German cars are noted for their high quality and luxury, not to mention their high price tags. In fact, with more than one-million citizens working in the automotive industry, it is one of the most significant and lucrative industries in the entire country. People love hearing about expensive cars, especially those of us who will never drive one, and below are 10 of the most expensive German cars as of March of 2021. (All prices are in U.S. dollars.)
Audi e-Tron Spyder ($2.7 million)
This slim and sleek car made its debut in 2010 at the Paris Motor Show. It has a 290 BHP twin turbo TDI 3.0-liter V6 diesel motor driving the rear wheels and two electric engines that manage the front wheels. It has the ability to go from 0 to 62 MPH in just 4.4 seconds, and it has a top speed of 155 MPH, which is quite a lot for a hybrid vehicle with electric engines. This is a sharp-looking vehicle that is usually pictured in colors such as silver, but the company displayed one at the 2011 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show that was bright red, and it was certainly an eye-catcher.
Volkswagen W12 ($3 million)
Also called the Volkswagen Nardo, this vehicle can get up to 62 MPH in just 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of roughly 222 MPH. Designed by Charlie Adair, the Volkswagen W12 was one of the fastest sports car concepts on the planet and weighs 2,646 lbs, making it lightweight compared to many other vehicles on the road. At the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, the company showed off one of these vehicles in a bright-orange color, which attracted a lot of attention.
BMW Nazca C2 ($3 million)
Also called the Italdesign Nazca C2, this was a 1992 concept sports car that has a top speed of 193 MPH. Some of its many features include semi gull-wing doors, a full glass top, and a construction made out of carbon fiber-strengthened polymer. It is essentially an upgrade of the 1991 Nazca M12. The frontal outline of the vehicle looks like a standard BMW, and it can go from 0 to 62 MPH in just 3.7 seconds. It also weighs 2,425 lbs, which means it is considered a lightweight vehicle.
Audi Rosemeyer ($3 million)
The Audi Rosemeyer was a concept car only and therefore never built. Throughout Europe in the year 2000, it debuted in numerous car shows. It boasts a large displacement, mid-mounted W16 motor that creates a whopping 700 HP, and a quattro permanent four-wheel-drive framework. The car was able to go from 0 to 62 MPH in just 3.6 seconds and boasted a top speed of 217 MPH. It also had a sleek design that made it just as attractive as it was functional.
Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA ($4 million)
Produced as a concept car in 2015, the IAA stands for “Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile.” In September of 2015 it was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and it has fundamental lines that make it look like a car from the future. It goes from 0 to 62 MPH in 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of around 155 MPH. It also has a 274 HP engine and weighs 3,968 lbs. But of course, its looks are what many people would likely buy it for because it is sleek, sporty-looking, and has sleek-looking wheels.
Porsche Mission E ($4 million)
With more than 600 HP, the Porsche Mission E can go from 0 to 62 MPH in 3.5 seconds and 0 to 124 MPH in just 12 seconds. With a top speed of 155 MPH, it also weighs more than 4,400 pounds and is a sleek, aerodynamically designed vehicle that is sure to draw attention wherever you go. Small and compact, it is a very sporty-looking vehicle that has a very futuristic appeal.
Audi Le Mans Quattro ($5 million)
Introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2003, the Le Mans Quattro has a top speed of 214 MPH and can go from 0 to 62 MPH in 3.6 seconds. The headlights and even the doors are uniquely shaped and look elegant, and it has a weight of 3,373 lbs. Audi came up with two other similar cars before this one, the Pikes Peak Quattro and the Nuvolari Quattro, and the Le Mans Quattro has even slicker details and an almost exotic look. This was the third and final concept car offered by Audi in 2003, and its style and technological details are sure to be used in future models as well.
Maybach Exelero ($8 million)
Produced in 2004, the Exelero offers a 700 HP engine and a top speed of 218 MPH. It can get up to 62 MPH in 4.4 seconds and its design is taken from one of the German sports cars that was around in the 1930s. You can tell as soon as you look at it how unique it is, and the black and orange colors used in the car are just as unique as its design. This four-seater also has a twin turbo V12 engine that was made at the request of Fulda Tires, which is the German division of Goodyear.
Mercedes McLaren SLR 999 Red Gold Dream ($10 million)
In a beautiful reddish-gold color and a great aerodynamic design, this car has a top speed of 211 MPH, which is very impressive. It can also get to 62 MPH in a mind-numbing three seconds, which is also impressive. It’s a very sporty-looking vehicle that is covered with 25 layers of red paint and 11 pounds of gold that give it an incredible design, and it took 35 men, 30,000 worker hours, and more than $4.8 million to come up with this extraordinary vehicle. No doubt anyone who buys it will be impressed by it.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W196S) ($43.5 million)
This car is no longer around but was all the rage in 1955. It had a top speed of 186 MPH and was a two-seat sports car racer that even won that year’s World Sportscar Championship. It got to 62 MPH in just 6.5 seconds and was super lightweight at only 1,984 lbs. In addition, it had a BHP weight of 344 BHP per ton. This was an amazing-looking white sports car that likely would’ve been worth even more money today.