620R

Make
McLaren
Segment
Coupe

The Philippines may be one of the most naturally beautiful settings in the world but there's nothing beautiful or peaceful about the way the nation deals with crime and anyone trying to evade the law. The same is true when it comes to high-priced sports cars. Footage from 2018 showed the destruction of almost $6 million worth of cars and in 2019, we watched as a Ferrari 360 Spider met its fate in the same violent fashion. In the latest bit of exotic car destruction, no fewer than 21 smuggled luxury vehicles worth around $1.2 million were crushed this month. The carnage was shared on Facebook by the country's Bureau of Customs.

In the video shared above, seven vehicles were seized from the Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, and the Port of Subic. The vehicles destroyed included a second-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK and a Porsche 911 (997). As if watching these vehicles being annihilated wasn't bad enough, two of the most expensive cars to be destroyed were a Bentley Flying Spur and a McLaren 620R. In case you needed reminding, the Flying Spur starts at close to $200,000 brand new and the 620R - the last of the Sports Series McLarens - was limited to a mere 350 examples at a price exceeding $300,000.

As if watching a live action film, representatives from the Department of Finance and other officials such as those from the Bureau of Customs were present to watch the destruction. The cars seen here were seized on multiple occasions between 2018 and 2020 and are said to have been shipped into the country by different consignees. It's not by chance that these events are filmed and shared; president Rodrigo Roa Duterte aims to send the powerful message that smuggling will not be tolerated. As far as messages go, this one has certainly hit the mark - and broken our hearts.