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The ten motor vehicles featured in this article are the most unbelievably expensive cars ever sold, all of which were purchased at auction, and amounting to more than $268 million in total.
California Spider
The 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, which sat in a French barn for more than 50 years before its discovery, sold in its original form, without any restoration work having been performed, for an astonishing $18.5 million at an auction in Artcurial in Paris.
Alfa Romeo Lungo Spider
The 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Lungo Spider, one of only three vehicles on the list to not come with a Ferrari badge, is a fabulous pre-war creation of performance and elegance, with this specific vehicle selling in August 2016 via Monterey’s RM Sotheby for $19,800,000.
Jaguar D-Type
The 1955 Jaguar D-Type was sold along with the Alfa Romeo Lungo Spider at the same RM Sotheby auction in August 2016 for a staggering $21,780,000. With a serial number of XKD 501, the vehicle won the 1956 Le Mans on account of its 3.4 litre. 285 horsepower inline-six engine which allowed the racer to hit a high speed of no less than 156 miles per hour while taking the Mulsanne straight.
Aston Martin
The 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 presently the most expensive car ever made in the United Kingdom sold at an auction, going for no less than an incredible $22,550,000 when sold last year in Monterey. The specific model sold was the first of just five factory-built creations.
Ferrari 275 Speciale
The 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale is a very special part of Ferrari history, being one of just three such models ever manufactured. It was used only on the road in spite of being initially designed as a racing vehicle, and was also the first such Ferrari car to come with independent rear suspension. Because of this historical importance the Speciale was sold in the August of 2014 for as much as $26,400,000.
Ferrari NART Spider
The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 S NART Spider (NART standing for North American Racing Team) is the fourth most expensive car ever sold at auction, but the number one most expensive road car, going for $27,500,000 at auction in August 2013. Just ten models were manufactured, with this specific vehicle remaining in the same family until the auction.
Ferrari 290 MM
The 1956 Ferrari 290 MM was manufactured in order to take part in the Italian Mille Miglia, with narrow fenders surrounding a V12 engine capable of generating more than 320 horsepower. This specific vehicle was sold in December 2015 at auction in NYC for $28,050,000.
Mercedes-Benz W196
The last vehicle on the list to not be a Ferrari, this was the most expensive car ever sold for one year after a July 2013 auction saw the vintage 50s Formula 1 car sell for $29,650,095.
1957 Ferrari 335 S
One of only four cars, this upgrade to the 315 S with V12 engine and 390 horsepower sold for $35,711,359 in February 2016.
Ferrari GT0
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $38,115,000 in August 2014, despite not being overly valuable back in the 1970s and this particular vehicle even having crashed twice in its days on the racetrack, but is now the most expensive car ever sold.
