What makes a car, well, a car? Four wheels, an engine, and two doors? Or is it something more than that? A lot of different vehicles are classified as “cars”; everything from a Honda Civic to a Rolls Royce Phantom. Both of those examples have an engine, have doors, seats, and serve as a means of transportation. One of the differences, however, would be price. There are plenty of great cars that cost under $30,000 dollars…and there are plenty of great cars that cost $1 million or more. So why would anyone spend $1 million on a car? Is that extremely foolish, or actually a good idea? We all know that cars depreciate from the moment they roll off the lot, and there are many additional expense that go with owning and operating a car. The cost to repair, insure, and maintain a $1 million dollar car versus a $24,000 dollar car vary greatly. Suddenly it seems like a strange thing to spend so much money on a vehicle that could potentially be ruined in a car accident. So let’s go over some reasons as to why you would pay $1 million for a car.
The Exclusivity Factor
Cars that cost at least $1 million dollars are in a league of their own. More often than not, these types of vehicles are produced in extremely limited numbers and are very exclusive. This is one of the reasons why people choose to spend this kind of money on a motor vehicle. The roads are filled with Toyota Corollas, Ford Mustangs, and Volkswagen Golfs, however there are very few Aston Martin One-77’s on the road. Actually there are only 77 to be precise, as that is only how many Aston Martin ever made. So one of the attractive elements to owning a $1 million dollar car is because it’s exclusive; you want to stand out from the rest. Driving a car that costs this much gives you entrance into a select “club” of automobile aficionados. I remember when I was a young boy and I went to a local car show in my area where various drivers and car owners attended to show off their rides. There were old Camaros, modified sports cars, and high-end Porsches; cool cars by anyones standards. Then a Lamborghini Murcielago showed up. That’s not even a $1 million dollar car or a limited edition one. However when that vehicle showed up, the crowds attention immediately shifted to the Lambo. It was as if the other vehicles simply did not exist, which leads me to the next point.
The Attention Factor
Whether you like to admit it or not, a considerably draw to owning and driving a $1 million dollar car is the attention that goes along with it. Pretty much any car over the $100,000 dollar mark will attract attention, but sometimes you just really want to turn heads. You could virtually know nothing about automobiles, car brands, and which car is expensive, but when a Lamborghini Sesto Elemento pulls up next to you, all eyes are on that futuristic spaceship-like vehicle and you just know that it’s amazing. Supercars by their very nature are attention grabbers, and your $1 million dollar vehicle will be photographed often, whether it’s a Rolls-Royce or a Ferrari. The attention factor is not the primary reason you purchase a car for this much, however it is a factor that plays an important significance.
Because You Can
For some, the only reason to purchase a car that costs $1 million is because you simply can. Weather you’re a trust-fund baby, a prominent actor, or a self-made millionaire, you’re one of the select few that can actually afford cars that cost this much. A bespoke, $1 million dollar Rolls-Royce Phantom makes for the perfect vehicle to display your affluence. A million dollar vehicle is just a drop in the bucket for you. You already have a multi-million dollar private jet, a home in Beverly Hills, a vacation house in Cabo, and a wardrobed that is made entirely from high-end Italian fashion brands. You may as well purchase a high-end car to match your lifestyle right? For some, owning a car this much is a stament, one that says “look what I have accomplished”. But the most important reason why anyone buys a $1 million dollar car is because….
You Love Cars
Outside of wanting to drive something different or fishing for compliments, the most important reason that anyone purchases a $1 million dollar car is because they just love automobiles. For them, driving is not a chore or a means of transportation, it’s a passion. You love driving, you love cool cars, and you want something that will quench your thirst. If you seek the best driving experience imaginable and a car that offers the complete package (looks, performance, features, etc.), there really is no better option than a $1 million dollar supercar. Take the McLaren P1 for example. This $1.15 million dollar car is arguably the culmination of all the advancements seen in cars since the first modern car was created over 100 years ago. It’s been designed by scientists and leading engineers to feature everything that cars have to offer up to this point in time. It’s a plug-in hypercar that offers both a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine and an electric engine to power the vehicle; it has 903hp in total. 0-60mph is achieved in less than 2.8 seconds and it has a top speed of 217mph and it has been designed to destroy race tracks. It’s made from carbon fiber and titanium, it has an advanced computer driving system, its filled with luxury features, its spoiler knows exactly when to raise itself based on the environment, in addition to a host of other amazing features that the P1 has to offer. A car as impressive as this, one that offers arguably the best driving experience around, can realistically only be a million dollar vehicle. The main reason that anyone purchases a vehicle for $1 million dollars, is simply because they just love to drive, and what better way to drive around than in a $1 million dollar car?
Photos from Ferrari, Aston Matin, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, McLaren
