Chandigarh’s fascination with luxury cars: McLaren, Rolls-Royce, Bentley lead luxe drive

Chandigarh’s roads are increasingly reading like a luxury car brochure. A McLaren 750S Spider worth Rs 4.99 crore tops the list of costliest vehicles to have hit the city’s streets since 2020 — followed closely by a Rolls-Royce Cullinan (Rs 4.66 crore), a Lamborghini Huracan (Rs 4.12 crore) and a fleet of Bentley Bentayga and Flying Spur models, each worth Rs 3.4-4 crore.

The supercar line-up, drawn from official data of the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA), Chandigarh, underscores the city’s growing fascination with high-end luxury and performance vehicles.

The city’s penchant for plush wheels isn’t new, but the scale has soared in recent years. According to RLA records, the city has registered 2,41,744 vehicles between 2020 and October 28 this year, marking a steady post-pandemic revival and a discernible shift towards cleaner, smarter mobility.

The city registered 28,719 new vehicles in 2020, rising to 36,963 in 2021, 47,244 in 2022 and peaking at 50,930 in 2023. Registrations dipped slightly in 2024 to 40,762, while 2025 has already seen 37,126 new additions by October-end.

A year-wise breakdown shows the city maintaining a near-even balance between two-wheelers and four-wheelers — an indicator of both commuter practicality and aspirational ownership. In 2023, for instance, 28,476 four-wheelers and 22,454 two-wheelers were registered, while the ongoing year has already seen 20,372 two-wheelers and 16,577 four-wheelers.

Fuel-type data shows the evolving preferences of city motorists. Between 2020 and 2025, petrol vehicles continued to dominate, but the share of electric and hybrid vehicles has grown consistently. The RLA figures reveal 4,60,162 petrol vehicles, 1,93,701 diesel, 7,654 CNG, 3,984 electric, 11,112 hybrid and 2,197 strong hybrid vehicles registered in Chandigarh so far — a snapshot of a city straddling the old fuel economy and the new electric era.

Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said the data underscored “a dual trend — the rise of high-end vehicles symbolising prosperity, and the gradual but firm tilt towards electric and hybrid mobility reflecting responsibility. Chandigarh’s RLA functions with total transparency, fairness and technology-driven efficiency, setting a benchmark in public trust.”

Registering and Licensing Authority Pardhuman Singh said the city’s registration ecosystem reflects both technological adoption and lifestyle evolution. “From supercars to scooters, Chandigarh’s vehicle profile tells a fascinating story of aspiration and transition. Our online systems and streamlined protocols ensure every registration — for luxury or everyday vehicles — is done with transparency and precision,” he said.

“Chandigarh’s registration charts resemble a luxury showroom —McLaren, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche and Mercedes dominate the list of costliest vehicles. The steady stream of supercars since 2020 highlights Chandigarh’s evolving profile as a hub of high-end mobility. The RLA’s digital systems have made even multi-crore vehicle registrations transparent, efficient and fully traceable, ensuring that the city’s growing affluence rides hand in hand with accountability,” said Nishant Kumar Yadav, DC.

WHAT THIS TREND MEANS

Chandigarh’s vehicle trends capture a city in motion — literally and symbolically. On the one hand, luxury cars and super-premium SUVs mirror a rising urban affluence and brand-conscious lifestyle. On the other, a steady uptick in electric and hybrid registrations reveals a city beginning to embrace cleaner technologies. The near parity between two-wheelers and four-wheelers highlights Chandigarh’s compact mobility fabric, while the strong growth in registrations since the pandemic underlines renewed consumer confidence. As roads brim with both roar and hum, the City Beautiful seems set to redefine itself as both a playground for supercars and a test bed for green mobility.

VEHICLE LANDSCAPE (2020-2025)

Total vehicles registered since 2020: 2,41,744

Highest registration year: 2023 (50,930 vehicles)

Lowest registration year: 2020 (28,719 vehicles)

Cumulative registrations (all time): Over 9.4 lakh