The 1990s era was a busy one for the automobile industry. The economy was generally in a stable place and carmakers experimented with new technology and tried to perfect existing ones. We witnessed innovations like high-tech headlamps and Bluetooth integration. Cars like the Mitsubishi 3000GT debuted with an All-Wheel-Drive system and active aerodynamics.
We also had the emergence of sports cars that rivaled the traditional powerhouses for handling and performance. These came at a cost though and vehicle prices steadily climbed upward during this period. Here, we look at some of the most expensive sports cars from that era and yes, some of them are quite pricey - play toys of the rich and affluent.
10 Jaguar XJ220 - $1,122,000 ($608,000 in 1992)
The Jaguar XJ220 has been described as a flawed supercar owing to the myriad of issues that surrounded its development. However, this does not mean that the supercar was not ground-breaking in its own way. For one, it was at one time the fastest production vehicle in the world with a top speed just shy of 220mph.
Buyers did not get the V12 engine they were promised but the turbocharged V6 that powered the production version was no pushover and could put out 542hp. The cars were not cheap too and each one of the 275 units was priced over $600,000 making it one of the most expensive cars in its time.
9 Ferrari F50 – $807,000 ($475,000 in 1995)
The Ferrari F50 was a mid-engine sports car that arrived in 1995 as a replacement for the legendary F40. It borrowed several engineering cues from its Formula One race siblings. The engine was a 4.7-liter V12 that was a road-version of the V12 powerplant in the 1990 Formula One Ferrari 641 Car.
That powerplant could propel the F50’s carbon-fibre tub to 60mph in less than 4 seconds and the car had a top speed of about 200mph. Ferrari made only about 349 units of the F50 and to prevent speculation, leased the car to the owners for a period of 2 years before eventually handing over the ownership documents.
8 Bugatti EB110 – $628,000 ($350,000 in 1993)
In the 1990s, the trademark Bugatti horseshoe grille proudly adorned the Bugatti EB110, a hypercar that inspired the Bugatti mega-machines of today. Development of the car commenced in 1987 but it was not until 1991 that the mid-engine car was unveiled to the public.
Even back then, Bugatti did not joke around with turbos and power output. The car had a monster quad-turbocharged V12 engine that produced over 600hp and could propel the car to a record top speed of 218mph. 130 units of the Bugatti EB110 were built and priced at a level that restricted demand to only the affluent members of the society.
7 Pagani Zonda C12 – $505,000 ($325,000 in 1999)
Horacio announced his entry into the automotive scene with quite a bang when he threw the covers off his creation at the 1999 Geneva Auto Show. The Pagani Zonda C12 was a car unlike any other, a masterpiece that showcased Horacio’s obsession with details. Under the hood lay a Mercedes-sourced 6.0-liter V12 engine that produced 394hp and 420 pound-feet of torque.
This is just about half of the power output in today’s Paganis but the Zonda C12 was still a brisk mover, able to sprint to 60mph in 4.2 seconds before going on to its top speed of over 180mph.
6 1993 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - $488,000 ($246,500 in 1993)
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage of the 90s era was a savage machine that cut no corners. Under the hood lay a twin supercharged V8 engine that generated 550hp and 555 pound-feet of torque.
The big sports car could punch its way to 60mph in just over 4 seconds and would continue accelerating until it maxed out at 186mph. Yet, the car still retained enough creature comforts to be considered a proper GT car. All of that did not come cheap though. The V8 Vantage was one of the most expensive British cars of that era.
5 Lamborghini Diablo – $474,000 ($239,000 in 1990)
Today, we have the insanely expensive Lamborghini Veneno but back in 1990, the Diablo was Lamborghini’s most expensive production car. The car was named after a ferocious fighting bull and the car certainly had a matching personality.
The Diablo had a screaming naturally aspirated V12 engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. There was nothing subtle about this Lamborghini and it created quite a stir when it launched. The car would go on to have an 11-year production run and well over a thousand units, in different variants, were produced.
4 Mercedes Benz SL73 AMG – $238,000 ($140,000 in 1995)
This hulking beast is one of the rarer AMG creations which is understandable considering the fact that less than a hundred units were made. The car was made at a time when AMG was still a standalone company and features one of the biggest engines ever fitted on a Benz production vehicle.
The 7.3-liter V12 powerplant is the same one used in the Pagani Zonda F. It cranked out 525hp and 553 pound-feet of torque. It packed enough punch to get the big sports car to 60mph in less than 5 seconds which was quite impressive back then.
3 1997 Porsche 911 Turbo S – $242,000 (150,000 in 1997)
This road rocket packed over 400hp which in 1997, was a lot of power especially for a pint-sized car like this. All that power was fed either to the rear wheels alone or all four wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission.
Get your gear sequence right and the 60mph gallop could happen in less than 4 seconds with the quarter mile marker flashing past in 11.9 seconds. The range-topping Porsche 911 had all of the drama one could expect for a premium machine of that era. The price did not disappoint too and a base trim would set you back about $150,000.
2 Ferrari F355 – $187,000 ($110,000 in 1994)
The F355 was undoubtedly one of Ferrari’s highlights during the 1990s. It first emerged in 1994 as a replacement for the rather unimpressive Ferrari 348. The F355 was powered by a mid-mounted V8 that incorporated Formula One technology and revved all the way to 8,250rpm, producing 380hp in the process.
The car could sprint to 60mph in 4.6 seconds but the best part of the F355 was the fact that it remained drivable on regular city streets with heavy traffic. More than 10,000 units were sold but that does not mean they were cheap, with each one priced well north of $100,000.
1 1997 Nissan GT-R NISMO 400R – $218,000 ($135,000 in 1997)
Japanese carmaker Nissan built the NISMO 400R to commemorate their involvement in the 1995 and 1996 LeMans racing series. The cars were all hand-built by NISMO, Nissan’s motorsport division and they received the full NISMO treatment. There was a carbon-fibre hood and spoiler.
The strut braces for the frame were made of titanium. The cars were powered by a straight-six engine that produced 400hp and 347 pound-feet of torque. Today, they are a real rarity on the second-hand market but even back then they were not easy to find with only 44 units ever produced.