Many of the well-known cars are built by colossal automakers and sold all over the world. Companies like Toyota, GM, Ford, and other major carmakers release millions of cars annually. Even smaller manufacturers like Mazda produce millions of automobiles. "Newcomers" like Tesla, focusing on all-electric cars, are also nearing the one-million-mark.
Updated July 2022: A supercar is not the average Joe's daily driver. These cars are built exclusively for performance. Factors such as trunk space and back seat comfort are never in question. As long as the driver seat is as comfortable as possible, there’s enough power under the hood, and the styling is as aggressive as it should, that car is good. Most supercars are special edition models, making them quite rare and expensive. First published in 2018, we’ve updated this list with some of the rarest supercars ever built and their respective prices.
All these are awesome. However, there's a whole new world of auto manufacturing that is only explored by a select few. A world of rare and extraordinary supercars that everyone dreams of owning, but only a few can actually afford them. On this side of car manufacturing, factors such as economies of scale, costs, and usual regulations do not matter. The only thing that counts is how cool, rare, and unique the car gets. Most times, these supercars end up selling for millions of dollars. That said, here are some of the rarest supercars and how much they cost.
19 Bugatti Veyron Jean Bugatti Edition – $3.9 Million
The Bugatti Veyron isn't the everyday Ferrari or Lamborghini. Even in its standard version, the car is quite rare and expensive. Including all the models and special edition offerings, only 450 units of the Veyron are known to exist.
And while this is awesome, the Jean Bugatti Edition is among the rarest cars, worth over $1 million. The car was named in honor of Ettore Bugatti's son. Only three were built and priced at $3.9 million. Jean became head of the company when he was 27 years old. But he was killed while testing a Bugatti race car when he was 30. He had created the great Atlantic 57SC before his death. Hence, the Veyron, which bears his name, is inspired by this design.
18 McLaren F1 – $4 Million
The McLaren F1 is a dangerous car, a record-breaking supercar that recorded a top speed of 240.1 mph in 1998, replacing the modified Jaguar XJ220 as the fastest production car in the world. Not a lot of cars have what this lineup has. Both the interior and exterior earns it its supercar appellation.
The car was produced in limited numbers of 106, making the McLaren F1 one of the world's most exclusive cars. When new, the F1 came with a starting price of between $800,000 and $1,000,000. Today, this little wonder is among the highest-priced cars sold at auction. According to Hagerty, pristine examples are priced between $4,050,000 and $22,125,000. One sold for a whopping $20.5 million in 2021, making the McLaren F1 the most expensive car sold at auction that year.
17 Ascari KZ1 – $280,000
Name formed from the initials of the Ascari manufacturing owner, Klaas Zwart, the KZ1 is another rare super. These cars were produced from 2005 to 2010, and while the years seem many, the output was limited to only 50 units. Each car required 340 hours of handcrafting by more than two dozen experts.
The car debuted at the 2005 Autosport International with a starting price of approximately $280,000. There's not much information about its current value, but it ranges around the same price it came with when new, depending on the specs ordered by the buyer.
16 Maserati MC12 - $1.5 Million
Out of all the cars listed here, this one looks a little less curved and cut. While the complex exterior styling of other supercars makes them look aggressive and expensive, the MC12's simple styling doesn't make it an average daily driver. It just features the looks of a tamed beast.
The hood is long, but it's shaped nicely. The nose holds the Maserati logo, and the rear sports an exotic look. Additionally, the car has an old-school spoiler in the rear. The car was built on the Ferrari Enzo's chassis, but the MC12 is longer, wider, and has a sharper nose. Apart from the 12 race-spec MC12s, additional 50 units were made and sold to the public for around $1.5 million.
15 Ferrari FXX-K – Roughly $3 Million
This car is just a mind-boggling piece of machinery. It was built from 2015 to 2017, and over those two years, 42 units were made. Ferrari had already produced the predecessor, the Ferrari FXX, hence, the Ferrari FXX-K was not an entirely new concept. However, some things, like the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS), were new in the FXX-K version.
Serious gearheads would think the Ferrari FXX-K looks very similar to the LaFerrari. However, one significant difference is the pair of half wings in the rear, but Ferrari doesn't hide that. The 6.3-liter V12 churns out a whopping 1,036 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. And it sold for approximately $3 million.
14 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR – $8.5 Million - $10 Millio
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These things were built to compete in the FIA GT1 Championship in 1999; however, MB was still obligated to make 25 street versions when the plans were canceled. And that's precisely how many were ever produced and have been since 1999. It was a race car for the roads, so it didn't have many luxuries. Only leather and AC were offered. And the exterior looked a bit lost.
The car was equipped with a 6.9-liter V12 that could take it to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and push it to a top speed of 214 mph. And with a price tag of $1,547,620, the Guinness Book of World Records recorded the Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR as the most expensive production car ever made at the time. Today, the car costs between $8.5 million and $10 million.
13 Porsche 911 GT1 – Around $10 Million
Because of the regulations, the Porsche 911 GT1 raced in the FIA GTI and had to have 25 street-legal variants for homologation purposes. Produced in 1997, these cars had to become civilized before entering society. Following European emissions regulations, the 911 GTI was detuned to produce 537 horses from the 3.2-liter flat-6 twin-turbo. The car sprinted from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and topped at 191 mph.
The GT1 was a mixture of the 996 and 993. The drivetrain came from the 996, and the chassis was taken from the 993. As far as the price is concerned, it's hard to say. In 2017, one example sold for $5.66 million. And being one of the rarest supercars ever made, it wouldn't be surprising to see one sell for over $10 million.
12 Cizeta-Moroder V16T – $1 Million
Now known as just Cizeta V16T, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T is an Italian supercar built from 1991 to 2001. It was jointly developed by Claudio Zampolli, an automotive engineer and music composer Giorgio Moroder. Marcello Gandini handled the design work. Thanks to its limited production of only 13 units, the V16T is one of the rarest supercars ever built. A 1995 model costs $300,000.
Besides the exterior, there was the engine that was eccentric too. Instead of going with what the manufacturers of the '90s put in their engine bay, this bad boy got the dwindling-in-popularity quadruple flip-ups. In 1995, one of these would have cost $300,000. Today, its price ranges between $900,000 and $1.2 million.
11 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – $2.92 Million
While the name of this one might sound a bit weird, after some explanation, it makes sense. The "Sesto Elemento" means the "sixth element" in English, referring to the atomic number of none other than the famous carbon atom. It's an homage to carbon for helping build the carbon fiber cars.
The car was built in 2011. As expected, before the production had begun, the units were already bought by a select few. Check it out; each unit was sold for $2.92 million. No other Lambo had been as expensive as the Sesto Elemento at that time.
10 Bristol Fighter – $268,000
The name of this thing itself sounds aggressive. Bristol Fighter. There was a WWI fighter reconnaissance aircraft called Bristol F.2 Fighter, commonly referred to as just Bristol Fighter. The car looks pretty sleek, and as evident from its long hood, the engine is in the front. Nonetheless, the vehicle's 8.3-liter Viper V10 sends all the 525 horsepower to the rear wheels.
Despite being a British car, the car has a Dodge Viper V10; it wouldn't exactly be a supercar if the engine was not modified. Only 9 to 14 units were built between 2004 and 2011. It was competent. To get one of these will cost approximately $270,000 if it can be found.
9 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale – $10 Million
Unlike a few cars here, the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is rather old, and the manufacturer is also a little different. The 33 Stradale derive from a racing counterpart. Its exterior deserves some discussion. First off, its grille is relatively small and low. It needs searching to locate it. Then, on top of its hood, right below the windshield, are two tiny vents. And while the massive headlamps complement these small cues, they play a huge role in making the Stradale a beautiful automobile.
The 33 Stradale marked the brand's first attempt to integrate racing technology into a road car, making it resolutely not just a pretty face. The race-bred engine was a 2.0-liter dry-sump V8 with an aluminum block and fuel injection – all contemporary technology back in 1967. It meant the Stradale could match a Lamborghini Miura or Daytona for performance. With only 18 units ever built, the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is now valued at more than $10 million
8 Zenvo ST1 – $1.8 Million
Built by a Danish company, the Zenvo ST1 was introduced in 2009. It was Zenvo Automotive's first model built entirely by hand, except for the presence of a CNC machine. With production running until 2016, the ST1 is the equivalent of the American-bred Ford GT, 2017 model.
The car is exotic and powerful. Powered by a 6.8-liter V8 producing more than 1,100 horses, the ST1 could do the 0-60 trick in 2.69 seconds. That's pretty quick. Only 15 were made—and the price tag of $1.8 million seems reasonable for this Danish supercar.
7 Koenigsegg One:1 – $2.85 Million
The reasoning behind the name of this thing is pretty cool. The "One:1" refers to the power-to-weight ratio. So, for each kg the car weighs, it gives an equal amount of horsepower. And it weighs 1360 kilograms. That's a neat thing to be able to do, no? It should be noted that this is technically classified as a megacar instead of the boring old supercar.
The exterior looks exotic. The only way to tell it's a car is because of its four wheels. However, the vision might be blurred once the arrow reaches its top speed of 248 mph. The interior is well-appointed. Nonetheless, with only six of these made, it's one of the rarest cars. The One:1 has a price tag between $2.85 million and $5 million.
6 Lamborghini Veneno – $9.5 Million
This is the highest-priced car from Lambo so far. The car was based on the Aventador, celebrating the brand's 50th anniversary. The 750-horsepower, 6.5-liter V12 roars past 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. Only five were made, with two being held back in the factory, meaning three cars were sold to the public. The car looks exotic and toxic; curves, cuts, and wedges make it look like it can do whatever it wants.
While the car sold for $4 million when it was produced in 2013, current prices are as high as $9.5 million. With the 750 horses flowing from a beastly V12, the car clears 62 mph in under 3.0 seconds and hits a top speed of 220 mph. With only 13 Veneno models existing around the globe, a supercar cannot be rarer.
5 Pagani Zonda Revolucion – $2.8 Million
Car manufacturer Pagani isn't as famous as some other manufacturers worldwide, but it's an astonishing manufacturer. The Zonda R is a supreme beauty; it's sturdy and safe. The interior is not ordinary at all. It's structured with the track in mind.
Its cabin is somewhat busy but highly function-oriented. No button is present just for being there; it has a purpose, a mission—to give you the best experience possible. And it doesn't come easily to everyone, especially when only five were ever built, each costing near-$3 million.
4 Yamaha OX99-11 – $1.3 Million
Yamaha got into the supplying game in 1989 when it started providing engines to Formula 1. As is the natural history of many car manufacturers, Yamaha learned from the experience and decided to make a great car. The project supercar was worked by Yamaha's subsidiary, Ypsilon Technology, in collaboration with IAD, an English engineering consultancy.
The supercar had a 3.5-liter OX99 V12 and a six-speed manual transmission to dish out 450 hp. With this juice, the supercar sprinted from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and attained a top speed of 217 mph. While Yamaha never achieved its desire to build a practical supercar, all three prototypes of the OX99-11 survive to this day and cost slightly over a million dollars.
3 Chrysler ME412 – NA
The ME412 is an American performance concept supercar developed and engineered by Chrysler. Produced in 2004, the supercar's name is a combination of the mid-engine equipped with four turbochargers on a 12-cylinder powerplant. There were only two of these produced, and one of them was the auto-show version. The design is gorgeous.
The show version was impotent, but the other unit was a working prototype that came out after just four months of work. And it worked. However, no more cars were produced after those two. A source from Chrysler revealed that the car would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to develop at a time when Chrysler was still rebuilding, and those costs could not be justified. While there's not enough information regarding the current price, the ME412 is one of the rarest supercars with exorbitant price tags. It was estimated to cost between $250,000 and $750,000 when new.
2 Nissan R390 GT1 – $1 Million
So, first of all, this one was derived from a racing car with the same name. The road-going car was essentially a detuned version of the racing car and was produced in 1998. It looks pretty neat, with the exterior having a flatter and fuller look.
A total of two of these were ever produced. One is sitting inside Nissan's museum, and the world is pretty much clueless about the whereabouts of the second one. This supercar was produced in 1998, so 20 years later, the car must be one of the most expensive. The mentioned price of $1 million is the amount Nissan planned to sell the road cars once they built them.
1 Ferrari P4/5 – $4 Million
Here's the ultimate rarest car in the world. The P4/5 was a one-off supercar built by Ferrari for film director James Glickenhaus. To make the car as unique as a one-off, the P4/5 was redesigned by Pininfarina, one of the most renowned auto designers in the world. The car was produced in 2006 and had a powerful 6.0-liter Tipo F140 B V12 engine.
The exterior doesn't matter; the interior doesn't matter, and, indeed, nothing matters at this level of rarity. Just the fact that the car was specifically made for just one person for $4 million. It'd be hard for the owner to sell the car to someone else.