What is the most expensive car in the world? You'll probably never get a straight answer to that question. There are so many different answers - and although we can't definitively say what the priciest motor in the world is, we can tell you about some of the most expensive cars out there.
If you want to find out about the most amount of money ever spent on a car, classic cars are definitely the place to start. Our list of the most expensive cars sold at auction is the definitive place to find the top prices ever paid - but there are some reports of private sales involving classic cars and amounts up to £25million. The most that we know has been paid for a car in a public auction, though, is nearly £23m on a Ferrari 250 GTO.
Image 2 of 19
So that's auctions for classic cars but what about brand new metal? It's rare that we get a hard figure on the actual price of trully high-end cars, but we've put together a list of some of the most expensive cars in the world below to give you an idea of what the super-rich are spending their car budgets on on these days.
Predictably, if you really want to blow a lot of money on a new car, it's the hypercars that should be the focus of your attention.
The hypercars
Image 4 of 19
When you think of mind-bogglingly expensive cars, the McLaren P1, Porsche 918 and Ferrari LaFerrari will always be near the top of the list - these three hypercars have been grabbing headlines for years now. All have advanced hybrid powertrains, providing huge amounts of power and even decent fuel economy. All three have eye-watering price tags, too.
Image 5 of 19
The Porsche 918 is the cheapest of the trio, with even the most expensive version (featuring the Weissach Package, which makes the 918 even lighter and faster) costing around £625,000. The McLaren P1 and LaFerrari both cost around £1million, with the Ferrari being the most expensive model of the three as standard. In fact one owner has reportedly put his up for sale on the used market for $5million (£3.2m) in the US.
McLaren P1 GTR & Ferrari FXX K
Image 7 of 19
Once you've got your hands on a £1million McLaren or Ferrari, you might be allowed to buy one of their hardcore track-only variants. These models are definitely in the running for being the most expensive new cars in the world right now - the Ferrari FXX K is priced at around £1.8million (plus tax), while the McLaren P1 GTR costs a cool £1.98million.
With 986bhp and all of the road-focused parts stripped out, the P1 GTR sits alongside the Formula 1 race cars as the most extreme model McLaren builds. It's only available to people who already have a McLaren P1, and comes with an extensive driver training program and a team of engineers. Only 45 will be built, so get your order in now.
Image 8 of 19
The Ferrari FXX K has a similar arrangement - you get two years of training, racing and maintenance from Ferrari, and the car can only be driven on the track. With over 1,000bhp, potential buyers should be pretty happy with the performance on offer, and with 540kg of downforce at 125mph it won't be lacking grip, either.
Bugatti Veyron
Image 9 of 19
In the last few years the Bugatti Veyron's title as the world's fastest production car has been under attack, but its reputation as being one of the most over-the-top luxury hypercars ever will never go away. It's probably one of the first cars a petrolhead will think of when it comes to the most expensive cars in the world, and it's certainly up there - a £1.8million sticker price on the Veyron Ettore Bugatti was proof of that.
Famously the VW Group lost money on each Veyron sold, since the production costs were so high - that coupled with the recent emissions scandal means it's looking less likely that we'll see anything else like it soon.
The fastest car in the world?
Image 10 of 19
The Hennessey Venom GT is unofficially the fastest car in the world, with a technicality meaning the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport keeps the official title for now. However the American challenger is a bargain basement £775,000, so only gets a passing mention here.
Image 11 of 19
The untested Koenigsegg One:1 is more worthy of a spot in the most expensive cars list. It costs around £1.3million and has a power to weight ratio of 1:1 - hence the name. With 1,322bhp, it's the most powerful road car in the world and looks likely to set a new speed record for production cars.
Image 12 of 19
Koenigsegg has another model that deserves a place here, and although it's not as fast as the One:1, the CCXR Trevita is a whole lot more expensive. Only two were ever built, with one sold for $4.8million in the US (about £3.1million).
Lamborghini Veneno
Image 13 of 19
If you've got some serious cash and want everyone to know how you've spent it, the Lamborghini Veneno could be the hypercar for you. With a 740bhp 6.5-litre V12 on board it will make sure your neighbours never get another lie-in, and the completely over-the-top looks will make you a constant centre of attention.
The Veneno really should have a trailer to carry its owner's giant wallet but maybe that was deemed unnecessary as buying this car would shrink anyone's cash reserves to the tune of £3million.
Low-volume hypercars
Image 18 of 19
There are a handful of small manufacturers around the world that build massively powerful hypercars to appeal to those who feel like a top-end Ferrari or Lamborghini is too mainstream. Cars like the Trion Nemesis, Zenvo ST1, Icona Vulcano and even a new model from British brand Lister will all put a giant hole in your bank account.
Buyers will need to stump up £2.2million to buy the pictured Lykan Hypersport, despite the brand being relatively unknown - a risk that only the richest car fans in the world will be able to take.
Image 19 of 19
There's one final car to mention, though - the Maybach Exelero. You've got virtually no chance of buying one even if you had the £5.2million it was sold for ready in a steel briefcase. Only one was ever one built and it's impossible to know how much it's worth now.
If you could pick one of these super expensive cars, which would buy? Join the debate in the comments section below...