Most Expensive Cars in the World 2026: Top 10 Ranked by Price

As of October 2026, the most expensive car in the world is the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which sold for €135 million (about $143 million) at an RM Sotheby’s auction in May 2022. No car has come close since. The second most expensive, a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R Streamliner, made about $53.9 million in 2025.

This list ranks the ten most expensive cars by the price actually paid, mostly at public auction. We have also included two coachbuilt Rolls-Royce cars, whose prices are reported but not confirmed by the company. Two new entries arrived in 2026: a Ferrari 250 GTO sold by Mecum in January and the first Ferrari Luce, sold for charity in August.

The 10 most expensive cars in the world: summary table

1. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé: $143 million

Only two of these coupés were built. They were road-going versions of the 300 SLR racing car and are named after Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the Mercedes engineer who used one as his company car.

Also readMost Expensive Ferrari in the World: Top 10 Ranked for 2026

Mercedes-Benz sold one of the two at a private, invitation-only auction run by RM Sotheby’s in Stuttgart in May 2022. The price of €135 million is still the highest ever paid for a car. Mercedes kept the second car in its museum and used the money to fund a scholarship programme.

2. 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R Streamliner: $53.9 million

This is a Formula One car with full-width bodywork, built for fast circuits. Juan Manuel Fangio drove W196 cars to two world titles in 1954 and 1955.

RM Sotheby’s sold this Streamliner in Stuttgart in February 2025 for about $53.9 million. It became the most expensive racing car ever sold at auction and pushed every Ferrari down one place in the overall ranking.

3. 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO: $51.7 million

The Ferrari 250 GTO is the most valuable model family in the classic car market. Only 36 were built, and this example is unique because it was raced by the factory with a larger 4.0 litre engine at Le Mans in 1962.

RM Sotheby’s sold it in New York in November 2023 for $51.7 million, a record for a Ferrari at auction. For more Ferrari prices, see our list of the most expensive Ferraris in the world.

4. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO: $48.4 million

This GTO, chassis 3413 GT, sold at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale in August 2018 for $48.4 million. It held the record for the most expensive car sold at auction until the Uhlenhaut Coupé sale in 2022.

Its price set the benchmark for every GTO that has come to public auction since. Only 36 cars of the 250 GTO family were built between 1962 and 1964.

5. Ferrari Luce (Chassis 0): $40 million

The Luce is Ferrari’s first series-production electric car. It is a five-seat model with four electric motors and a quoted combined output of 1,050 horsepower.

The first car off the line, called Chassis 0, sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in August 2026. All proceeds went to The Ferrari Foundation for education projects. Motor1 and other outlets reported it as the most expensive new car ever sold at auction. Our list of the most expensive electric cars covers more battery-powered models.

6. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO: $38.5 million

Mecum sold another 250 GTO at its January 2026 auction for $38.5 million. It is one of the few GTOs to come to public auction in recent years, as most change hands privately.

The result was below the 2018 and 2023 records, but it shows that demand for the model remains strong. Prices for privately traded GTOs are not published.

7. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM: $36.3 million

The 250 LM was Ferrari’s mid-engined endurance racer of the mid-1960s. A 250 LM won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965, which was Ferrari’s last overall win there until 2023.

RM Sotheby’s sold this example in February 2025 for about $36.3 million. Only 32 were built.

8. McLaren F1 GTR: $34.6 million

The F1 GTR is the racing version of the McLaren F1 road car. It won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall in 1995 on its first attempt.

An F1 GTR led RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale in August 2026, selling for a reported $34.6 million, a record for a McLaren at auction. The weekend sale totalled about $380 million, according to RM Sotheby’s.

9. Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail: over $30 million (reported)

La Rose Noire is one of four Droptail roadsters built by Rolls-Royce Coachbuild for individual clients. It was shown in August 2023.

Rolls-Royce has not confirmed the price. Several reports put it above $30 million, and Sotheby’s Realty lists it at about $32 million. If those figures are right, it is the most expensive new car ever commissioned.

10. Rolls-Royce Boat Tail: about $28 million (reported)

The Boat Tail is a coachbuilt convertible with a rear deck that opens to reveal a hosting suite, including a parasol and a cooler for champagne. Three were made, the first shown in 2021.

The price was reported at about $28 million and was not confirmed by Rolls-Royce. For a time it was described as the most expensive new car in the world, until La Rose Noire took that title.

How we ranked these cars

We ranked cars by the price actually paid, using published auction results from RM Sotheby’s, Mecum and other auction houses. Euro sales are converted to US dollars at the rate reported at the time of sale.

Private sales are left out when the price has not been made public. The two Rolls-Royce cars are included with reported prices because they are widely cited, but their figures are estimates. One-off listings and concept cars without a confirmed buyer are not included.

Sources: List of most expensive cars sold at auction (Wikipedia), Motor1 on the Ferrari Luce sale, Motorious on RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2026, Sotheby’s Realty on bespoke car prices.