In the automobile industry, there's a multitude of factors that separate the various offerings in different categories. These factors include speed, performance, practicability, and of course, price. You also have production numbers to determine if it’s a mass-market vehicle or something rather more exclusive. Typically, any production run of fewer than 1,000 units is considered limited-edition. However, within that space, exists an even more exclusive niche of cars with single-digit production numbers.
It is not unusual for such cars to be offered on an ‘invite-only’ basis and then there’s the price tag, often set a level that defies any form of logical reasoning but then that’s the whole point—exclusivity does not come cheap. Here then, are some exceptional machines from Italy that boast a single-digit production run.
10 Lamborghini Veneno Coupe - 5 units
For the right customers and I dare say, for the right price, Lamborghini will dig deep and build something truly extraordinary and set apart from the rest. One such example is the Lamborghini Veneno Coupe, a hypercar first introduced at the 2013 Geneva Auto show to mark Lamborghini’s 50th anniversary.
The car is uncompromisingly brutal in performance with an aggressive styling that is at best, described as an acquired taste. The car is often considered to be among the ugliest modern sports cars but that did not stop the privileged customers (only 3 were offered for sale) from paying a reported $4 million per car.
9 Italdesign Zerouno - 5 Units
Everything about this car screams exclusivity; from its limited production run to a price tag just shy of $2 million. It was first introduced at the 2018 Geneva Auto Show and featured a styling that placed a lot of emphasis on aerodynamics.
The car is powered by the same V10 powerplant found in the Huracan but in this case, it’s been tweaked to produce 602 hp and 383.5 pound-feet of torque. That power was fed to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and is enough to get the car to a 205-mph top speed.
8 Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster - 5 units
This is one of the most exclusive creations from the master of the craft, Horacio Pagani. The car is an artistic masterpiece but there is much more to it than just looks. The car draws several cues and components from the Zonda R, a track-only monster. The monocoque was made from carbo-titanium which is stronger than carbon fiber.
At its heart is a 7.3-liter V12 AMG-sourced engine that churns out 678 hp, good enough for a 3.4-second sprint to 60 mph. It cost about $1.5 million when it was launched but today, it is estimated to be worth several times that amount, if you can even find one for sale.
7 Maserati A6GCS Berlinetta - 4 Units
The mainstream Maserati A6GCS is already a rare Italian classic with a limited production run of about 50 cars. However, the Berlinetta models, limited to just 4 units, were even rarer. This racer inspired creation was one of the most beautiful Italian cars in its day.
It stood out with its flowing lines and a sleek nose that proudly projected the trademark Maserati grille and trident logo. The car was powered by a 2.0-liter inline-six that delivered 170 hp and revved all the way up to 7,000 rpm.
6 Abarth 205 Vignale Berlinetta - 3 Units
This quirky sports cars is one of the rarest Italian cars and most people within the car community will never get to see it in person. One of the cars actually used to belong to Carlo Abarth, founder of the Abarth car company in 1949.
The first two units off the production line were fitted with a 1.1-liter Fiat engine while the last one got a slightly more powerful 1.3-liter Alfa Twin-cam engine. That meant power output was minimal but the styling of the car is undeniably elegant.
5 Maserati Tipo 151 - 3 Units
Maserati sure knew how to tease the car community with exclusive models back in the day. The Tipo 151 was a thoroughbred racer specially built to withstand the rigours of the Le Mans endurance racing series.
The car was styled with the help of a wind tunnel to minimize drag as much as possible. The result was a slippery design that was capable of a top speed in excess of 190 mph. Power was supplied by a 4.0-liter V8 that cranked out a meaty 360 bhp, more than enough for the lightweight car.
4 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione - 2 Units
The ‘Competizione’ designation meant that this car was purpose-built for racing. It was designed to challenge the likes of the Porsche 550 Spyder for supremacy on the racing circuits but unfortunately, that never happened and the project was cancelled after just 2 cars were made.
It was such a shame because the car had the potential to give a really good account of itself when pushed to the limits. It had a 1.5-liter engine that revved to 8,000 rpm, generating 145 hp in the process.
3 Ferrari F12 TRS - 2 Units
This unique coach built supercar is a brainchild of the exclusive Ferrari Special Projects division. It is based on the F12 Berlinetta but does have several differentiating features that easily sets it apart.
They include the wraparound windscreen and a glass-covered hole in the hood thorough with the 6.3-liter V12 engine can be beheld in all its glory. It’s the same engine in the stock F12 Berlinetta, meaning a power output of 729 hp and 508 pound-feet of torque. Only 2 units were built and they were for the same customer.
2 Lamborghini Miura Jota - 1 Unit
The Miura is often regarded as the first true supercar with a revolutionary rear mid-engine two-seat layout that made room for some pretty impressive performance. Several variants of the car were produced during a production run that lasted from 1966 to 1973 but the one-off Miura Jota is right up there with the most extreme examples.
It was inspired by Lamborghini’s chief test driver at the time, Bob Wallace, who transformed one of the Miuras into a hardcore racer. The car featured much lighter components, several air intakes, magnesium wheels and a tweaked V12 that produced a reported 440 hp, almost 100 hp more than the stock Miura.
1 Icona Vulcano Titanium - 1 Unit
The Volcano Titanium has the distinction of being the world’s first titanium-bodied car. this was a highly complicated process that reportedly took the company over 10,000 hours of hand-crafted work. This unusual supercar was conceived by a company founded in Turin and was put up for sale for almost $3 million back in 2016.
It relies on a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, taken from a C6 Corvette VR1, for a maximum output of 670 hp and 620 pound-feet of torque. The company promised a 2.8-second sprint to 60 mph and a 220 mph top speed.