Ever bought a used car only to wonder, ‘What was the previous owner thinking’?
Maybe it’s a discarded chocolate bar down one of the back seats, indelible lipstick stains or a questionable smell from the glove compartment. Sometimes it’s the weird extras they opted for when ordering the car from the factory: things like granite interiors, custom-made coat hangers, and whale penis leather seats. Yes, you read that correctly.
While standard family cars are usually offered with sensible extras like built in sat nav, improved sound systems and run-flat tyres, luxury cars are a whole different story. Targeting a market with more disposable income to burn allows car manufacturers to slip in pricier choices.
Some are very tasteful. Take for example the Rolls-Royce’s magnificent ‘starlight’ headliner option. Over 800 fibre optic lights woven into the roof of your vehicle, in a celestial pattern or a custom design of your choosing. We’re struggling to see how this option would benefit a Ford Ka, but when it comes to a Rolls, expense is rarely an issue.
Others, though, seem harder to justify or explain. Mercedes-Benz may well have spent insane amounts developing their ‘scent system’. It’s great that they offer a whole range of smells like ‘Freeside Mood’ - allegedly “an unobtrusive but present citrus scent” - and ‘Downtown Mood’, which is described as a “transparent floweriness with a subtle metal effect”. It’s conveniently controllable from the central car computer to suit all your custom smell requirements. But, on the other hand, how much are those Christmas tree-shaped air fresheners?
And then there’s the ridiculous levels of bling category- like Bentley’s dashboard-mounted, £150,000 diamond-encrusted Breitling clock. We struggle to find the words...
But then, even the most jaw-dropping embellishments we've seen pale in comparison to the record breaking £500,000 spent by Ferrari dealer John Collins on his 25 O cherished number plates.
Related content:
Our guide to private number plates covers everything you need to know.
