If you believe a car’s sole purpose is to take you from A to B, then click away now. Seriously, if you don’t appreciated cars for their design, for their cultural cache, for the way they make you feel, you need not read on.
But, if you appreciate these cars for more than their practicality, then this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed may be of interest to you. For, as well as the usual pageantry, pomp and ear-blisteringly loud racing, there are also a selection of the world’s best modern supercars up for auction. These are four-wheeled pin-ups, and guaranteed to bring out the wide-eyed schoolboy in all of us.
2012 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, from £1.6 million
The world’s fastest street-legal production car, with a top speed of nearly 267mph, is a contender for the top lot in an already hot-contested auction. With only 550 miles on the clock, there is much enjoyment to be had from this car still, and boasting one of the most recognisable silhouettes in the automotive industry, it’s a vehicle that can turn heads even when passing by in the blink of an eye.
As you’re probably aware, the Veyron was the brainchild of Ferdinand Piech, the CEO of the Volkswagen group in 1998 when they purchased the Bugatti brand. Creating a car that had 1000 horsepower, could reach 250mph and cost €1 million was no easy feat, and took seven years of tireless work and research, but the car has taken the supercar world by storm since its launch. It’s peak excess, and that’s why we love it.
2011 Aston Marin One 77 Q-Series, from £1.6 million
This is one seriously rare supercar. And what makes it better? It’s an Aston Martin. Only seven of these beautiful machines were made and, as with the Veyron, this has an incredibly low mileage, with just 330 kilometres on the clock.
The racing pedigree that comes with this car also has to be experienced to be believed, with a top speed of over 220 mph creating a driving experience that would make even Bond blush. Pulling away in this future icon would surely make you feel one part millionaire, one part racing driver and one part secret agent; in short, what we all wanted to grow up to become.
2014 McLaren P1, from £1.3 million
An incredible example of one of the purest supercars ever created, the legendary P1 will whisk you up to 217 mph without so much as a tyre squeal. Once more, the mileage drops — this time an infinitesimal 80 miles — and in try McLaren form, the vibrant, playful orange will soon afford a new owner the chance to stand out on the road.
This model also stands out from the rest of the auction as it is a hybrid. Many supercars and hypercars are now following in the tyre tracks of McLaren, and blending petrol and electric technology, but here is where the magic started. A true piece of automotive history, this is a serious piece of kit.
2016 Pagani Huyar, from £1.3 million
Named after the South American God of Wind, this car will blow you away. From the relatively small Pagani, it packs an impressive punch and boasts a top speed of 238 mph thanks to an AMG twin-turbocharged 6-litre V12. That’s enough to get you from 0-60 in just 2.8 seconds.
But, even at a standstill the Huyar can take your breath away. With gull-wing doors and that signature 4-pipe square exhaust, this is an eye-catching lot. And driving it away from Goodwood will be even funner — a speedometer that challenges you to hit the heady heights of 260 mph is a challenge in the dashboard…
Looking for more gear? Here’s our Editor’s Picks from this week…
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