Short answer
The most expensive cars in the world are, in practice, historic competition cars sold at public auction. This list uses the highest confirmed auction prices, with buyer's premium, in nominal US dollars. Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé leads at €135 million, roughly US$143 million.
- Data period
- 2014–2026
- Entries
- 10
- Comparison
- Auction price · US$ million
- Topic
- Luxury & expensive cars
Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World at a Glance
| Position | Car | Price | Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 |  | €135 million (≈US$143 million) | RM Sotheby's, Stuttgart, May 2022 |
| 02 |  | €51.155 million (≈US$53 million) | RM Sotheby's, Stuttgart, February 2025 |
| 03 |  | US$51.7 million | RM Sotheby's, New York, 2023 |
| 04 | | US$48.405 million | RM Sotheby's, Monterey, August 2018 |
| 05 |  | US$42.905 million | Gooding Christie's, Pebble Beach, August 2026 |
| 06 |  | US$40 million | RM Sotheby's, Monterey, August 2026 |
| 07 | | US$38.5 million | Mecum, Kissimmee, January 2026 |
| 08 | | US$38.115 million | Bonhams, Quail Lodge, August 2014 |
| 09 |  | €34.88 million (≈US$36 million) | RM Sotheby's, Paris, February 2025 |
| 10 |  | €32.075 million (US$35.7 million) | Artcurial, Paris, February 2016 |
No entries match your search.
The scale of the difference
Auction price · US$ million
First 10 entries shown. Bar lengths compare the magnitude of the reported values.
- Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé€135 million (≈US$143 million)
- Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen€51.155 million (≈US$53 million)
- Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO (chassis 3765)US$51.7 million
- Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis 3413 GT)US$48.405 million
- Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (CSX2300)US$42.905 million
- Ferrari Luce 'Tailor Made' (Chassis 0)US$40 million
- Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis 3729 GT, Bianco Speciale)US$38.5 million
- Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis 3851 GT)US$38.115 million
- Ferrari 250 LM (1964)€34.88 million (≈US$36 million)
- Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti€32.075 million (US$35.7 million)
Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World: Entry Details
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé
1955One of two coupés built by Mercedes-Benz and named after engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut. It sold at an invitation-only auction at the company museum in Stuttgart in May 2022.
- Sale
- RM Sotheby's, Stuttgart, May 2022
Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen
1954The streamlined 1954 Grand Prix car was sold from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum collection. It is the most valuable Grand Prix car sold.
- Sale
- RM Sotheby's, Stuttgart, February 2025
Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO (chassis 3765)
1962The only Series I GTO entered by the factory, run at Le Mans in 1962. It sold in New York in 2023 below its pre-sale estimate.
- Sale
- RM Sotheby's, New York, 2023
Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis 3413 GT)
1962The third of 36 GTOs built set the record for any car sold at auction in August 2018, until the 300 SLR surpassed it.
- Sale
- RM Sotheby's, Monterey, August 2018
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (CSX2300)
1964Built to beat Ferrari in GT racing, it was the only Daytona Coupe owned by Carroll Shelby. It is the most valuable American car sold at auction.
- Sale
- Gooding Christie's, Pebble Beach, August 2026
Ferrari Luce 'Tailor Made' (Chassis 0)
2026The first production Luce was sold for the Ferrari Foundation with the buyer's premium waived. It is the most valuable new car sold at auction.
- Sale
- RM Sotheby's, Monterey, August 2026
Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis 3729 GT, Bianco Speciale)
1962The only GTO finished in factory white sold for US$35 million at the hammer, below pre-sale talk of more than US$50 million.
- Sale
- Mecum, Kissimmee, January 2026
Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis 3851 GT)
1962The 2014 sale was a world auction record for any car and stood until the 2018 GTO sale.
- Sale
- Bonhams, Quail Lodge, August 2014
Ferrari 250 LM (1964)
1964The Chinetti/NART car raced at Le Mans in 1965. It sold in Paris against a €25 million estimate, with proceeds benefiting the Indianapolis museum.
- Sale
- RM Sotheby's, Paris, February 2025
Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti
1957A 1957 sports racer from the Pierre Bardinon collection. It set a euro and sterling auction record at Rétromobile in 2016.
- Sale
- Artcurial, Paris, February 2016
Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World: Analysis
Provenance and racing history drive the prices
Nine of the ten cars were built for competition, and the top two came from Mercedes-Benz. Singular provenance, such as the 300 SLR's status as one of only two coupés, explains the gap to the rest of the list better than age or performance alone.
Four GTO sales sit between US$38 million and US$52 million
The 250 GTO appears at positions 3, 4, 7 and 8. Prices depend on chassis history, and the 2026 white car sold below the 2023 and 2018 results, so the model alone does not set the price. The Luce shows a different route to the list, as a charity lot for a car not yet delivered.
Important context
- The 300 SLR sale is almost three times the second-placed Mercedes W 196 R.
- Ferrari 250 GTO accounts for four of the ten results, in four separate sales.
- The Ferrari Luce is the only new car in the list, sold for charity with the premium waived.
FAQ: Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World
What is the most expensive car ever sold?
The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, sold by RM Sotheby's in Stuttgart in May 2022 for €135 million, about US$143 million.
What is the most expensive Ferrari ever sold at auction?
Among the ten results, the 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO sold by RM Sotheby's in 2023 for US$51.7 million is the highest Ferrari price.
What is the most expensive new car sold at auction?
The first production Ferrari Luce, sold for US$40 million at RM Sotheby's Monterey in August 2026 with the buyer's premium waived.
Are private sales included?
No. Private sales are excluded because their prices are usually unconfirmed, so this ranking can differ from lists that include reported private deals.
Sources & methodology
Final prices at public auction, buyer's premium included unless stated, nominal and not adjusted for inflation. Each sale is one entry, so a model can appear more than once. Euro sales are converted at approximate rates on the sale date; the native price is shown. Private sales and unconfirmed prices are excluded.
Maintained by Artsiom Dusau, a software engineer and BMW 4 Series owner. Editorial policy
View sources (10)
- RM Sotheby's, 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for €135,000,000
- RM Sotheby's, Paris sale results including the W 196 R and 250 LM
- RM Sotheby's, 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO by Scaglietti lot result
- RM Sotheby's, 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for US$48.4 million
- Gooding Christie's, 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe lot result
- RM Sotheby's, 2026 Ferrari Luce Tailor Made lot
- RM Sotheby's, first Ferrari EV sells for US$40 million
- Mecum, Kissimmee 2026 auction results
- Bonhams, Ferrari 250 GTO achieves US$38,115,000 at Quail Lodge
- Artcurial, Rétromobile 2016 sale
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