The world's rarest Tesla has been confirmed and it has an incredible backstory.
If you thought shelling out $100,000 for a Cybertruck was a lot of money, that's nothing compared to the jaw-dropping price tag of the world's 'rarest' Tesla. The electric vehicle Goliath has been making waves in the automotive industry since the Tesla Roadster was first sold in 2008.
There are currently six Tesla models on the market, although there are plans for a second generation of Roadster, the Cybercab, and the Robovan. Among all its products on the market, the Cybertruck is probably the most infamous, but it's not exactly the rarest Tesla.
That honor goes to a Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport that has an impressive history stretching back to 2011. Having only been driven for 2,800 miles and apparently never being touched by rain, the 'Fusion Red' Roadster has soared in value.
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The Roadster was the last ever produced on Arizona's Menlo Park assembly line in Arizona, and as end-of-production vehicles are notoriously worth more, this little Tesla is now worth seven figures.
A listing on Find My Electric explains how the world's rarest Tesla is now worth $1.5 million after being bought for $138,645. It apparently has such low mileage because it was delivered to its anonymous owner on the back of a trailer. Having being kept in a temperature-controlled room, this Tesla is more like a work of art than an actual vehicle. Still, it's been kept up to date with an 'extensive' Powertrain Electronics Module (PEM) rebuild and upgrade courtesy of the Gruber Motor Company.
The listing explains: "A savvy investor snapped this car up, realizing the eventual value it would have, and how highly sought after it would be."
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Adding to the $1.5 million price tag, the Roadster 2.5 Sport even has Elon Musk's seal of approval thanks to his signature on the dashboard.
Coming with a certificate of authenticity, we're told: "This might be the rarest Tesla Roadster in existence—except the one that Elon shot into space, of course!"
Described as the 'pinnacle of Tesla collector items', those who are interested are encouraged to get in touch with the Gruber Motor Company.
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$1.5 million is no small amount (unless you're Elon Musk), but as this is just the list price, there's a chance it could go for even more.
Rare Teslas are one thing, but $1.5 million is pocket change when compared to the most expensive cars ever sold at auction.
In 2022, RM Sotheby’s in Stuttgart sold a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé for an eye-watering $143 million. The Mercedes racer was so exclusive, the auction was held at Germany's Mercedes-Benz Museum and only 10 bidders were invited.
Only two Uhlenhaut Coupés were ever made, with one preserved in Mercedes-Benz's corporate museum and the other going under the hammer.
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Putting the world's most expensive car into perspective, it raced past the previous record of $51 million that was held by the 1962 sale of a Ferrari 250 GTO.
The world's most expensive Tesla has a way to go to reach either of these milestones, but with it reaching $1.5 million in the space of 14 years, who knows where it'll end up?