They are not called supercars for nothing. Performance, looks and speed may be the leading criteria, but it also adds up to a price tag that?s way above normal, even by luxury car standards. Here are some of the costliest cars released this year.
Lamborghini Veneno ($4.5 million)
A revered brand by sportscar enthusiasts, the Veneno Roadster has a massive 750hp, 6.5-litre, 12-cylinder engine that gets the car from 0 to 62 mph (100 kmph) in just 2.9 seconds. Carbon-fibre dominates the interior and is visible inside the car around the central tunnel and sills. The asking price of $4.5 million is because this is a limited-edition. Lamborghini says it plans to build only nine Lamborghini Veneno Roadsters in 2014. The top speed is 220 mph, thanks to its lightweight body design and extensive use of carbon fibre-reinforced polymers.
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse ($2.5 million)
France is known for its sedate but stylish sedans and this is the first time that the country has produced a true supercar. When the Bugatti Veyron was launched in 2005, it was the fastest legal road car and now it has a new model on sale, the 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. The 1,200hp, 8-litre, 16-cylinder engine makes this the ?fastest production roadster in the world?, having reached a top speed of 255.5 mph. What makes it so expensive is that only 50 cars are available worldwide in 2014 and the total planned production is 450.
Koenigsegg Agera S ($1.5 million)
Sweden is another country that people associate with safe, sturdy but boring cars till this came along. The Koenigsegg has a massive 1,030hp, twin-turbo,
5.0-litre V-8 engine and can get from 0 to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds. The model features Aircore hollow carbon-fibre wheels, upgraded power and enhanced aerodynamics. The Agera S is like all Koenigsegg cars, the only true roadster hypercars out there with a detachable and stowable hardtop, thereby offering the best of two worlds. This, in combination with 120 litres of luggage space, combines extreme performance with everyday usability.
Pagani Huayra ($1.3 million)
Gorgeous to look at, this Italian supercar is for those who have grown bored with mere Ferraris, Lamborghinis and even a Bugatti. This is a hardcore machine for discriminating connoisseurs with very deep pockets. Brilliantly quick (0 to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds) and almost freakishly aggressive, it?s a car that is aptly named (after the Inca?s ?God of Winds?) and powered by an AMG 6.0-litre V12 engine with two turbochargers. Its top speed is 230 mph. The styling is very Pagani, with gullwing doors, the patented Pagani antenna/side mirrors and some of the best leatherwork you will see inside an auto. It?s a special breed of exotic supercars; some may even call it a hypercar.
Hennessey Venom GT ($1. 2 million)
Though this is officially a British car, its factory is based in Texas. It comes with a twin-turbo V-8 engine that can take the car from 0 to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds. The makers claim that the Hennessey Venom GT set a Guinness World record time of 13.63 seconds from zero to 300 kph, or 186 mph. It has, so far, sold 11 Venom GTs around the world and the
company plans to build only 29 cars in total. The Hennessey Venom GT?s design is based on the Lotus Elise roadster and Exige coupe model, although Hennessey Performance and the Venom GT have no association with Lotus Cars.
Porsche 918 Spyder ($878,000)
One of the most envied sportscars ever made, Porsche has added considerably to Germany?s auto brand value. The new version is a hybrid and comes with two electric motors apart from the 887hp, 4.6-litre V-8 engine. It can still get from 0 to 62 in 2.5 seconds on the gasoline power train and comes with rear-wheel steering, where the rear wheels adjust in turns. It can go up to 19 miles on battery power. Like its normal racers, the Porsche 918 Spyder is largely built of lightweight but strong carbon fibre-reinforced polymer and the racing-oriented Weissach Package of options boost the price to $929,000.
Ferrari F12berlinetta ($315, 888)
No list of supercars will be complete without a Ferrari and the famed Italian company says this model has the fastest acceleration of any road-going Ferrari, thanks to the 740hp, 6.3-litre, V-12 engine, which takes the stunning-looking car from 0 to 62 mph in a mere 3.1 seconds. Its wheelbase is shorter, the engine and driver seats have been lowered and the rear is more compact, thanks to the new suspension and gearbox layout. It is a shorter, lower and narrower car than the previous V12 coupe. The Ferrari F12berlinetta (it is all one word) has a top speed of over 211 mph.
