Who doesn’t like the idea of having a custom number plate? Whether it’s the iconic BMT from James Bond films or the STARK4 that Tony Stark used in Iron Man.
Afzal Kahn, at least, believed in creating custom number plates and spent his life building a huge collection. It included the F1 number plate as well, which he bought for over half a million dollars in 2008.
Kahn, an automotive designer and entrepreneur, considered it extremely valuable and refused to sell it to anyone else.
In 2013, Kahn received a staggering $7.4 million offer for the ‘F1’ number plate, reportedly from Lewis Hamilton. However, he had no intention of letting it go and flatly turned it down. Even when the offer nearly doubled, his resolve remained unchanged.
$12.5 million was the mammoth offer that Kahn rejected in 2018, which showed further that he wasn’t entertaining the idea of selling it. Had he agreed, it would have made ‘F1’ the most expensive number plate ever sold.
At the same time, the valuation for the same must have also increased massively since the last known offer was presented to Kahn. 2018 was around the time Netflix’s Drive to Survive first hit the market, and its popularity helped the sport blow up, making it richer than ever.
If Kahn does change his mind sometime in the coming months, the amount he could sell it for could potentially be bigger than all of the other most expensive number plates in the world.
Five most expensive number plates in the world
Number plates can sell for millions of dollars, but these aren’t just ordinary vehicle identifiers. Often owned by some of the world’s wealthiest car enthusiasts, they are displayed on the most luxurious cars, serving as symbols of prestige and exclusivity.
According to StressFreeCarRental.com, these are the five most expensive number plates in the world ever sold. Interestingly, they all contain just a single number. Bizarre? Not for those who bought them.
- 5 – $9.9 million
- 1 – $9.8 million
- 9 – $5.9 million
- 5 – $4.7 million
- 7 – $4 million
The person who bought 5, for $4.7 million, made more than 100% profit to make it the most expensive car number plate of all time.
Afzal Kahn story
Kahn, being the owner of one of the most unique number plates in the world, does not come as a surprise. After all, he loves cars.
Autosport, one of the leading automobile magazines in the world, also labeled him “The King of Car Customisation”. And it wasn’t just a tag. He lived up to his reputation.
Business Link named Kahn Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999, marking the beginning of a distinguished career. Over the years, his expertise in designing wheels and car components earned him a reputation as one of the most influential figures in the United Kingdom.
His groundbreaking work not only pushed the boundaries of automotive design but also garnered him several prestigious accolades.
In 2004, Kahn was honored as Global Trader of the Year by ABDN, followed by the Businessman of the Year award at the HSBC Business Awards in 2007. His contributions to the industry were further recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Car Magazine in 2014. A year later, he was celebrated once again when he received the Award for Design & Innovation at the BMM Innovation and Design Awards.
For hardcore F1 fans, however, Kahn’s biggest achievement will be owning the F1 car number plate.
