2007 Toyota Prius yours for $1m
You'll never guess why this second-hand Prius hybrid is listed for $1 million on carsales.com.auWhy would somebody ask $1 million for a 10-year-old Toyota Prius that came with a $37,400 starting price when it was new in 2007, since which time it’s been superseded twice?
It's got 135,000km on the clock and a dusty dashboard… Is it powered by cold fusion? Perhaps it transforms into a plane? Or maybe it has a gold-plated gear shifter?
Nope, no, nada.
It's allegedly former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's ride.
Rudd was one of the most controversial Australian leaders in history. He won the 2007 Australian election by a landslide and was initially hugely popular before becoming dogged by allegations of micro-management and an angry temperament.
He ratified the Kyoto protocol and steered Australia through the Global Financial Crisis, but was dumped by his political party in 2010.
The authenticity of the claim that this is the official 'Kevin 07' car is difficult to ascertain as the only document the Sydney seller has to prove its provenance in a carsales.com.au private advert is an 'E-toll' receipt that was in the logbook.
Nevertheless, its ambitious seller, Edward, makes his million-dollar pitch to erstwhile buyers thusly:
"I was surprised to find his [Kevin Rudd's] E-toll history in the Logbook (please see 2nd photo) and doing some research he was definitely a Hybrid supporter."
Like any serious political campaign, there's "money to be spent" according to the vehicle description. The nickel-metal hydride battery is completely dead and needs replacing, which will cost several thousand dollars.
There are also a "Couple of small dents and scratches" on the car but "nothing major", says Edward.
Despite the hugely inflated price tag, this particular Prius is not the world's most expensive hybrid.
That honour goes to cars like the $12 million Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta. The exotic Italian roadster's 6.3-litre V12 and 120kW electric motor also generate considerably more power than the Prius' 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid system.
Check out the world's most expensive Toyota Prius listing.
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