The Rarest Cars Ever Made
Nowadays, many of the world's best cars are available to anyone whose got the cash. But there are some hotrods that stand out not just for their incredible speed and design, but their rarity.
You'll have a hard time finding one of the beauties on this list, which is why these are the rarest cars in the world.
1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL1
When the ZL1 hit the market, it was the most powerful Corvette at that time. This little hotrod was equipped with GM's L88 engine, which gave it 430 hp—though some claim it could crank out more than 500 hp.
All that horsepower meant the ZL1 could reach an impressive top speed of 170 mph.
1969 Chevrolet Corvette ZL1 (cont'd)
The ZL1 could also be boosted with heavy-duty brakes, specialized suspension, and transistorized ignition.
From the records, it seems like only two of these cars were sold, but only one has full documentation to prove the sale. If you can find one, the ZL1 has a $1.2 million price tag.
Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1957 Jaguar XKSS
This was Jaguar's street-legal version of their legendary D-Type race car.
Back in 1957, the company had planned to make 25 of these cars but only completed 16. In 2016, they released the last nine cars, and built them to be exactly the same as the ones from '57.
Herranderssvensson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1957 Jaguar XKSS (cont'd)
The XKSS was equipped with a 3.4-liter I6 engine that cranked out 250 hp.
And with a top speed of 150 mph, there's no doubt that driving this car was every bit as fun as its racing predecessor. The XKSS goes for $1.5 million.
1951 Pegaso Z-102
The Pegaso was meant to rival the performance and beauty of Ferraris.
It lived up to that goal, and when it was released in 1951, it was the fastest car on the market, with base models reaching a top speed of 120 mpg and supercharged trims hitting 151 mph.
Detectandpreserve, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1951 Pegaso Z-102
From 1951 to 1958, Pegaso made 84 Z-102s. These hotrods featured a 2.5 liter V8 engine and could generate anywhere from 175 hp to 360 hp.
If you can find one today, you'll have to shell out at least $1 million to call it yours.
2017 Pagani Huayra BC
This Italian supercar made waves the moment it hit the market in 2012. That year, Top Gear magazine named it the Hypercar of the Year, and the Huayra BC lived up to that standard throughout its six-year production run.
Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
2017 Pagani Huayra BC (cont'd)
The Huayra BC features a hand-built, twin-turbo, V12 engine that cranks out 720hp. This allows the cars to go from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 238 mph.
Pagani made 100 base models of the Huayra, but the BC model was named after one of Pagani's late friends. Only 20 Huayra BCs were made, and they each cost about $2.5 million.
Charles, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
2013 Pagani Zonda Revolucion
This speed demon was the Huayra predecessor, and first hit the market in 1999. Since then, 135 Zondas have passed production in the form of coupes, roadsters, and Barchetta.
The Revolucion is a special version of the car, with only five made for Pagani's family and top clients.
2013 Pagani Zonda Revolucion (cont'd)
The Zonda Revolucion featured a 6.0-liter V12 engine that was made by Mercedes-AMG. It produced 789 horsepower and could reach a top speed of 217 mph.
It also had an innovative sequential gearbox that could switch gears in just 20 milliseconds. These cars went for about $2.6 million.
Navigator84, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
The 33 Stradale, meaning "road-going" in Italian, was Alfa Romeo's street-legal version of their Tipo 33 racing prototype.
The 33 Stradale's engine was built just for this car and was a 2.0-liter V8 with four ignition coils, 16 spark plugs, and SPICA fuel injection system.
edvvc, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (cont'd)
The Stradale's unique engine gave it a top speed of 160 mph. It also had good acceleration for the time, going from 0-6 mph in 5.5 seconds.
Alfa Romeo only built 18 of these cars, and their so hard to find these days, that they can cost more than $3 million.
Brian Snelson, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1954 Oldsmobile F-88
With fiberglass body set on a Corvette chassis, the F-88 was the coolest concept car of the 50s.
It housed the same engine as Oldsmobile's iconic Super 88: a 5.3-liter V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and 250 hp.
JOHN LLOYD, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1954 Oldsmobile F-88 (cont'd)
The F-88 could hit a top speed of 140 mph, but the sleek, golden design of the vehicle is what people were really drawn to.
While there are rumors that Oldsmobile made two F-88s and lost one in a fire, the company only sold one of these cars for $3.5 million.
Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1994 Ferrari F40 LM
This classic Ferrari was built to commemorate the company's 40th anniversary. It was also the last auto design that was approved by Enzo Ferrari himself.
At the time, the F40 LM was the company's fastest and most powerful car. It was also the most expensive with a $3.3 million price tag.
1994 Ferrari F40 LM (cont'd)
Ferrari only made 19 F40 LMs, and each had a twin-turbo V8 engine that gave it a whopping 471 hp and top speed of 199 mph.
The LM was the race car model of the street-legal Ferrari F40, which sold 1,311 throughout its five-year production run.
2014 W Motors Lykan HyperSport
Built by a company in the United Arab Emirates, the Lykan Hypersport was the first car to be designed and manufactured in the middle east.
Lebanese, French, and Italian engineers designed this incredibly rare supercar, and the company only produced seven units.
W Motors, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
2014 W Motors Lykan HyperSport (cont'd)
The HyperSport achieved worldwide fame after being featured in Furious 7. Going from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds and with a top speed of 240 mph the HyperSport is a wickedly fast ride.
It's also a luxurious one with headlights that featured titanium LED bulbs and were embedded with the buyer's choice of 420 15-carat diamonds, rubies, or sapphires. No wonder this beast had a $3.4 million price tag.
User:Ciuffone69, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Mansory Bugatti Veyron Linea Vivere
The Bugatti Veyron has been one of the world's most popular supercars since it first hit the streets in 2005. Several models were produced throughout its ten-year production run, but the Mansory Vivere edition is undoubtedly the rarest.
Mansory Bugatti Veyron Linea Vivere (cont'd)
Bugatti only made three of these cars, and each one went for about $3.4 million. The original trim featured a quad-turbocharged W12 engine and could hit a top speed of 253.
At the time, it set the Guinness World Record for the world's fastest street-legal car.
NIL (All Images Copyright ©), Flickr
2013 Lamborghini Veneno
Based on the Aventador and named after a fighting bull, this limited-edition supercar was built to honor Lamborghini's 50th anniversary.
At the time of its release, the Veneno was the second-most expensive car in the world, with a $4.5 million price tag.
Clément Bucco-Lechat, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
2013 Lamborghini Veneno (cont'd)
Beneath the hood, the Veneno had a 6.5-liter V12 engine that cranked out 720 hp. It also had a top speed of 221 mph.
Lamborghini only made 14 of these cars, as four coupes and 10 roadsters.
Norbert Aepli, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing
This iconic car is still a favorite among collectors and remains one of the world's rarest cars. If you can find one, expect to pay at least $4.2 million to call it yours.
1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing (cont'd)
At the time, the 300SL was the fastest car on the market. It had a 3.0-liter I6 engine that gave it up to 240 hp, and a top speed of 160 mph.
Mercedes marketed is as a "race car for the street".
2009 Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita
Running on ethanol fuel, the Koenigsegg CCXR is the eco-friendly trim of the CCX. It has the same twin-supercharged V8 engine but the use of ethanol gives it a boost in power and the ability to pump out 1,000 hp.
2009 Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita (cont'd)
The most famous feature of this car it the body made from Koenigsegg Proprietary Diamond Weave. This unique form of carbon fibre makes the car sparkle like diamonds in the light.
Koenigsegg planned to make three of these beauties, but because they were so expensive to produce, only two ever saw the light of day. Floyd Mayweather bought one—all it cost him was $4.8 million.
1928 Mercedes-Benz S-Type Sports Tourer
Mercedes was one of the first foreign automakers to make it big in America, and that's thanks to the K and S models. By the 1920s, they were among the most expensive cars out there. Now, they're among the rarest.
nemor2, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1928 Mercedes-Benz S-Type Sports Tourer (cont'd)
Mercedes made 150 S-Type Sports Tourers but only a handful are still up and running these days.
Since they're one of the rarest cars in the world, they're also one of the most expensive. The last one that sold went for about $5 million.
Porsche 550 Spyder
For three years, from 1953 to 1956, the 550 Spyder was the most popular race car on the track. Porsche only made 90 of these hotrods and you'll be hard pressed to find one out there today.
Kirill Borisenko, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Porsche 550 Spyder (cont'd)
The 550 Spyder was a winner on the track, and pretty much always took home one of the top three medals. Jerry Seinfeld once owned a 550 Spyder, but he sold it for about $5.3 million. Another at a Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale went for $6 million.
Alexandre Prévot, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1964 Ford GT40
This predecessor to Ford's beloved GT supercar featured a design that inspired by the British Lola Mk6 and powered by an American engine that made specifically for this car.
edvvc, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1964 Ford GT40 (cont'd)
Between 1964 and 1969, Ford made 105 GT40s. They featured three different sizes of V8 engine, including a 4.7-liter engine, 7.0-liter FE engine, and detuned 4.7-liter engine.
According to the last recorded sale for one of these, they go for at least $7 million.
2008 Maybach Exelero
This concept sports car was unveiled in 2005 and featured a twin-turbo V12 engine that produced 690 horsepower. It had a wicked top speed of 218 mph and could go from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
Simon Davison, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
2008 Maybach Exelero (cont'd)
Maybach only produced one of these cars, and it was made famous after being featured on the German show Cobra 11. In 2011, it was reported that that the rapper Birdman bought the car for $8 million.
LSDSL, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bugatti Type 41 Royale Kellner Coupe
The Type 41 is a remnant of Bugatti's early days, when they were known for luxury rather than wicked fast supercars.
Built between 1927 and 1933, the Type 41 was a massive 7,000-pound dreamboat. Beneath the hood, it was powered by a huge 12.763-liter I8 engine.
Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bugatti Type 41 Royale Kellner Coupe (cont'd)
In addition to being one of the world's rarest cars, it's also one of the largest. Bugatti planned to make seven of these beasts, but with the chassis alone costing $30,000 to make, only five of these cars made it off the production line.
According to the last recorded sale, they go for $10 million.
ignis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1953 Jaguar XK120-C
Jaguar only made 53 of these racing cars. With 43 of them going to private owners, it's in the running for being the world's rarest Jaguar. It's also the most expensive Jag—the last one sold in 2015 for $13.2 million.
Gordon Calder, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1953 Jaguar XK120-C (cont'd)
The street-legal version of this car featured a 3.4-liter twin-cam I6 engine that produced up to 180 hp.
The racing version could crank out 205 hp. Needless to say, the C-Type dominated on the racetrack, and went on to secure two wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours race.
Gordon Calder, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1998 McLaren F1 LM
The McLaren F1 LM was designed to commemorate the F1 GTRs that competed and won at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans race. McLaren made six of these cars, but only sold five.
These days, they go for about $13.75 million.
robad0b, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1998 McLaren F1 LM (cont'd)
This speed demon features a 6.1-liter V12 that produces 680 hp and can go from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. It also has a wicked top speed of 225 mph.
MB-one, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
1970 Porsche 917
This prototype is famous for giving Porsche its first major wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1970 and 1971. It was also featured in a Steve McQueen film called Le Mans.
1970 Porsche 917 (cont'd)
The 917 was powered by a Type 912 flat-12 engine, available in either 4.5-, 4.9-, or 5-liters capacities.
It could go From 0-60 mph in just 2.3 seconds and had a blazing top speed of 240 mph. In 2017, the car driven by Steve McQueen sold for $14 million, which was a new record for Porsche.
Detectandpreserve, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
The DB4 GT Zagato was meant to be the improved version of the regular old DB4 GT. It was designed at the Zagato factory in Italy.
They wanted to make 25 of these cars, but only 20 made it to the streets.
Rex Gray, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (cont'd)
The DB4 GT Zagato had a 3.7-liter twin-spark I6 engine that produced 314 hp and top speed of 154 mph. It could go from 0-60 acceleration in 6.1 seconds, which was good for the time.
The last time one of these cars sold, it went for $14.3 million.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spider
This car was made world famous after being featured in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Ferrari made 55 of these cars, and it's still one of the most sought-after models by collectors.
Neil, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spider (cont'd)
These cars are so rare, that even the one in the movie wasn't real—it was a fiberglass replica. An authentic version will cost at least $15 million and as much as $17 million.
ZANTAFIO56, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1956 Aston Martin DBR1
This racecar was designed for the World Sportscar Championship, and famously won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. It also set a record when it won six World Sportscar Championships in the ‘50s and held onto the top spot until the Ferrari 250TR hit the track.
Rex Gray, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1956 Aston Martin DBR1 (cont'd)
The DBR1 had a 2.5-liter engine beneath the hood, and it cranked out 250 hp. Only five of these hotrods were ever made, and the last sold in 2017 for a world-record price of $22,555,000.
Darren, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
The Testa Rossa hit the track at the end of the 1957 racing season and went on to crush the competition. It's had many impressive wins including 10 World Sportscar Championships and three 24 Hours of Le Mans victories.
David Merrett, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (cont'd)
Ferrari only built 34 of these beauties, and it's considered the second-most valuable Ferrari ever. Prices usually hover around the $8 million range, though in 2014, one sold for $39.8 million.
Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
The only car more expensive than the Testa Rossa is the 250 GTO. This race car was powered by a Tipo V12 engine that produced 300 hp and a top speed of 174 mph. Only 39 of these cars made it off the production line.
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO (cont'd)
When the 250 GTO first hit the American market, prospective buyers had to get permission from Enzo Ferrari himself to buy one these rarities.
At the time, they went for $18,000, but in 2012, the GTO that was made for Stirling Moss sold for $38,115,000. In 2018, another 250 GTO set the record for the most expensive car sold at auction when it brought in a whopping $48,405,000.
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