A five-car pileup with no injuries is a snooze -- unless a Bentley Azure hits four other extremely expensive luxury cars outside the casino in Monaco. That's worldwide news.
A blue Azure (Bentley's "flagship convertible" with an MSRP of $363,000 for a new model) crunched the side of a white Mercedes S-Class (starting at $93,000), then struck a black Ferrari F430 ($230,000). Then an Aston Martin Rapide ($210,000) and a Porsche 911 Carrera (starting at $77,800) were also damaged, according to published reports.
"It appears the woman clipped the Mercedes S-Class first before ploughing into the other cars," The Monaco Times reports.
It happened in a roundabout in Monte Carlo, which is in the wealthy principality of Monaco, putting on quite a show for the multitude of tourists. (Some of the best photos can be found here.)
"Her gaffe in front of Monaco's swanky Place du Casino has become an overnight news sensation, with many labeling it the world's most expensive accident," wrote AsiaOne in Singapore.
Jack Bellamy wrote in England's Daily Star,
"This was the moment a dippy blonde caused the world's most expensive shunt when she pranged five luxury motors."
It is estimated the crash will cost more than £40,000 (about $65,700) with the Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin requiring new front wings and bumpers. The Bentley will need the same repairs, plus a new door.
Some unoriginal thinkers felt compelled to point out that the driver is a blonde. In fact, the Daily Mail called her a "hapless blonde."
What could such a crash do to a Bentley owner's insurance rates?
According to MSN Money's insurance rate finder, the yearly premium for Porsche 911s is about $2,300 to $3,100. The Bentley is not listed there. Nor does it appear at Edmunds.com's True Cost to Own search tool. Car insurance companies won't give you a quote unless you own one (I don't), but several discussion forums mentioned a monthly cost of $500 to $600.
Of course, a lot depends on your driving record, including whether you've caused any accidents.
