In recent times, premium carmakers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti have been falling over each other to outdo themselves when it comes to the release of limited-edition supercars and hypercars. There is a constant stream of these multi-million dollar toys and it is quite the struggle to keep up. You can’t really blame the manufacturers though; they are simply capitalizing on a niche market.
There exists a class of wealthy customers who will go to great lengths to acquire these pricey machines. Some customers genuinely enjoy the thrill of pushing the cars to the limits while others just want another eye-candy to add to their collection – think Manny Khoshbin.
The reality today is that, for these rarefied vehicles, demand exceeds supply and manufacturers have now seemingly devised a way around this. They produce limited-edition cars and then offer them to only a few customers who meet some form of selection criteria. It looks to be working so far - except for the Ford GT debacle a few years ago. This list highlights a few of those incredible automobiles that require more than your bank account if you want to get one.
14 Bugatti Divo
There was certain smugness about Bugatti when they finally unveiled their Divo hypercar to the public and the reason was not so far-fetched. The company only plans to make 40 units and they have all been sold out. Bugatti offered the almost $6million cars to a few select customers – those who already had the Chiron – and they all accepted at the first instance; pretty impressive.
13 Ferrari 488 Pista Piloti
The Pista Piloti was introduced by Ferrari in 2018 as a limited edition of the 488 Pista. However, you can’t just waltz into the showroom to buy one. The Italian carmaker only offers this 710hp track-focused supercar to members of its client racing program; those that are sure to use the car properly the way it’s meant to be driven.
12 Pagani Huayra Imola
There was no fanfare surrounding the release of the latest Pagani Huayra variant; the Huayra Imola. The car features an extreme aerodynamic package that was influenced by countless hours of testing and research around the famous Italian track. Mr Horacio only built 5 units which were offered to a few loyal Pagani customers.
11 Ferrari FXX K Evo
The mighty FXX K Evo boasts over 1,000hp and will cost over $2.5million to purchase but hold on, it may still be beyond you even if you have the change to spare. You must be invited by Ferrari to purchase the track-only hypercar and you need to commit to driving the car at Ferrari-sponsored track day events through the year. Yes, it does require a high level of commitment to be a part of this sacred club.
10 Ford GT
The Ford GT has been a resounding success since launch and in 2020, Ford announced plans to increase the production run from 1,000 to 1,350 units. It does not make the acquisition any easier. You still need to submit an application and commit, among other things, to drive the car on a regular basis and hold on to ownership for at least 2 years after purchase.
9 Aston Martin Vulcan
The Vulcan is a track-only fire-breathing dragon with a naturally aspirated V12 power plant capable of producing over 800 screaming horses. Only 25 units were produced and they were allocated to pre-selected clients. Customers also had to go through a special training program led by professional racing drivers before they are turned loose in the Vulcan.
8 Bugatti Chiron
Today, you can walk into a high-end show room and buy a Chiron. However, it is a different proposition if you want one laid out and customized to your taste. You will need an invite by the French car maker to its upscale factory at Molsheim and Bugatti just won’t invite anyone. The average Bugatti owner owns about 40 cars and maybe a private jet or two – go figure.
7 Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2
Ferrari’s special Monza supercars will cost almost $2million and only 499 customers will be lucky enough to own one. Given that there are more 500 customers with the means to purchase the car, prospective customers have to be carefully selected by Ferrari. Needless to say, one of the qualifying requirements is loyalty to the brand. Translation? How many Ferraris have you owned?
6 Aston Martin Valkyrie
Aston Martin showcased one of their most ambitious projects when the Valkyrie debuted in 2017. The car features a crazy aero package and packs well over 1,000hp. It will also cost roughly $3million but even then, Aston Martin will not just let everybody drive their hypercar; customers are carefully vetted and selected by the company.
5 Ferrari Sergio Pininfarina
The exclusive supercar was first unveiled by Ferrari at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show; then they hurt a lot of billionaires’ feelings by stating their intention to build only 6 units. All the cars were allocated to some of the most loyal Prancing Horse customers that have supported the brand through the years.
4 Mercedes AMG Project One
The AMG Project One is one of the most highly anticipated hypercars and for good reason too. The car will incorporate FI technology under its skin and what’s more? It will be perfectly road-legal. Mercedes plans to build 275 units and they are already sold out to invite-only customers. People who have reportedly plunked 6-figure deposits on a car that is still some way from delivery.
3 Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf
Mystery shrouded the release of the Aston Martin Lagonda and even today, it remains a very rare and elusive luxury sedan. The car packs a 6.0-liter V12 engine under its elongated hood; hinting at some very promising performance. You’ll likely never get to experience it though. Aston Martin offered the car on an invite-only basis mostly to clients in the Middle East.
2 McLaren P1 GTR
The McLaren P1 redefined standards when it was launched in 2014 and shortly after, the British carmaker released an even more extreme version – the P1 GTR. The car cost over $3million and the limited production run was initially offered to wealthy customers who already counted the ‘regular’ P1 as part of their collection.
1 Battista Anniversario
The 2020 Geneva auto show was supposed to witness the debut of the Battista Anniversario, a limited-edition electric hypercar that will cost north of $2million. Only 5 units of the car will be built and they will not be sold to just anybody. Prospective customers will have to be selected from those who also bought in on the regular Pininfarina model, an upcoming car that also costs over $2million – interesting.