In love with the latest Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, or Range Rover models? No matter how much you adore them, they must first pass a series of safety tests before they can go into production. This is done to keep their passengers as safe as possible in the sad case of a car crash.
Manufacturers have to shell out a hefty sum to take their vehicles through these tests, and in the process, they have to scrap a bunch of their high-end vehicles. What is the result? A Euro NCAP rating. Here is a list of the top 10 most expensive car crash tests of all time.
Top 10 most expensive car crash tests
10. Pagani Huayra – $2,400,000 – Tested In-House By Pagani
Pagani supercars are so rare that some people might never see one on the road. One of the most expensive cars in the world, the Pagani Huayra, will set you back almost $2.4 million if you can find one. None of the major testers have conducted a crash test on the 791-horsepower V12 supercar.
One day, Pagani unintentionally crashed a Huayra while driving, and it survived the collision just fine. So, was there any deliberate testing of supercar crashes? In private, but Pagani did not reveal any details. Here is a YouTube video showing Pagani Huayra crash testing:
In an available online test, the Pagani Huayra performed well in the frontal impact crash test. Does this reassure prospective purchasers about the supercar’s safety? Most likely not.
9. Koenigsegg Regera – $1,900,000 – Tested By Koenigsegg
Similar to the Veyron, the Koenigsegg Regera is priced at around $2 million. Brands require about twelve vehicles for each of the different scenarios in order to get enough data from the crash test simulations. Koenigsegg manufactures only roughly 80 percent of the Regera supercars.
Koenigsegg, as you might expect, isn’t going to gather a whole year’s worth of output just to crash-test it. Similar to Bugatti, Koenigsegg only uses a single vehicle for crash testing and constant maintenance. For this supercar, no safety ratings have been released.
8. Bugatti Veyron – $1,900,000 – Tested Electronically By Bugatti
The Bugatti Veyron has been recognized as an exceptional supercar since its introduction in 2005. The creation of the Veyron represented one of the most difficult technological challenges in automotive history.
Buying a brand-new Bugatti Veyron will set you back about $2 million. This Bugatti supercar was not tested by any of the three major companies. Why? This is because too many crashes in a supercar to earn a rating are just too costly. Bugatti tested the supercar in a variety of conditions using a single vehicle.
After that, the company repairs the car and gives it another crash test. In addition, Bugatti has its own crash simulation program that produces crash data. This gives the company a more cost-effective option to evaluate the safety features of supercars like the Veyron without going over budget. How ironic, huh?
7. Lamborghini Murcielago – $350,000 – No Euro NCAP Rating
The Lamborghini Murciélago can cost up to $350,000, depending on the model year and number of miles driven. The Murciélago has not received any ratings from the NHTSA, IIHS, or Euro NCAP. Having said that, the testing wasn’t cheap either. Here is a YouTube video of its testing.
The Lamborghini Murciélago SV’s body is composed of carbon fiber, but its doors are constructed of steel. During a front-end hit, the frame and doors remained intact. The Lamborghini’s front crumple zone crumpled as predicted, but the cabin area held together. This is even more amazing when you realize that the front of the vehicle is merely used to accommodate the front trunk or frunk.
6. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – $221,580 – No Euro NCAP Rating
In addition to the NHTSA and IIHS, another well-liked safety test is the European New Car Assessment Programme, or Euro NCAP. Even though these tests go through extensive safety testing, the public is typically not given access to such information. Although there isn’t an official rating available, the $221,580 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG performed rather well in this supercar crash test that was posted on YouTube.
Despite the car’s small size, its extended hood performed admirably in frontal collisions. The elegant gullwing doors were so resistant to the crash test dummies that they even opened during the rollover test, letting passengers escape.
5. Mercedes-Benz G Class – $131,750 – 5 Star Euro NCAP Rating
The Mercedes-Benz G-class, also known as the G-Wagon, received the highest safety rating of five stars in 2019 Euro NCAP testing. The model underwent testing in the G 350d, G 500, and G 63 variants, as well as in both left- and right-hand drive configurations, and received 90 percent for adult occupant protection, 83 percent for child occupant safety, and 72 percent for vehicle safety assist.
The tested SUV came standard with features like a speed alert/limiting system and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). In the future, all cars in Europe will come equipped with a speed alert/limiting device as standard. The G-class is equipped with additional safety features, including ABS, lane assist, seat belt pre-tensioners, and front, side, and knee airbags.
4. Porsche Taycan – $103,800 – 5 Star Euro NCAP Rating
The first all-electric vehicle from a German carmaker, the Porsche Taycan, received a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP after passing crash testing. The Taycan is largely aimed at the upper end of the consumer market and is all about high-performance electric driving, but it’s comforting to know that the vehicle received all five stars for safety.
The Porsche Taycan received ratings of 85 percent for adult occupant protection, 83 percent for child occupant protection, 70 percent for vulnerable road users—such as pedestrian danger—and 73 percent for safety assistance. These placed the all-electric Porsche sports car among the safest vehicles available at that time.
3. Tesla Model S – $69,420 – 5 Star Euro NCAP Rating
The redesigned Tesla Model S is finally making its way onto the European auto scene, and Euro NCAP predicts it will be among the safest vehicles available. Similar to the original 2014 model, the 2022 Tesla Model S also earned a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.
With a 98 percent rating in the Safety Assist category, Tesla’s flagship model boasts an exceptionally high active safety level. There is a high level of passive safety as well, with 94 percent protection for adults and 91 percent protection for children. The result for Vulnerable Road User Protection is 85 percent.
These outcomes are valid for the car’s dual-motor and tri-motor AWD (Plaid) versions. The Tesla Model S is unquestionably at the forefront of automobile safety, far above the requirements for a five-star rating.
2. Audi Q8 – $68,200 – 5 Star Euro NCAP Rating
The Q8, Audi’s new flagship SUV, received the highest safety rating of five stars in the last round of 2019 Euro NCAP testing. These ratings apply to the Q8 in 45 TDI, 50 TDI, and 55 TSI quattro tiptronic trim levels, as well as left- and right-hand layouts.
The Q8 tested had eight airbags as standard, seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, speed assist, lane keep assist, and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) for bicycles and pedestrians in both urban and interurban environments, among other safety features.
In terms of the actual statistics, the Q8 did particularly well, scoring 93 percent in the adult occupancy category and 87 percent in the child occupancy category. The vulnerable road users rating was 71 percent, while the Q8 received 73 percent for safety assist systems.
1. Range Rover Velar – $56,900 – 5 Star Euro NCAP Rating
One of the most coveted luxury SUVs in the world, the Range Rover Velar, has proven itself to be one of the safest, with a five-star rating from Euro NCAP. The fourth Range Rover model received scores of 93 percent for adult occupant protection, 85 percent for child occupant protection, and 74 percent for pedestrian protection.
The Velar has a lot of safety measures, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection. The cutting-edge technology can recognize when there is a chance of a collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian on the road ahead and will automatically apply the brakes. The testers from Euro NCAP gave the system a maximum score of six in the pedestrian detection tests.
By combining strong crash protection with modern active safety systems, the Velar helps drivers avoid accidents and gives them great security to lessen the effects of a crash if it does happen.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it appears that crash testing is less common for more expensive cars. Considering the power these supercars hold, that seems completely illogical. Although the public may not have access to the crash test ratings of supercars, it appears that the most costly supercars have private ratings. Hopefully.
