The most expensive cars you can buy in America

Money doesn’t buy happiness.

In the car market, however, it gets you private jet-like luxury and an immense amount of horsepower in a package that usually looks the part. If you have a fat wallet, here are the most expensive cars available new in the United States. We start at a mere $288,845, and work our way up into the millions...

McLaren 720S ($288,845)

It’s easy to forget McLaren is relatively young as an auto-maker. The 720S launch marked the first time the British firm replaced an entire model family. It’s low-slung with a dramatic design and innovative features such as glass-roofed doors. If this is the path McLaren is taking, it bodes well for future of the company’s unique breed of sports cars.

Aston Martin Vanquish S ($298,000)

The most expensive member of Aston Martin’s current line-up is also one of the oldest cars the brand offers. The Vanquish S isn’t as sleek-looking or as cutting-edge as most of its direct rivals, and it’s even overshadowed by the smaller DB11, but it offers a different kind of driving experience many argue is more engaging. They’re in for a big disappointment, though: Aston Martin is preparing a replacement.

Porsche 911 GT2 RS ($294,250)

With the 918 Spyder out of production, the 700hp 911 GT2 RS proudly stands on the top rung of the Porsche line-up. The two couldn’t be more different. While the 918 was an advanced, gasoline-electric laboratory on wheels, the 911 GT2 RS is a no holds barred track car for the road that packs the most powerful engine Porsche has ever shoe-horned in a 911 at the factory.

Ferrari GTC4Lusso ($302,650)

The Ferrari GTC4Lusso is one of the fastest and most stylish ways to get four people and their gear up to a posh ski resort in the Alps or in the Rockies. It’s also the only Ferrari with four real seats, though that’s set to change soon: company executives recently confirmed that the Italian brand inevitably caved in and will introduce its first SUV in the coming years. 

Bentley Mulsanne ($307,000)

Though it’s a bargain compared to some of the other cars on this list, Bentley’s hand-built flagship model costs more than the average house in America, which sets buyers back about $200,000. Instead of bedrooms and bathrooms, the Mulsanne offers one of the most lavish interiors any company has ever put on four wheels and a V8 engine with locomotive-like torque.

Plan on spending at least another $30,000 for the more powerful Mulsanne Speed. Notable Mulsanne owners in America include Apple’s British-born design maestro Sir Jonathan Ive.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II ($308,300)

The first of many Rolls-Royce models on this list, the Ghost Series II is the Phantom’s smaller sibling. The styling looks familiar inside and out, as do the suicide doors that give the Ghost a dashing profile. The 6.6-liter V12 sends 563hp to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission that decides when to shift up or down after analyzing data received from the GPS. Clearly, wood and leather aren’t enough to build a modern super-luxury car.

Rolls-Royce Wraith ($317,700)

Rolls-Royce introduced the Wraith to bring the elegance and prestige it’s known for to younger buyers seeking to take their first steps in super-luxury car ownership. To that end, the firm made the Wraith more engaging to drive than any other model it has built in recent memory without sacrificing comfort. It rides - and looks - like a Rolls-Royce should with a price tag to match.

Ferrari 812 Superfast ($335,275)

Any brand claiming to have built the fastest and most powerful car in its history would gather at least a nominal amount of attention. When Ferrari makes that claim, the entire industry sits up and takes notice. The 812 Superfast lives up to its name with a 6.5-liter V12 that makes 800hp, more than any of its predecessors with the exception of limited-edition models. It’s also super-expensive but that name would have had less of a ring to it. 

Rolls-Royce Dawn ($343,875)

The Dawn is your only option if you want a new Rolls-Royce without a top. Based on the Wraith, it boasts the understatedly elegant design buyers have come to expect from a Rolls-Royce, a powerful 12-cylinder engine and the so-called magic carpet ride offered by every car in the company’s line-up. 

Lamborghini Aventador S ($424,845)

The Lamborghini Aventador S costs over twice as much as the Huracán, its smaller sibling. While the competition moved on to hybrid powertrains, turbocharged engines or both, in some cases, the Aventador remains delightfully old-school with a naturally-aspirated V12 engine. It also comes with the attention-grabbing, entrance-making scissor doors inaugurated by the Countach.

It’s entirely possible to spend more money on a Lamborghini. In 2014, the Italian brand charged at least $4.5 million for each of the nine examples of the Veneno Roadster it made by hand. The firm recently focused the bulk of its attention on the Urus SUV, its newest model, but it’s only a matter of time before we see another berserk limited-edition model priced into the seven digits.

Ford GT ($450,000)

The Ford GT was America’s worst-kept secret in the months leading up to its debut. We already knew what to expect when the sheet came off at the Detroit Auto Show. That Ford would enter the GT in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and beat Ferrari 50 years after its first win came as a surprise, though.

Ford is allocating GTs on a first-come, first-served basis. To buy one, you need to fill out an application that details the other high-end models you own and what you plan on doing with the car. Ford wants to make sure most GTs end up in the hands of enthusiasts who will drive them, rather than in the heated garages of folks who will wait until they appreciate in value to sell them.

Rolls-Royce Phantom ($450,000)

Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy emblem is an internationally recognized symbol of “I’ve got it made,” especially when it travels on the chrome-festooned front end of a Phantom. After driving the brand-new Phantom, we concluded it’s the pinnacle of motoring luxury.

McLaren Senna ($959,000)

McLaren developed the Senna as a street-legal race car with a function-over-form design that’s certain to fuel pub talk for nights on end. Its chassis and its body panels are made with carbon fiber to give the Senna a better power-to-weight ratio than the vaunted P1.

While McLaren remains committed to hybrid technology, the Senna eschews electrification in favor of a mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine tuned to provide 789hp. The firm filled the 500 available build slots before starting production, which reflects an ongoing trend in the upper echelons of the new car market.

Hennessey Venom F5 ($1.6 million)

Who said every high-end, super-fast hypercar has to come from Europe? American tuner-turned-auto-maker Hennessey wants to play in the big kids’ court with the Venom F5, which made its debut last year. It’s entirely new from the ground up, unlike the loosely Lotus-based model it replaces.

Hennessey forecasts the twin-turbocharged, 1600hp V8 can send the Venom F5 to over 300 mph, though it hasn’t verified its prediction yet. Production will be limited to 24 examples.

Koenigsegg Agera RS (about $1.7 million)

With wings and a wrap-around windshield, the Koenigesgg Agera RS looks like a sports car-fighter jet cross. The manufacturer explains it’s a track car designed to equally at home on the road. It offers a usable trunk and a removable hard top, plus the added benefit of 1160hp from a V8 engine. Surprisingly, the eight-cylinder achieves that figure even when it burns regular pump gas. Koenigsegg sold nearly half of the 25-car production run before unveiling the car to the public.

Koenigsegg Regera (about $2.2 million)

Koenigsegg told Autocar it doesn’t like talking about money. Without going into specific details, the firm added the Regera starts at over $2 million but very few cars actually sell at that price. Buyers regularly add extra-cost options and customize their soon-to-be pride and joy before production begins.

If you want one, your only choice is to browse the classifieds. Last year, Koenigsegg announced the 80 examples of the Regera it planned on building were all spoken for. 

Pagani Huayra Roadster ($2.4 million)

Pagani developed the Huayra Roadster for well-heeled drivers who consider the Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta a little bit too mundane. Like the less expensive closed-top Huayra, the Roadster relies on carbon fiber to keep its weight in check and active aerodynamics to stay glued to the road. Power comes from a V12 engine borrowed from Mercedes-AMG and twin-turbocharged to 764hp.

Collectors, rappers, investors and athletes already snatched up the 100-strong production run announced by Pagani.

McLaren BP23 (about $2.4 million)

For years, fans asked McLaren for a successor to its famous F1. At first, the brand had no interest in reviving the past. It changed its mind when a collector commissioned the car, which is now called BP23 internally. As word got out and orders poured in, the one-of-a-kind three-seater turned into a limited-edition model. McLaren bumped production to 12 examples, again to 46 and finally settled on 106.

We haven’t seen the BP23 yet but it sounds like a worthy tribute to the F1. McLaren boss Mike Flewitt promised it will be the fastest, most powerful car the brand has ever built, topping even the Senna and the P1. The coupe’s swoopy body will wrap around a V8-electric hybrid powertrain. Production could start before the end of the year.

Mercedes-AMG Project One ($2.5 million)

To create the Project One, Mercedes-AMG took technology bred during Formula One races and placed it in the body of a car that’s barely street-legal. It uses a 1.6-liter V6, which hardly sounds impressive for a car of this caliber until you realize it’s closely related to the unit found in AMG’s championship-winning W08. In this application, it works with in-wheel electric motors to make 1000hp.

Mercedes-AMG will begin Project One production next year. The company has already hand-selected the 275 customers whose lavish garage the hybrid hypercar will end up in.

Aston Martin Valkyrie ($2.6 million)

Aston Martin teamed up with Red Bull Racing to make its dream of competing in the hypercar segment a reality. Valkyrie production hasn’t started yet - though it’s already sold out - so technical specifications are subject to change. As it stands, it uses a 1000hp gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain built around a V12 engine. Its biggest rival in terms of performance, exclusivity and price will be the Project One.

Each car will be unique, and we’re not talking about the paint or the stitching on the seats. The driver’s seat isn’t adjustable, so Aston Martin is going through the painstakingly long process of measuring each one of the 150 buyers to manufacture a tailor-made seat.

Bugatti Chiron ($3 million)

With a mighty 1500hp on tap, the Bugatti Chiron remains the most expensive car available new. Its relatively understated design hides an evolution of the Veyron’s 16-cylinder, quad-turbocharged engine. Bugatti claims the Chiron can flirt with 261 mph if it has enough tarmac to stretch its legs.

Bugatti’s French factory has already completed half of the production run, which is strictly limited to 500 cars. We suggest interested buyers speak up sooner rather than later. Don’t wait for the roadster version; Bugatti told Autocar it’s not happening. 

Up, up and away

The car market doesn’t stop at the Chiron. Many auto-makers offer programs that let buyers design the car of their dream, down to even the most minute details, if they’re willing to foot the bill. Last year, Rolls-Royce made headline by unveiling a one-off model named Sweptail (pictured) that cost approximately $13 million to develop and build. For some, that’s just spare change.

Classic car prices from recent auctions suggest there is hardly a limit to how much enthusiasts are willing to spend on a car when they consider it a work of art on wheels. Auction house RM Sotheby’s sold a 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 for the eye-wateringly expensive sum of $22 million. Not long after, an enthusiast spent $15 million on a McLaren F1.