Most react to $1 million dollar supercars negatively. They say and write that these cars are a rip-off, meaningless, silly, gaudy, etc. Recent examples are the Lamborghini Reventon and Aston Martin One-77. They are a good idea for the companies that make them and the owners that buy them.
One big question is who buys these things? Industrialists, billionaires, and those with a net worth most likely well over $100 million dollars buy them. Yacht sales have increased, why not ultra-expensive cars too? And you know what? They are absolutely entitled to it. If you earn your money legally, spend it however you want, period.
Keep in mind there are many, many million-dollar cars shown many times a year at the Concours D'elegances around the country. There are four in Northern California alone. The advantage with these modern cars vs. "other" million dollar cars is they can be driven with enthusiasm and safety on modern roads with high speed limits in great comfort. I doubt many do that in the skinny-tired antiques from the 1920s.
And what about purpose-built race cars? Sure they provide entertainment but they cost millions of dollars plural! They are not street legal, require exquisite care and maintenance and if anything, are infinitely more silly and gaudy. So if they are exempt from scorn, so should the street-legal cars.
The Reventon and One-77 can be driven to the country club, the yacht club, exclusive dinners, parties and charity events and of course those car shows too! Not only can the owners enjoy them, but it's also an opportunity for exclusivity and a little bit of immortality. Which Lamborghini model will be invited to the lawn at Pebble Beach 40 years from now? Probably not the excellent but comparatively pedestrian Gallardo but we can count on the Reventon. I find it a little sad and disenchanting to see so many mass-produced supercars advertised for sale all the time in the DuPont Registry or AutoWeek. But we won't see much of these million dollar babies for sale very often!
The factory has an equal benefit as well. They have possibly new customers that will be loyal, very affluent and very influential among their peers. Skilled engineers and technicians are utilized to for the special project which builds enthusiasm and creativity. These factories don't have multi-million dollar racing efforts, so it is another tool to bring advanced technology to the public with out a phenomenally expensive racing development.
Finally, the profit margin makes a nice business case too. Lamborghini sold 20 Reventons. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081205/FREE/812059982 I would be willing to guess that is a nice $10 million dollar asterisk in the internal annual profit report! Aston is making 77 units but only 6 for the US. The recurring "seven" theme is related to the James Bond series as well. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090303/GENEVA/303039998.
One big question is who buys these things? Industrialists, billionaires, and those with a net worth most likely well over $100 million dollars buy them. Yacht sales have increased, why not ultra-expensive cars too? And you know what? They are absolutely entitled to it. If you earn your money legally, spend it however you want, period.
Keep in mind there are many, many million-dollar cars shown many times a year at the Concours D'elegances around the country. There are four in Northern California alone. The advantage with these modern cars vs. "other" million dollar cars is they can be driven with enthusiasm and safety on modern roads with high speed limits in great comfort. I doubt many do that in the skinny-tired antiques from the 1920s.
And what about purpose-built race cars? Sure they provide entertainment but they cost millions of dollars plural! They are not street legal, require exquisite care and maintenance and if anything, are infinitely more silly and gaudy. So if they are exempt from scorn, so should the street-legal cars.
The Reventon and One-77 can be driven to the country club, the yacht club, exclusive dinners, parties and charity events and of course those car shows too! Not only can the owners enjoy them, but it's also an opportunity for exclusivity and a little bit of immortality. Which Lamborghini model will be invited to the lawn at Pebble Beach 40 years from now? Probably not the excellent but comparatively pedestrian Gallardo but we can count on the Reventon. I find it a little sad and disenchanting to see so many mass-produced supercars advertised for sale all the time in the DuPont Registry or AutoWeek. But we won't see much of these million dollar babies for sale very often!
The factory has an equal benefit as well. They have possibly new customers that will be loyal, very affluent and very influential among their peers. Skilled engineers and technicians are utilized to for the special project which builds enthusiasm and creativity. These factories don't have multi-million dollar racing efforts, so it is another tool to bring advanced technology to the public with out a phenomenally expensive racing development.
Finally, the profit margin makes a nice business case too. Lamborghini sold 20 Reventons. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20081205/FREE/812059982 I would be willing to guess that is a nice $10 million dollar asterisk in the internal annual profit report! Aston is making 77 units but only 6 for the US. The recurring "seven" theme is related to the James Bond series as well. http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090303/GENEVA/303039998.
I applaud these cars. Whether closely related to the "standard" Murcielago model like the Reventon, an excellent engineering exercise like the One-77, or a speed record setting Bugatti Veyron, I say keep it up!
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