No, this article isn’t about fabulously wealthy Asians. You’ll have to watch the movie or read the Kevin Kwan novel for that. This story is about cars—specifically Asian cars that are breathtakingly expensive. Usually, when people talk about insanely priced cars, they would refer to million-dollar Paganis, one-off Lamborghinis and Ferraris, or bespoke Rolls-Royces and Bentleys. And these are all from Europe.
But what many people—even diehard car enthusiasts—don’t realize is that there is a surprising number of Asian-made cars which cost more than a three-bedroom house. Here are 10 in ascending (price) order. Take note, though, that quite a few of them are not available in the Philippines, hence the dollar prices.
1. Kia K900 (US $62,000)
Combining design cues from certain German sedans (and even from a British ultra-luxury sedan), the Kia K900 is set to debut with an all-new model before the end of the year. The current K900 is still a looker, though—Kia has always been the most unabashedly European-looking among the Asian brands.
It’s approximately a Mercedes E-class-sized sedan powered by a 5.0-liter V8 developing 420hp. All the luxury and safety items you’d expect are on board, including a kick-ass 900-watt 14-speaker voice-command Lexicon sound system. Still, it’s quite a jump for what was once perceived as an affordable brand to have a midsize sedan more expensive than a BMW 5 Series.
2. Genesis G90 (US $74,000)
Genesis is to Hyundai what Lexus is to Toyota—an upscale brand that aims to elevate not just a company’s image, but the levels of its cars’ performance, luxury, and technology. Sister company Kia’s K900 actually borrows the Genesis’s G90 5.0-liter 420hp V8. This Korean flagship boasts a cutting-edge adaptive suspension, artificially intelligent drive modes, and available all-wheel drive.
Just imagine how opulent the Kia K900 can be. The Genesis G90 is all that and more.
3. Lexus LS 500 (US $80,000)
The US$80,000 LS 500h is currently Lexus’s range-topper. But just two years ago, there was the LS 600h L—a US$100,000 long-wheelbase super-sedan with enough majesty to carry royalty. But the all-new LS 500 and 500h is doing a fine job of flying the Lexus flag, what with a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6 developing 415hp (the V8 died with the previous model). The all-new LS is as long as a Mercedes S-Class and as svelte as a Jaguar XJ. Riding comfort is of magic carpet levels, thanks to a self-leveling air suspension.
Toys? There is Lexus’s signature retractable ottoman for the right, rear passenger—with shiatsu massage to boot. The piece de resistance is the 23-speaker 2,400-watt Mark Levinson sound system.
4. Lexus LX 570 (US $95,000)
Riding on the legend of the Toyota Land Cruiser, the Lexus LX 570 conquers all terrain with a bulletproof 5.7-liter V8 and four-wheel-drive. It marries Lexus’s bold spindle grille, vaunted whisper-quiet cabin, and the Land Cruiser’s go-anywhere capability. If you really need to be able to go anywhere and do so in utmost comfort and luxury, the LS 570 is the way to go.
5. Lexus LC 500 (US $96,000)
Lexus’s premiere performance car used to be the spectacular LF-A, but with that supercar out of production, the four-seat LC 500 takes the mantle of Lexus’s performance king—or queen, as the LC has more voluptuous curves than Jennifer Lopez.
The LC 500 rockets from zero to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds and hits a top speed of 270km/h, propelled by a 471hp 5.0-liter V8 mated to a 10-speed automatic. Needless to say, it’s got all the bells and whistles you’d expect from any car with a sticker knocking on six (dollar) figures.
6. Honda NSX (US $160,000)
In the 90’s Honda came out with the groundbreaking first-generation NSX. It was Japan’s first, true supercar—and it stunned the world with its Ferrari-esque mid-engine design, superlative performance, and price. Enjoying an unprecedentedly long 15-year model life, it was the first crazy rich Asian supercar. Crazy fast, too.
Now, Tony Stark rolls around in one (when he’s not battling the legions of Loki and Thanos). And it’s the much-awaited all-new NSX, now sporting contemporary short-overhang design while retaining the mid-engine design. Honda (Acura in North America) refers to it as a next-generation supercar, principally by virtue of its super-rigid multi-material space frame construction, all-wheel drive, and a hybrid drivetrain that serves up 573hp for a scintillating 305km/h top speed. Crazy fast, alright.
7. Nissan GT-R Nismo (US $175,000)
The Nissan GT-R has been around so long and has been seen so regularly that a price tag that’s more than many Porsches might seem excessive—even for the much rarer and more powerful Nismo edition. But the scalpel-precise supercar with the hand-built monster engine deserves a rightful place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest performance cars. The standard GT-R’s 550hp 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 gets massaged to pump out 600hp, and some of the lightweight steel and aluminum body panels get swapped out for even lighter carbon fiber pieces.
It’s a supercar in every sense of the word. And perhaps the only faster—and vastly more expensive—GT-R is the recently announced GT-R Nismo GT3, a 335km/h race-ready version with a roll cage and an estimated price tag of a cool US $550,000.
8. Toyota Century (US $180,000)
There’s no school like old school, especially for the Japanese. That’s why the venerable Toyota Century has been around largely unchanged since 1967. The first generation was on the Japanese domestic market for an incredible three decades—and only had a minor redesign in 1997. The first generation came only with a V8 engine. The 1997 redesign came with a V12, which was only ever available on the Century (and never in any other Toyota or Lexus).
Only after another 20 years did Toyota see fit to revise the Century, doing away with the V12 and replacing it with a V8 hybrid (5.0 liters with twin electric motors) drivetrain for the 2018 model year. Nonetheless, despite it being a third-generation model, it still looks very much like its forebears. Its now-vintage styling and trademark black exterior finish are now iconic. Curiously, the Century has always come standard with pure wool upholstery instead of the expected leather (which is an option). Still it belies its vintage exterior by having a suite of modern comfort, convenience, and luxury features imaginable, foremost of which is a 20-inch multimedia screen for the rear passengers.
9. HongQi L5 (US $800,000)
Like the Toyota Century, the Hongqi L5, made by China’s oldest automaker FAW, is a retro-style limousine renowned since its 2013 launch at the Shanghai Auto Show for being among the most expensive Chinese-made cars. Available only in China to well-heeled—and well-connected—individuals (and, of course, dignitaries), the L5 comes with a modern 6.0-liter V12 mated to a 6-speed automatic with all-wheel drive.
10. HongQi HQE L9 (US $1.2 million)
As if the HongQi L5 isn’t jaw-droppingly expensive enough, its longer-wheelbase brother is even more so. The likewise-V12-powered L9 is the official state car of China (HongQi means “red flag”) and the official transport of China’s President Xi Jinping—in a heavily armored version, of course.
Aside from its longer wheelbase and overall length, the L9 stands apart from its L5 sibling with its Rolls-Royce-like suicide doors.
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