Ferrari – 458, 2009-2015: 24,000
Ferrari is very candid about figures for production, for example, we can only give an estimate that around 24,000 458s were made (15,000 Italias, 3000 Speciales and 6000 Spiders). That’s quite a bit more than the previous record holder, the 430, of which 17,499 were built.
The 458’s successor, the 488, almost matched the 458’s total, despite not having been built for as long. But if any Ferrari is going to beat the sales of the 458, it is likely to be the new Purosangue SUV, even if Ferrari promises to limit it to a 20% share of total sales.
Lamborghini – Urus, 2018-present: 25,000+
If you’ve been into central London recently, this probably doesn’t come as a surprise, even if it is a bit of a disappointment. That’s not to say Lamborghini’s sports cars have been slacking, before the Urus the Gallardo was the best seller, with 14,022 sold. The Huracan that came after it has also beaten that number and was almost at 20,000 sales before it was discontinued in 2023.
Aston Martin – Vantage, 2005-present: 25,000+
Often referred to as the car that saved Aston Martin, the DB7 was for many years Aston’s best-selling model. But it wasn’t long before it was overtaken by its replacement (along with the DB9). As of 2021, just under 24,700 V8 Vantages (confusingly including the V12) had been sold over two generations, and you can be sure that figure is now above 25,000. However, will it be long before it is overtaken by the new Aston on the block, the DBX?
Rolls-Royce – Silver Shadow, 1965-1980: 29,030
For a car aimed at anyone but the common herd, there were rather a lot of Silver Shadows built during its 15-year tenure as Rolls-Royce’s mainstay model. Arriving during the 1960s when a cultural revolution was taking place could have been a disaster for this most venerable of establishment brands, but the Shadow instantly found favour with style leaders of the period.
It remains Rolls’ best-selling model, but that is likely to change with the continuously increasing popularity of the ‘entry-level’ Ghost saloon and Cullinan SUV.