Cars have evolved from being a statement of luxury to a necessity in modern society. But back when Henry Ford had a dream and Mercedes Benz was a mere startup, no one in their wildest dreams would have thought of a time when a car would cost more than an entire house’s mortgage.
But that’s what the collectors have brought to this age.
Out of the now billions of cars that have been produced since the first automobile in human history was built, there have been a select number that stood out. These vehicles were either very limited in number, racing icons, or built with a few unique features that made them rare and unique at the time. Over the years, these marques have gained a tremendous amount of value which makes them trade in the millions today.
But this piece won’t be too general. Instead of German or Italian machines that have predominantly been collectors’ favorites, we’ll look at American beasts that have torn down bank accounts in the quest for collectible dominance.
10 1935 Duesenberg SSJ – $22.4 Million
This was the only one out of two 1935 Duesenberg SSJs ever built. This marque was originally delivered to Hollywood film icon Gary Cooper. Apart from being the original property of a Hollywood superstar, the Duesenberg SSJ was a car way ahead of its time.
It featured a dual-carb 6,882cc inline-eight engine that had four valves per cylinder, double-overhead cams, and twin carbs. The piece de resistance was the centrifugal supercharger that boosted this 1930s post-depression pre-WW2 beast to a ridiculous power output of 400hp. This example had everything in its factory form, which made it sell for the premium it did.
9 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra – $14.3 Million
This was the Carroll Shelby creation guaranteed to go for millions at an auction. The 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra was the original Cobra that changed the sports car racing game forever. Also known as the CSX 2000, this marque was the creation of the best from two nations – America and Britain. It had a lightweight British body blended with raw American V8 power that made the 260 Cobra a force to be reckoned with on track.
The Carroll Hall Shelby Trust auctioned the 260 Cobra in 2016 for a record $14.3 million.
8 1968 Ford GT40 – $12.2 Million
This is one out of just three 1968 Ford GT40 racers ever built. This particular model was put up for auction in 2012 at Monterey where it scooped a whopping $12.2 million off the bank.
The 1968 Ford GT40 was driven by racing icons such as Mike Hailwood and Jacky Ickx. It won in not only Monza but also Spa during its racing period, before spending some time in its retirement serving as the camera car for Steve McQueen’s Le Mans. Its racing heritage, combined with its brief brush with Hollywood’s finest both contributed to the massive premium it was auctioned for.
7 1931 Duesenberg Model J – $11.5 Million
Unlike the 1935 beauty that broke auction records when it sold for over $22 million, the 1931 Duesenberg Model J didn’t command that much premium at Gooding & Co. where it went under the hammer in 2011. However, $11.5 million on the price tag is still not cheap.
Captain George Whittell’s beauty still looked remarkable for an 80-year-old car at the time. The odometer only read 12,500 miles, which indicated that the marque was still in top condition. Major restoration had been done only to the coach which looked bespoke and stunning to the eye.
6 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II – $9.795 Million
This is the GT40 Mk II that rounded up the 1-2-3 finish Ford ravished on in the 1966 Le Mans endurance race. This was after Ferrari’s unrivaled dominance in the races for the past six years consecutively. Plus, it is the fourth out of eight examples of the Mark II ever produced by the automaker.
This example showed up for sale in the 2018 Monterey auction. Since it is a rare find and has been driven by legends such as A.J Foyt, Ken Miles, Peter Revson, and Richie Ginther, this marque attracted a bank-breaking $9.795 million auction value.
5 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe – $9.158 Million
This was another Shelby marque built to challenge Ferraris, specifically the Ferrari 250 GTO which raced in the GT class.
The original project had only six Shelby Daytonas put into production. Significantly, this marque made it into the FIA GT Racing history books after making Shelby the first American constructor to win a title in the international scene in 1965. Apart from scooping over $9 million at an auction, the Shelby Daytona has also been chosen for historic preservation given its significance in the history of auto racing.
4 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster – $7.473 Million
Out of the five GT40 Roadsters ever built, this specific 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster was the first. Plus, out of the 12 GT40 Prototypes ever produced, this was the eighth.
This GT40 Roadster was built as a test and development car for Shelby American. It was the only one out of two GT40s whose chassis was used by Kar Kraft to develop the J and X series. Those historical facts alone were enough to validate the millions this went for. However, what made the hammer finally go down at the $7.473 million mark was the fact that this particular GT40 Roadster was the only one known to have continually survived in its original form, making it a very rare find.
3 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Coupe – $4.95 Million
The 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Coupe is deemed by many petrolheads to be the most beautiful Duesenberg convertible coupe ever built. This particular model was the one out of the three ever produced. Plus, it was the only supercharged model.
This former property of General William Lyon and Raymond Lutgert was brought to the 2019 auction having been driven extensively in Wyoming Duesenberg Tours and Texas. Plus, it was believed to be equipped with the original supercharger bolted to the engine 84 years ago that made this sexy beast capable of 320bhp out of a 420cu.in engine.
2 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe – $4.509 Million
This marque is built upon the design cues of one of the greatest designers to ever set base in Detroit, Raymond Dietrich. The 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe was thus regarded to be a beautiful and sumptuous Dietrich design that wowed buyers at the time and even today.
This particular marque is believed to be one out of five known survivors. Plus, it has a long and interesting ownership history, apart from Packard’s own long and interesting history as well as that of the original buyer, Mrs. A.J Eken.
1 1965 Shelby GT350R Competition Model “Flying Mustang” – $3.85 Million
The 1965 Shelby GT350R Competition Model, otherwise known as the “Flying Mustang”, became the most expensive Mustang ever sold at an auction after it scooped $3.85 million after the hammer went down during the 2020 Mecum Indianapolis Collector Car auction.
This particular marque was the first of 36 GT350R competition variants ever produced. This car was driven by Ken Miles, the iconic race car driver, in 1965, at the Green Valley Raceway. This drive also marked the first time a Shelby Mustang participated in a sanctioned competitive event. Plus, it won the competition, making it the first Ford Mustang to ever take a race victory in the competition.