12 Most Expensive BMWs Of All Time

For more than a century, BMW has been building high-quality luxury automobiles made with superb attention to detail, state-of-the-art luxury features, and respectable reliability when maintained properly. These characteristics, along with attractive body styling, have made BMW one of the best daily-driver deluxe makes. Although BMWs are more expensive than most other brands in their class, they offer a prestige not found in other cars with similar features. Driving a BMW is a status symbol, and many buyers are willing to spend a bit more to have it. Today, BMW offers a variety of styles from high-performance sedans to luxury SUVs.

While the German automaker does not produce a supercar to compete with Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche, the company has produced a few models over the years that boast supercar features and prices. Many are customized by G-Power, a German car tuning manufacturer specializing in BMW cars. A few are concept cars that never made it to production while others were produced in limited quantities. Here are 12 of the most expensive BMW cars of all time.

In May 2012, at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, Lake Como, Italy, BMW unveiled the Zagato Coupe, a collaboration combining design features from both companies in a machine built entirely by hand.

Zagato, the Italian coachbuilder (carrozzeria), ranks with other famous designers such as Pininfarina, Scaglietti, Ghia, and Bertone. The company's designs are typically lightweight, sporty, and aerodynamic.

The BMW and Zagato partnership resulted in a curvaceous coupe, in part created by a double bubble roof designed to improve aerodynamics, add structural rigidity, and accommodate a crash helmet on the inside. The vehicle's extremely long hood is unquestionably a BMW element, while the headlamps and the BMW "kidney" radiator grille featuring the letter Z have the Zagato influence. A profile view demonstrates the muscular fender lines while the Kammback features an integrated spoiler that merges with the rear fenders. The Zagato Coupe continued a tradition of BMW collaborative designs including the 1959 BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale, 1959 BMW 700, 1962 BMW 3200 CS Bertone, and the 1978 BMW M1.

BMW never officially revealed the Zagato's engine specifications. However, the prototype was most likely built with a tuned version of BMW's twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six producing around 400 horsepower. The exclusive sportscar blended Italian artistry with German engineering that never reached production. The estimated price of $500,000 is based on the sales of other modified BMWs such as the 2011 BMW M3 GTS G-Power.

In 2012, the BMW X6 M Typhoon from G-POWER ranked as one of the world's fastest cars, using 725 horsepower to push the car to a top speed of more than 186 mph. G-Power designed the wide body kit using state-of-the-art CAD technology with digital input from an in-house 3D scanner. The body kit, made from PU RIM (Polyurethane Reaction Injection Molding), features flared wheel arches with distinctive front and rear skirts and spoilers optimized for maximum aerodynamic efficiency.

The Typhoon offers seven centimeters more width than the standard BMW X6 allowing the use of extra-wide 23-inch wheels and tires. The G-Power Silverstone Edition includes forged wheels in sizes 11Jx23 up front and 12Jx23 on the rear with Michelin 315/25 ZR 23 high-performance rubber at all four corners. Add the G-POWER Coilover suspension with independently adjustable rebound and compression damping, and the X6 M G-Power Typhoon delivers optimum traction and sporty handling.

G-Power boosted the power of the Typhoon Wide Body over the base model by an impressive 170 horsepower, with enlarged air intakes in the front skirt, the outlet vents in the hood, and flow-optimized G-Power exhaust manifolds connecting the turbochargers. The modified BMW V8 bi-turbo power unit mated to a standard BMW X6 M automatic transmission accelerates the BMW to 62 mph in 4.2 seconds. Lightweight and reliable ceramic brakes with 6-piston brake calipers on the front and rear axle provide the stopping power with little or no fade.

G-Power modified the exterior of the standard M6 with a Hurricane carbon fiber wide body kit. The changes, including extended wheel arches and large air intakes, made a significant impact on the car's aerodynamic properties. The company added an ultra-lightweight titanium exhaust system featuring high-flow racing cats, two centrally positioned tailpipes, and a Formula 1-style soundtrack.

While these mods helped the car achieve an impressive top speed, the engine improvements made the biggest difference. The 5.0L V10 engine enhancements, including two superchargers, a redesigned cold air intake system, larger charge air coolers, and water and oil coolers helped produce a whopping 1001 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. The Bugatti Veyron class power represents a 494 hp and 280 lb-ft gain over the stock BMW M6. The Hurricane CS Ultimate can accelerate to 62 mph in a mere 4.3 seconds, 124 mph in 9 seconds, and 186 mph in 21.5 seconds. With an optional taller final drive, the car reaches a top speed of 231 mph.

G-Power upgraded the suspension to help support the additional power. The tuner lowered the vehicle's center of gravity with a set of fully adjustable Coilovers to ensure stability at high speeds. The upgraded brakes provide braking power with 400 mm vented carbon ceramic discs. The Hurricane CS Ultimate grips the road via forged alloys mated with 255/25ZR21 and 295/30ZR21 Michelin tires. 

The Typhoon S is an SUV with supercar performance characteristics. G-Power tuned the car with both aerodynamic and performance improvements while leaving the interior virtually untouched.

The BMW-specialized tuner modified several BMW X6s before the 2011 model, but the company has made a significant effort to keep each version unique. The "Typhoon S" comprehensive tuning package for the Typhoon S included both performance and aerodynamic enhancements achieved with a modified exterior that changed the car's appearance while improving airflow. The company lowered the SUV's overall height by 30mm and implemented a body kit featuring a redesigned front skirt with larger air intakes. A new lightweight carbon fiber hood featuring a central Venturi-style engine bay vent for even airflow matches the two lateral ABS grilles that provide stationary ventilation. The German tuner also upgraded the SUV with a set of 23-inch forged 3-part Silverstone RS aluminum wheels supporting Michelin tires.

The Typhoon S body kit, with its enlarged air intakes and hood vents, facilitated an increase in the flow of cold air to the water and oil coolers. The 15% improvement in cooling performance allowed the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 to generate 170 horsepower more than the base output, arriving at a formidable 725 horsepower and 656 lb-ft of torque. The power improvements gave the SUV exceptional acceleration of 0 to 62 mph in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph.

BMW canceled the M8 Prototype project due to high production costs and limited sales value. Only one unit was made, worth at least $1.0 million. The M8 remained under wraps for almost two decades until 2010. Only a few pictures and limited video footage expose the fire engine red supercar. The bold stance created by widely flared wheel arches, large air intakes in the side panels, and aerodynamically shaped racing wing mirrors define the character of this refined high-performance car.

As magnificent as the exterior is, the BMW M8 E31 prototype's 6-liter engine is the car's outstanding feature. Developed from the S70 engine, the power unit featured a highly visible carbon fiber intake system and roller valves that replace the classic throttle valves. The components allowed unimpeded flow at full load and contributed to weight reduction. The most powerful BMW 8 Series in 1990 was the 850Csi producing 380 hp. By comparison, the M8 Prototype's front-mounted naturally aspirated 6-liter V12 coupled with the 6-speed manual transmission would have little competition generating up to 640 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 480 lb-ft of torque.

Although official measurements were never conducted by BMW, the M8 Prototype would most likely beat a 1992 BMW 850CSi that accelerated to 62 mph in 6.0 seconds. Perhaps more impressive is the estimated top speed of 186 mph.

BMW created a sensation at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1991 when the German automaker introduced the Nasca M12. Fabrizio Giugiaro, son of Italdesign founder and celebrated designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, designed the masterpiece that was the natural evolution of BMW's first modern supercar, the 1978 M1.

Both cars employed the same characteristic BMW "kidney" grill, low profile, and mid-engine layout. However, Giugiaro designed the M12 with a completely round greenhouse. The configuration with a steep compound curve of the glass meant that split doors had to be fitted. Gullwing side windows rose from conventionally hinged doors and the glass roof structure provides the driver and a passenger an unhindered, panoramic view outside.

The team at Italdesign not only built prototypes but could also manufacture and test their designs. The fully functioning prototypes were complete enough to be considered preproduction models and so it was also the case with the M12. Under the hood of the carbon fiber body, Italdesign fitted BMW's best available engine, the BMW 750i, and 850i V12. The 5-liter powerplant produced 300 bhp at 5200 rpm and 332 lb-ft of torque at 4100 rpm. Mated with a five-speed manual transmission, the supercar accelerated to 60 mph in an estimated 4.5 seconds and reached a top speed of 180 mph. The M12 never entered production making the exact value difficult to determine