Love rare, exotic cars?
There are plenty of desirable, and expensive, vintage cars out there. But what makes an ultra-rare car, is its history. Not solely the price tag
By this we mean, the one-off, special editions, or commemorative cars. Those are the cars we’ll be counting down in our guide of the 7 rarest cars in the world.
Buckle up.
7. Bugatti Type 41 Royale Kellner Coupe
This car was built between 1927 and 1933, weighing in at a whopping 7,000 pounds. It’s one of the largest cars in the world. Ettore Bugatti planned to make 25 vehicles and sell them to royalty.
The flaw in his plan was building them during the Great Depression, where even royalty wasn’t flashing the cash. Only 7 were ever made and only six exist today. The last one to be sold at auction went for $10 million.
6. 1998 McLaren F1 LM
The F1 LM is a commemorative edition of the adored McLaren F1, specifically the F1 GTRs that took part in the 1995 Le Mans. Only six of these were ever made and one of them was kept by McLaren themselves. They all come in the same Papaya orange to honor Bruce McLaren’s racing color.
Most recently, one sold for a jaw-dropping $13.5 million.
5. 1970 Porsche 917
A sports prototype with plenty to brag about. This model gave Porsche their first win at Le Mans in 1970. But even more notably, it starred alongside Steve McQueen in ‘Le Mans’.
The car driven by McQueen himself sold for $14 million in 2017.
4. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California SWB Spider
Famous for its appearance in ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, only 55 of these vehicles were ever made. They’re so rare that the one in the movie was a replica!
Back in 2016, an original went for $17.16 million.
3. 1956 Aston Martin DBR1
Famed for a 1959 victory at Le Mans, the DBR1 is one of three cars to win the Le Mans 24 Hours and World Sportscar Championship the same year. Overall, the DBR1 won six World Sportscar Championships through the 1950s, which was a record for its time. Only five were ever made.
It broke another record when last auctioned in 2017 as the most expensive British-made car at $22.5 million.
2. 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
The 250TR dominated Le Mans and other races in its heyday, racking up 10 World Sportscar Championships, 3 Le Mans 24 Hours, and plenty more.
Only two factory models and 19 customer models of the 250TR were ever made. Which would explain the incredible price tag. One last sold in 2014 for $39.8 million.
1. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
Another Ferrari entry, the 250 GTO was a race car made to compete in the FIA’s Group 3 GT category. Only 39 were made and buyers had to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari.
This makes it the most exclusive car in the world. It’s broken records every time one has been sold. Most recently, one sold for $70 million in 2018.
Taking Care of Exotic Cars
If you think the initial price tag is steep, taking care of exotic and rare cars is another matter entirely. All require bespoke maintenance from the dealer to stay in tip-top condition. You can find out more about exotic car care in this guide.
More on Rarest Cars
Though for most of us the rarest cars are far out of budget, we can dream! You can find more automotive articles on our blog, covering everything from electric to exotic cars.
