer for millions of pounds.
Motorheads are splashing out on expensive cars at auction and breaking a string of records while they’re at it.
The most expensive cars sold in the last year have been revealed
Pricey entries include a £115 million Mercedes and a McLaren F1 motor.
Here are the 10 best-sellers in the past year, courtesy of Top Gear
1) 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe
RM Sotheby’s Uhlenhaut saleThe ultra-rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe went for a whopping £115million on auction[/caption]
The ultra-rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz sold for a whopping £115million at the RM RM Sotheby’s Uhlenhaut auction.
A stunning icon of automotive history, the Mercedes is one of just two prototypes built at the time.
The sale went through in Germany on May 5 2022 and more than doubled the previous auction record for a motor.
This was set in 2018 by the sale of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO for $48.4M, also by RM Sotheby’s, according to Mayhead.
2) 1998 McLaren F1
RM Sotheby’s sealed bidThe 1998 McLaren F1 is one of the greatest automobiles of the 20th century[/caption]
Arguably the greatest automobile of the 20th century, the 1988 McLaren F1 is considered as one of the ‘big three’ performance car icons of its time.
This incredible motor is unique within F1 road-car production, boasting factory-installed revised and improved headlights
One of 64 road cars built, it was sold over £21 million at auction.
The sale went through on August 20, 2022 at the RM Sotheby’s sealed bid in the US.
3) 1955 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Sport Spider
RM Sotheby’s Monterey auctionThe iconic Ferrari Sport Spider was snapped up for just under £20million[/caption]
The impressive automobile is one of just two Factory-campaigned 410 Sports equipped with a 24-spark plug 4.9-litre V-12.
The iconic Ferrari sold for £18,601,014 at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in California.
It was piloted by Carroll Shelby during his landmark 1956 and 1957 seasons when driving for the renowned Southern California-based team principal John Edgar.
And the Ferrari on sale was a highly original example retaining the matching-numbers engine, chassis, and body.
4) 2003 Ferrari F2003 GA
RM Sotheby’s Luxury Week auctionMichael Schumacher drove the legendary 2003 Ferrari F2003 GA[/caption]
This 2003 F2003-GA is the very car in which the legendary Michael Schumacher clinched his sixth World Championship title.
It is also the most successful Ferrari F2003-GA Grand Prix car ever built.
The flashy motor sold for a whopping £13,000,000 at the RM Sotheby’s Luxury Week auction in Geneva, Switzerland.
Boasting one of the final V-10s featured in Formula One, the car produces 930-bhp and a rev limit of an astonishing 19,000 rpm.
5) 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe
Gooding & Co’s Amelia Island auctionThe 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe is a motor masterpiece[/caption]
The aptly named ‘Teardrop’ is a rolling sculpture on wheels that both redefined automotive style and won top-level races.
It sold for just over £10million back in March 2022 at Gooding & Co’s Amelia Island auction in Florida, US.
The Teardrop was designers Figoni et Falaschi’s most coveted work, decorated with sensual curves which advertised speed without even moving.
This style was emphasized by the diminishing pontoon fenders, called ‘enveloppantes’ by Figoni, and a converging rear end that could be called a fastback.
6) 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Coupe
Gooding & Co’s Pebble Beach auctionThe Bugatti was snapped up for just under £9million[/caption]
The fine motor was snapped up at Gooding & Co’s Pebble Beach auction in California for just under £9million.
With a 3,257 CC DOHC Inline 8-Cylinder Engine, the Bugatti boasts an impressive estimated 220 BHP at 5,500 RPM.
It was one of the fastest production cars ever made before WWII and was far ahead of its time in many aspects.
Bugatti also installed a lightweight exhaust system, de Ram shock absorbers, and high compression pistons so it had everything it needed to out-perform the competition.
7) 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auctionThe 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster went for under £10million[/caption]
The exotic 1937 Mercedes 540K is one of three surviving long-tail, covered-spare Special Roadsters.
The impressive motor has it’s own claim to fame in history as it was originally delivered to King Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan.
The pricey Mercedes was picked up for £8,372,781 at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auction.
Streamlined and classy, the motor in question was also formerly owned by noted collectors Vernon Jarvis and Robert Bahre.
8) 1924 Hispano Suiza H6C Torpedo Roadster
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auctionThe ultra-light unique Hispano Suiza H6C Torpedo Roadster[/caption]
The ultra-lightweight, bespoke body was hand-crafted from tulipwood by Nieuport, maker of the 28 fighter plane used in dogfights during World War I.
It was built on an H6C Boulogne chassis powered by an 8-litre, 45-hp, H6C engine.
With its stunning mahogany coachwork, the masterpiece was picked up for £7,814,877 at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auction in California.
The classic motor was raced by Dubonnet in the 1924 Targa Florio and Coppa Florio.
9) 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Coupe
Gooding & Co’s London auctionA rare 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Coupe was worth millions[/caption]
The 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Coupe was one of the first Competition SWB Berlinettas built.
Auctioned off for £7,762,500 at Gooding & Co’s London auction, it represents a series of road-going, grand touring cars produced by Ferrari between 1954 and 1960.
It was driven by Hugus and Pabst to 7th Overall at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Boasting a 2,953 CC SOHC Tipo 168 V-12 Engine it has an estimated 280 horsepower at 7,000 RPM.
10) 1958 Maserati 450S Fantuzzi
RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022 auctionSold for £7.6m the 1958 Maserati 450S Fantuzzi is one of ten built[/caption]
Rounding off the top 10 is the incredible 1958 Maserati 450S Fantuzzi.
It was the ninth of 10 examples built, ordered through, and personally delivered by famed designer Carroll Shelby.
The £7.6million motor placed first overall at three SCCA regional events during 1958.
It also raced with great success during the 1959 USAC Road Racing Championship season.