The world of supercars

Adel Murad

He latest supercar to join the market was the Lamborghini Centenario Roadster that made its debut at Monterey last month.
The $2.3 million supercar was sold out before its debut.
Only 20 cars were made by the company to commemorate the 100th birthday of its founder Ferruccio Lamborghini.
Another coupe version at $2 million, with only 20 built by Lamborghini was introduced at Geneva earlier this year.
This version was also sold out.
The market for supercars works on different principles to that of ordinary cars.
While most cars depreciate, supercars acquire value over time.
In fact they make the best investment returns for the super-rich — more so than investment in shares or property.
This is particularly true from 2009 up to this year, a period which saw supercars’ prices double.
On average supercars sell twice as fast as ordinary cars and were selling three times faster than ordinary cars in 2010.
A Bloomberg study concluded that the trend for supercars’ surge in value is likely to continue “simply because there are more and more affluent people globally.”
Those super-rich can spend a million dollars on a supercar without blinking.
There are more super-rich chasing less supercars available.
Forecasts by HIS Automotive estimate that supercar deliveries will jump by 14 percent by 2018 worldwide.
It is very likely that the super-rich would own a whole collection of supercars — not just one or two.
They have also got the means to drive them on tracks where they belong.
The best collectors, however, do not buy supercars for making money but for keeps.
Some supercars never come back to the market and that adds to their scarcity and value.
They are regarded as timeless art pieces and marvels of modern technology.
Potential investors need to be careful as value depends on model, mileage and number plates.
The lucrative trade tempts some dodgy sellers to tamper with the mileage.
Full pedigree documented records are essential for a successful investment.
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Adel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist, based in London.
Email: [email protected]