World's rarest rides: 1 of 1 cars & who owns them

Beyond the familiar gleam of luxury vehicles lies an extraordinary class of automobiles: cars so rare they exist as solitary examples or in editions of two or three.

Costing upwards of Sh20 billion, these are the 'one-off' and 'few-off' machines, created directly by manufacturers mostly for collectors.

Here, incredible engineering blends with personal taste to create the rarest cars on the planet, ultimate machines representing the very peak of automotive creation.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The absolute pinnacle of exclusivity was realised in May 2022, when a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was sold at a private auction for 135 million EUR, a staggering equivalent of Sh20.2 billion.

This vehicle was one of only two prototypes ever built, combining the 3.0-litre straight-8 Grand Prix racing engine with a road-going coupé body.

While one of the pair remains in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, the other now belongs to an anonymous collector, its sale setting a world record.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire

Bugatti unveiled its one-of-one 'La Voiture Noire' in 2019.

Honouring a lost 1930s Type 57 SC Atlantic, this Sh2.4 billion hypercar is powered by a 1,500-horsepower W16 engine.

Its owner remains one of the car world's most guarded secrets.

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail

Rolls-Royce re-entered the coachbuilding space with the Boat Tail in 2021, a series of three unique cars.

Each costs an estimated Sh4.2 billion and features a unique rear 'hosting suite' under teak decking that includes a champagne fridge and parasol.

The owners of all three Boat Tails remain anonymous.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail

The 2017 Sweptail was a one-off, Sh1.6 billion yacht-inspired coupé commissioned by Hong Kong billionaire Sam Li.

The project was a direct collaboration between the patron and the manufacturer, taking nearly five years to complete.

Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta

Pagani followed a similar path with its 2018 Zonda HP Barchetta.

Only three of the Sh2.2 billion, windscreen-less cars were made.

One was for the company's founder, Horacio Pagani; one for TopCar Design owner Oleg Egorov; and a third for another anonymous collector.

Lamborghini Veneno Coupé

Lamborghini marked its 50th anniversary in 2013 with the Veneno Coupé, an ultra-limited model based on the Aventador.

Only four examples were built; one prototype retained by the factory and three customer cars.

Each of the customer Venenos featured grey bodywork accented in one colour of the Italian flag.

Each of the Venenos also featured a staggering launch price of €3 million (roughly KSh 350 million at the time).

Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita

Koenigsegg produced the CCXR Trevita in 2009, a hypercar with a unique 'diamond weave' carbon-fibre.

The manufacturing process was so complex that a planned run of three was halted at two.

These two cars, valued at over Sh620 million each, belong to boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

This 2006 car is a famous bespoke project for American collector James Glickenhaus.

He provided a Ferrari Enzo, which was then rebodied by the design house Pininfarina with carbon-fibre panels to mimic the 1960s 330 P4 racing car, all while retaining the Enzo's 6.0-litre V12 engine.

Ferrari SP12 EC

Ferrari’s ‘Special Projects’ programme is built around the idea of ultimate exclusivity, creating one-off cars tailored to individual clients.

In 2012, British musician Eric Clapton commissioned the Ferrari SP12 EC, developed in collaboration with Pininfarina.

Based on the 458 Italia platform, it retained the car’s 4.5-litre V8 engine and featured bespoke bodywork finished in metallic red, inspired by Clapton’s favourite model, the 1970s 512 BB (Berlinetta Boxer).

Ferrari SP38 Deborah

In 2018, the 'Special Projects' programme produced the Ferrari SP38 Deborah for Swiss dealer Ronnie Kessel.

It is a unique car derived from the 488 GTB but equipped with the more powerful 720-horsepower V8 from the 488 Pista.

For some owners, public association and popularity is part of the appeal; for others, the ultimate luxury is anonymity.