2022’s Five Most Expensive Cars Sold!
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January 15, 2023The year 2022 was a year of celebration for those who have the fortune to own the world’s most expensive automobiles. With so many numbers pouring in, we needed to identify this year’s most fortunate gearheads. Without further ado, then, here are 2022’s Top 5 most expensive selling vehicles.
A 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe
From the bottom up, we discovered a brand that may be unfamiliar to many auto enthusiasts: Talbot-Lago. More accurately, the Goutte d’Eau was the common name for the Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe back then (a drop of water).
After acquiring Talbot’s rights in 1936, Italian engineer Antonio Lago ran the show at the French manufacturer based on the outskirts of Paris, Talbot-Lago, which produced a wide range of models, from race cars to luxury automobiles.
Curves and proportions of the Figoni et Falaschi-designed Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe would make a splash at the 1937 New York Auto Show. These buildings, like the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, were recently constructed and drew inspiration from Art Deco.
At Gooding & Co.’s Amelia Island Auction in Florida on March 4, this art-deco era classic fetched an astounding sum of £10,149,694, which made headlines around the world and placed it at number five on our list.
2003 Ferrari F2003 GA
A Formula One racing machine comes at fourth. It was instrumental in establishing Ferrari’s supremacy in the early 2000s. Rory Byrne designed the Ferrari F2003 GA, which Ross Brawn oversaw in terms of technical details, and debuted at the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix.
This would be the same Ross Brawn who, in 2009, purchased the Honda F1 team in an effort to lead his legendary Brawn F1 Team to a Formula One World Championship. To get back to Ferrari, this model was crucial to the team’s success in the Constructors’ Championship and Michael Schumacher’s sixth Formula One world championship.
This Ferrari F1 racecar set a record at an RM Sotheby’s auction by selling for nearly $15 million dollars ($14,630,000), more than twice the $7.504,000 paid in 2017 for another Ferrari F1, the F2001, which played a role in the Scuderia’s 2001 and 2002 victories with the legendary Michael Schumacher behind the wheel.
1955 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Sport Spider
At number three, we have the 1955 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Sport Spider, another prancing horse created by Sergio Scaglietti. It is one of only two 410 Sports to receive a finely tuned 4.9-liter V12 engine, but its pristine condition belies its racing heritage.
In 1956, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio piloted this prancing horse at the Buenos Aires 1000 Km race, and in 1956 and 1957, the legendary Carrol Shelby drove it during his most prolific racing season, which gave the American eight victories and ten podium finishes. This Ferrari entered 40 races between 1956 and 1958, with 11 victories and 19 podium finishes.
True racing memorabilia, this vehicle fetched nearly $22.5 million at an RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in California ($22,427,149 to be exact).
1998 McLaren F1
Our list continues with the McLaren F1, a car that revolutionized the industry and served as a forerunner for vehicles in the 21st century. From 1993 to 1998, Formula One cars were produced, and during that time they shocked the automotive world with their innovative design and unprecedented performance. Practically speaking, it was a game-changer for regular use. However, the supercar gained notoriety for its unique three-seat cockpit, in which the driver occupies the sole front seat.
This vehicle was years ahead of its time; in 2005, after it had been taken out of production, the Koenigsegg CCR surpassed its top speed of 386.7 km/h (240 mph), making it the fastest production car in the world. This example is one of only 84 street-legal F1s ever produced and has been driven a total of 26,393 kilometers by its two previous owners. Sold at a sealed bid auction by RM Sotheby’s for over $25.5 million. If you think that’s ridiculous, check out the top spot on our list.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR ‘Uhlenhaut Coupe’
At the top of the list, we have a very special Mercedes-Benz, auctioned on May 5 at RM Sotheby’s Uhlenhaut sale in Germany. First, let’s talk about how much this car sold for: a cool $139,000,000! More than five times as much as the second-most expensive car, a McLaren F1, and more than twice as much as the most expensive car ever sold, a 1962 Ferrari GTO.
Designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, thus this car’s nickname, this adaptation of the 1955 300 SLR racecar represents the very cutting edge of this decade’s racing engineering. This Coupe, which could reach speeds of up to 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour), was the world’s fastest street-legal vehicle when it was released. This specific example was always kept by Mercedes, and it was completely restored, top to bottom, by the racing specialist, Tony Merrick, in 1986.
