High Roller Rides
By Matt DeLorenzo
Swiss bank accounts, high-end watches, exclusive spas, Geneva has it all to cater to the super rich. The auto show is no exception. Crowded cheek-by-jowl in the Palexpo are the world’s most expensive rides….as the old saying goes, if you have to ask how much, you can’t afford it.
So, you’re the grand marshal of a parade and you want to bring your own vehicle. The perfect ride for giving the royal wave is the Maybach Landaulet. Patterned after the grand classics of the 1930s, the driver up front is covered by a hardtop, while the passenger compartment has a foldaway top.
For those who like open-air driving on a more personal scale, the Alfa Romeo 8C Convertible is a fun and sexy way to get those kicks. The drop-top version of the 8C Competizione retains that car’s sleek lines and ample get-up-and-go from the 450-horsepower V-8.
If open-top motoring is not your thing, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe could be just the ticket. The coupe started life as the Drophead (convertible) version of the Phantom, so it retains that model’s unusual suicide doors and an extremely stiff body structure. Power comes from a 453-bhp 6.75-liter V-12.
Brooklands is a famed racing oval in England, so if a car is so named, it must promise swift motoring. Such is the mission of the Bentley Brooklands, a massive 4-place coupe that not only provides high speed thrills, but also transports its occupants in the lap of luxury.
While Mercedes-Benz has Maybach to cater to the high-buck crowd, its flagship two-seater is no slouch when it comes to satisfying the whims of the wealthy. The Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG is not only redesigned for the 2009 model year, but also boasts a much higher level of performance thanks to the hand-built 6.3-liter V-8 nestled beneath the hood.
One of the most expensive cars in the world is the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4. Last year, the legendary marque offered a special edition called the Pur Sang of which only five were built. Now comes a second limited-edition model, the Bugatti Veyron Hermes, done in conjunction with the legendary Paris design house. High style and 1000 horsepower from a 16-cylinder engine…what’s not to like?
