Lamborghini Veneno. Photo credit: Automobili Lamborghini.
As human beings, we all love to noodle over what’s the biggest, what’s the highest, what’s the fastest, what’s the most expensive. That urge is what has kept the Guinness Book of World Records in business for nearly sixty years to date. Per that, we decided to pull together a few lists of extreme cars. Read on to see what we found...
Most expensive cars in the world
For this info, we turned to DigitalTrends.com’s article, Dream wheels: The top ten most expensive cars in the world (March 2014). The good news is that, if you can spare $845,000, then you can own the cheapest car on this list: the Porsche 918 Spyder. This hybrid boasts 887 horsepower, enough to go 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. “For comparison,” the article reads, “that’s faster than the money you’ll have to plunk down for this thing can leave your bank account.”
At the top of this list is the Lamborghini Veneno at $4 million – but, even if you had that kind of dough, all three cars have already been sold. If you can scrounge together another 500k, though, you still have a shot at one of the nine roadsters. Digital Trends calls the Lamborghini Veneno “simply jaw-dropping,” also with 0-60 capabilities, which is “probably faster than sound can leave your body during a terrified scream.”
Ten cheapest cars
Assuming that not everyone will have the $845,000 needed for the Porsche, we decided to include Jalopnik.com’s list of The Ten Cheapest Cars Ever Sold. The cheapest car available in the United States right now (says this December 2013 article) is the Nissan Versa at $12,780.
There are cheaper cars in this list, but these prices correspond to the release dates of the vehicles so:
- Yes, a 2007 KIA would have been free – but the catch was that you needed to buy a 2008 KIA at the same time.
- And, yes. A Ford Model T was a great bargain at $3,895 in 1923 but. That was more than 90 years ago.
- Even cheaper than a Model T was the Banner Boy Buckboard at $3,152 – but that photo kind of reminds me of my Big Wheel.
Rolls Royce 2013. Photo credit: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited.
Big daddies
The “car guys” at Zeroto60Times.com who write for “car guys” decided to define the largest cars as the longest, listing the top 50 in production today (2014 cars in the list). Is it any surprise that the top three are all Rolls?
- 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase: 239.8 inches
- 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan: 230 inches
- 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe: 220.9 inches
Those cars, though, don’t hold a candle to the 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 sedan at the astonishing length of 244.8 inches and the 2005 Maybach Exelro Coup at 245.3 inches.
Little dudes
As all good videos should, this one needs no introduction and is worth every minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJfSS0ZXYdo
Debate about the world’s fastest car
Autosaur.com has published what they call Fastest Car in The World: The ultimate guide (April 2014), where they examine claims of speed and provide their perspectives. They also clarify that, when talking about the fastest car in the world, they are meaning the fastest production car in the world. Otherwise, the Thrust SSC, a “jet-propelled car-rocket which broke the speed of sound and reached 763 mph (1,228 km/hr)” would have set the record on October 15, 1997.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74gthT8v1ds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSFX9vrwJf8
As an aside, this article is worth reading for the photos alone.
Tortoise, not the hare
In The Ten Slowest Cars That You Can Buy (October 2013), Jalopnik determines the slowest car by the time it takes to go 0-60 – and the slowest car is also, not surprisingly, the smallest car: the Peel P50. That’s because it goes to 60 mph . . . um, well, never. It tends to top out at about 35 mph.
In fact, you have to go to the fourth slowest car to find one that can go 60 mph – and that’s its maximum speed: the MIA Electric Car.
Oddballs
This post wouldn’t be complete without a look at some of the world’s strangest vehicles – and, for that, we turn to DarkRoastedBlend.com. Although written in 2007, this is an in-depth look at some very peculiar looking vehicles, complete with excellent photos and offbeat commentary:
• Part 1: The World’s Strangest Vehicles
• Part 2: The World’s Strangest Vehicles
• Part 3: The World’s Strangest Vehicles
• Part 4: The World’s Strangest Vehicles
Editor's note: What are the most extreme vehicles you've seen or driven? Let us know here.
