The Maybach Exelero is a one-off, 700 PS grand tourer that was unveiled in Berlin in 2005 and reportedly changed hands in 2011 for about $8 million. That sale price comes from a single report and was disputed the following year, so we treat it as unconfirmed. For context, the most expensive European car sold at auction, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, made €135 million in 2022, and new one-offs such as the Rolls-Royce Droptail are estimated above $32 million.
What the Exelero is
Tyre maker Fulda, a German arm of Goodyear, commissioned the car to test its Carat Exelero tyres, with one condition: it had to reach more than 350 km/h. The design was influenced by the 1938 Maybach SW 38 and built on the Maybach 57 platform, and the final shape was drawn by four students of the Pforzheim University transportation design school. Stola built the car in collaboration with DaimlerChrysler.
Specs
- Engine: twin-turbo V12, 515 kW (700 PS), 1,020 N·m of torque
- Gearbox: 5G-Tronic automatic
- Top speed: about 351 km/h (218 mph)
- 0 to 100 km/h: 4.4 seconds
- Wheels: 23-inch alloys front and rear, with 315/25 ZR 23 tyres
- Interior: dark and red leather, neoprene, black carbon fibre and aluminium
Price and owners
There was never a list price, because there is only one car. According to Top Gear, rapper Birdman bought it in 2011 for about $8 million. In January 2012 a profile described the car as owned by the German firm Mechatronik and said earlier sale rumours were unfounded. The car is now in an automobile museum in Dietzhölztal, Germany, as part of the Friedhelm Loh collection. It also appeared in Jay-Z’s “Lost One” video.
How it compares today
Newer one-offs have passed it. The Rolls-Royce Droptail, shown in 2023, is estimated at more than $32 million, and a one-off Bugatti Chiron Profilée sold at RM Sotheby’s in February 2023 for €9.79 million. On the road, the Exelero’s reported $8 million sits in the same bracket as that Bugatti.
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How much is the Maybach Exelero worth?
A 2011 report put its sale at about $8 million. That has not been confirmed, so its true value is an estimate.
How fast is the Maybach Exelero?
About 351 km/h (218 mph), with 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds.
Who owns the Exelero now?
It is displayed in a museum in Dietzhölztal, Germany, as part of the Friedhelm Loh collection.
Why was it built?
Fulda commissioned it as a reference vehicle for a new generation of wide, high-speed tyres.
How many Exelero were built?
One.
Is it the most expensive car in the world?
No. A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR sold for €135 million in 2022, and the Droptail is estimated above $32 million new.
How we put this together
Facts come from the car’s maker documentation and encyclopedic records; the price is a single reported figure, labelled as unconfirmed. Values are approximate and change over time.
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Last updated: October 2026.
