The recent microchip shortage during the pandemic created the ongoing new car shortage, leaving many paying top dollar for the few available units. But this is only mere scarcity which dwarves in comparison to genuinely rare cars. These come in extremely limited numbers that even deep-pocket collectors must wait years to lay their hands on.
Still, many collectors stop at nothing to ensure they own them because they represent some of the finest automotive products ever built. Their limited production numbers, unique design, and sometimes age add to their demand, status, and value. That is why the rarest cars in the world are also some of the most expensive. Here are the rarest cars today, from rare legendary classic cars to modern limited-edition exotics.
10/10 Porsche 911 GT1 – 20 Units
The 911 GT1 is arguably the most outrageous Porsche creation of the 90s. It is also one of the most extreme road-legal homologation specials to come out of the short-lived yet spectacular GT1 era. It was a mash-up of the Le Mans-winning Dauer 962’s rear section and a 993-generation 911 front section built around a tubular steel chassis.
Porsche built only 25 copies of the 911 GT1 to meet FIA requirements making it one of the rarest Porsche models ever built. In 2017, one went sold for $5.66 million.
9/10 W Motors Lykan Hypersport – 7 Units
The Lykan Hypersport boasts as the first supercar made in the Middle East. It is extremely powerful with supercar-worthy figures and an intriguing design featuring the most expensive headlights built of titanium LED blades with 440 15-carat diamonds. Also, W Motors built just seven copies making it a rare collectible.
It is already a Hollywood icon after featuring in the Fast and Furious franchise and being part of the high-flying Abu Dhabi police car fleet.
8/10 The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato – 19 Units
Aston Martin has a track record of crafting some of the most beautiful cars ever spanning a century. In the early 60s, they partnered with Zagato, one of the best-known coachbuilders, to create the specially modified grand tourer sports car based on the Aston Martin DB4 GT.
Zagato modified 19 copies into some of the most exciting and beautiful British sports cars ever. The DB4 GT Zagato’s limited quantities make it one of the most desirable and collectible Aston Martin cars.
7/10 The Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita – 2 Units
Trevita is Swedish for “three whites.” Koenigsegg originally planned to build three white CCXR examples in 2009 but only ended up with two, thanks to the complex production and extensive time spent creating the bespoke white carbon fiber weave.
With two copies, the CCXR Trevita is one of the most exclusive Koenigsegg cars. It came to the limelight in 2015 when professional boxer Floyd Mayweather bought one of the two for a whopping $4.8 million.
6/10 Ferrari 250 GTO – 36 Units
In 2018, a Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $70.2 million at a private auction, becoming the most expensive vehicle. Others have sold for high eight figures making this Ferrari arguably the most valuable collector’s car model in the world.
An elite car club exists among the super-wealthy folks dubbed The GTO Club, made of billionaires willing to part with huge amounts to acquire the holy grail of classic cars. It is a highly exclusive club seeing Ferrari built just 36 examples of the race-bred between 1962 and 1964.
5/10 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé – 2 Units
In 2022, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe broke the record for the most valuable car in the world after a private collector parted with $143 million at auction. It was one of the two examples built, and Mercedes sold it for a good cause to fund a global scholarship program.
The timeless two-seater sports car is one of the finest automotive creations. It oozes aesthetic elegance with its gullwing doors and a long bonnet housing a mighty inline-eight engine that made it the fastest car in the world at the time.
4/10 McLaren F1 LM – 5 Units
McLaren built the F1 LM to celebrate the incredible achievement of the F1 GTR at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. They based the LM on the racer with the standard F1 chassis and necessary mods to make it street-legal.
Only five copies left the factory as an ode to the five cars that finished the 1995 race, making it one of the rarest cars around.
3/10 Bugatti Type 41 (Royale) – 7 Units
The Royale is one of the earliest examples of luxury cars to hit the market. It debuted in 1927 and remains the largest Bugatti by length and engine; it is 252 inches long and features a 12.7-liter inline-eight engine. Initially, Bugatti intended to build 25 units but slashed production to seven.
Bugatti sold only three of the seven units thanks to the model’s massive size, expensive price tag, and economic troubles caused by the Great Depression.
2/10 Lamborghini Veneno Coupe – 4 Units
Lamborghini unveiled the Veneno at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary. It came with an outlandish and bold design making it one of the poster-worthy supercars from recent times.
Also, it is one of the rarest high-performance cars ever built, with only five units. It comes with improved underpinnings of the Aventador, incredible performance figures, and a price tag to match.
1/10 Aston Martin DBR1 – 5 Units
The Aston DBR1 is a sleek green sports racing car built by the British marquee in the late-50s for the championship and non-championship races. It gained immortal status in 1959 after earning Aston Martin’s single outright win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a 1-2 finish.
Aston Martin rolled out only five units of the DBR1, and all achieved great racing success. It is considered one of the most iconic and valuable Aston Martins.
Sources: Mercedes-benz.com, Ferrari.com, autoevolution.com, hotcars.com
