If you think that owning a classic high-end car with a twelve-cylinder engine is out of reach, think again. There are plenty of prime examples of V12s to be had for as low as 5% of the original MSRP. Cars that originally cost as much as a small house are now going for less than the sticker on a new Nissan Versa.
We used search aggregator site AutoTempest to find most of these wheel deals across a variety of platforms. These figures are for actual cars that were for sale within a few days of publication of this article. As long as the car was mostly intact, running, and visibly pleasant, it made the cut.
And just to be clear, these slideshow pics aren't of the actual cars for sale - most of those photos were not suitable for framing. Instead, we present these robust rides in all of their well-photographed glory.
15 1992 Mercedes-Benz 600SEL - $16,400/$3,100
A well-cared-for example of a 1992 Mercedes-Benz 600 SEL with 68,552 miles on the clock, rear-wheel drive, and an automatic transmission was recently spotted at a dealer for $16,400. Too rich for your blood? A somewhat raggedy '93 with 188,000 miles and a salvaged title was spotted for $3,100 on Facebook Marketplace.
14 1988 Jaguar XJS Convertible - $6,500
Get together $6,500 and a white-bodied 1988 XJS Convertible can be yours. The mammoth Jaguar actually runs great. However, the top that needs replacing and the power windows have reverted back to just being windows. The good news is that this beast has been in storage and reads a measly 80,000 miles on the odometer.
13 1997 BMW 750iL - $4,995
The Bristol Auto Mall in Levittown, PA, is offering a silver 5.4 liter, 24 valve 1997 BMW 750iL for a very reasonable price of $4,995. The five-speed automatic does show 125,555 miles on the ticker, but extras like stability control and heated leather seats might help seal the deal. The black interior looks pretty good too.
12 2005 Mercedes-Benz S600 Sedan - $5,999
Straight outta Stafford, Virginia, comes the deal of the day, a gray-painted 2005 Mercedes-Benz S600 Sedan rocking rear-wheel drive and a 5.5L V12 turbocharged gas engine. With a black interior and 116,126 miles on the odometer, this worn Benz could be yours for a mere $5,999. The inside does show a little wear.
11 1994 Jaguar XJ12 - $3,950
There is a beautiful, deep red 91,265-mile XJ12 waiting for you. At only $3,950, it's shocking that the Jag is in excellent mechanical condition and that a bunch of work has been done recently. Sure, the air conditioning is dead, the headliner is droopy and the driver's seat is worn. But it's a V12!
10 1992 BMW 850i - $11,000
A slightly modified bright yellow 1992 BMW 850i seems like a bargain at only $11,000. The rough part is the 144,000 miles, which is a lot. The car does sit on brand new rims and tires. Lots of performance goodies as well as all of the original parts await a daring V12 aficionado.
9 2001 Aston Martin DB7 Convertible - $18,900
Looking for a theft-recovered salvage certificate Aston Martin DB7 Convertible clocking 35,000 miles with more bad records than Elvis? You're welcome. Drop into Wrightstown, New Jersey, this weekend, and claim your $18,900 prize. Everything on this gray on blue 2001 supposedly works great. It also has no liens and looks freaking fantastic in the photos.
8 2006 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG - $18,900
A beautiful, black 2006 S65 AMG with only 84,990 miles was recently spotted in New York. It is an immaculate non-smoker car and loaded with every possible option. Your 604 hp chariot awaits for the tidy sum of $18,900, a far cry from when the dealer sold it new for just over $176,000.
7 1999 Toyota Century - $6,261
How cool would it be to order a used 1999 Toyota Century from Japan? The mighty V12-powered 4-door is the Rolls Royce of the Orient and can be purchased and shipped to Jacksonville, Florida, for a total of $6,261. And the famously luxurious interior looks like it has been well-maintained, even with 100,408 miles under its black belt.
6 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL600 - $10,950
Only 13 mpg in the city? That's the price you pay for driving a 1999 SL600 with a 6.0 liter V12. It features an automatic trans, rear-wheel drive, a gas engine, and a meter that reads 61,684 miles. The tan interior shows it has been driven, but at $10,950, who cares?
5 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton - $8,980
These sold for more than $100,000 new, which is way too much for a Volkswagen. But here's a chance to see what happens when VW throws everything they've got into a V12-powered flagship personally championed by their corporate leader. This one has almost 140,000 miles on it. Yikes.
4 2005 Audi A8 W12 Quattro - $12,995
A one-owner, 115,173-mile 2005 Audi A8L W12 Quattro is waiting for you in Villa Park, Illinois. Actually, Kelley Blue Book says that the 6.0 liter German is overpriced by at least $4,000, so if you look around you can probably find a better deal. Or wait for this one to drop a few thousand.
3 1997 BMW 850Ci - $15,995
A murdered-out example of one of BMW's better shapes has traveled 120,000 miles, but it still may have plenty of life left in it. The 1997 850Ci automatic runs good but does have "minor electrical problems" to go along with newer tires and aftermarket rims. This body style has aged well.
2 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL600 - $5,990
Head on down to Texas to get your V12-loving hands on a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL600 for a slim $5,990. OK, there are no pictures of the thing but it seems pretty decent having only 99,533 miles. The car is a black automatic and the 5.8-liter engine runs on gas. The interior color is "unknown." Oh my.
1 2003 BMW 760Li - $6,942
New Jersey is the current home of a Titanium Silver Metallic 2003 BMW 760Li that's listed for a cool $6,942. The automatic 6.0 liter features a Basalt Gray interior, which is in terrific shape along with the bodywork. Even with 126,805 miles on the odometer it still seems like a worthy leap into the V12 deep end.
Sources: AutoTempest, Kelley Blue Book, CarGurus, AutoTrader