subject: What cars do billionaires drive? [print this page] Everyone's fantasised about itEveryone's fantasised about it. The lottery rollover advert appears on television and instantly your head's filled with dreams of just what you would buy if your lucky numbers came up. For some people however, being able to afford life's luxuries comes as part and parcel of being successful and financially secure and, in some cases, even spending more on a car than most people would ever earn in a lifetime. But with automotive technology reaching increasingly dizzying heights and supercar manufacturers constantly trying to out-do each other in the luxury stakes; just what cars do billionaires drive?
Putting aside vintage models, as there are far too many factors determining a classic car's price tag, from ownership to model number, here's a run down of some of the world's most expensive cars and why they're often seen with rich-list big names behind their wheels.
Looking only at street-legal cars that are currently in production, top of the list is the behemoth of all cars, the Bugatti Veyron. At $1,700,000 it is by far the most expensive and most powerful production car in the world, with Bugatti claiming that they actually make a significant loss on each car. With speeds of up to 253 mph, this is the fastest car available and coveted by the rich-list elite. Close behind however is the Ferrari Enzo which, at $1,000,000, is a supercar worthy of being named after the company's founder Enzo Ferrari. With carbon-ceramic brake discs and aerodynamic technology that isn't even allowed in Formula 1, this is the cream of the Ferrari crop.
When the seriously wealthy want heads to turn though, the Pagani Zonda is just the car for the job. A relative newcomer to the scene, having been introduced in just 2005, the Zonda retails for $741,000 and promises a 3.2 second acceleration to 60 mph and has a peerless power-to-weight ratio. It may be a bit of a mouthful, but that's not stopped oil Sheikhs and superstars ordering themselves a Koenigsegg CCX. With twin superchargers and a staggering 806 horse power engine, this US-regulated car will set you back a cool $600,910.
A list of supercars wouldn't be complete though without some of Germany's finest manufacturers making the cut. At $484,000 Porsche's Carrera GT propelled the company back into the big league after years of dumbed-down domestic offerings and, with a 5.7 V10 engine and a maximum speed of 206 mph, it's easy to see why. Similarly, when Mercedes and McLaren teamed up to build a supercar, no one expected the $455,500 SLR to be quite the demon it is.
However, for sheer luxury, nothing can beat the chauffeur-driven Maybach 62, which has its own scent neutraliser' or the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which is $320,000 worth of superb engineering. From chip resistant car windscreens to exotic leathers and hand-finished wood panelling; it seems nothing can get in the way of rich boys and their expensive toys.
