9 Mainstream Brands And Their Most Expensive Classics - HotCars

Cars. They are what gets us where we need to go in a (hopefully) reliable way. For many people, it just stops at that, so it's no wonder why many car companies choose to simply forego overly expensive cars and make something that is more on the reliable side and affordable side of things.

Your average car company will typically have cars that range from the $20,000 ballpark all the way up to the $100,000 range. While most companies have engineers that are proud of making the vehicles that they know the general consumer wants that doesn't mean that deep down they are secretly hoping for a chance to design a car that is unobtainable to most.

Presently, we are in a time where the bottom line is what matters most. Most companies aren't going to take a gamble on a concept if it won't be readily available to consumers at some point or another. This lack of experimentation has left many of the cars on this list to feel like a snapshot of what car culture was like in the past. A time of experimentation where engineers did what they want simply for the love of motorsports and not because of how it could be produced on an assembly line. Here are the most expensive classic cars from mainstream brands.

9 Porsche: 1970 917K

Here's How Much Steve McQueen's Porsche 917K From 'Le Mans' Is Worth Today

Porsche has always been on the higher end of luxury. While they have always produced great cars for the general public such as the 911, the soul of the company has always lied with their racing prestige. Whether it was their rally cars of the '70s and '80s or their shot at Le Mans, they have astounded generations with their cars. The 917K was no different. Designed by Hanz Mezger to drive the 1970 and 71 Lemans, this car became one of the most iconic race cars of the 70s.

Despite its namesake of 917k, it sold for far more than that at a whopping $14,080,000 in 2017.

8 Lexus: 2012 LFA Nürburgring

2012-Lexus-LFA-Nurburgring-Edition-008-1440 — source: wsupercars

Being the newest car on the list is somewhat of a feat as many car companies simply don't manufacturer vehicles like this. With 50 made this version of the LFA was simply beautiful. The car was designed to have a faster engine than the normal LFA and a bit more aerodynamic elements so that it could potentially be driven as a track car as well.

This LFA initially sold for $912,000 but just recently one was sold at 1.6 million at auction.

7 Ford: 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350R

Ford has always always been unlike other car companies simply because they have a love for all things cars. They run all over the spectrum from creating affordable cars all the way up to track cars like the Ford GT. This 1965 Mustang was the first crack at making a car that could compete on the same roadway as cars like Ferrari. Created by Carol Shelby, this car was a labor of love for the art of auto racing and became one of the most iconic cars of the '60s.

via hot rod network

This Mustang sold at auction for $3.85 million, making it the most expensive Ford to ever be sold.

6 Chevrolet: 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6

1970-chevrolet-chevelle-ss-454-ls6-convertible — via wallpaperup

Chevrolets history lies in muscle cars so it's no surprise that the car that was the most expensive for Chevy was the Chevelle SS. This upgraded version of the Chevelle took the horsepower from 360 to 450 which was an enormous jump for the time. Only 20 were ever produced and sold but the car lives in the heart of every muscle car enthusiast in the world.

In 2013, this car sold at auction for $1,150,000 making it one of the most expensive American-made cars ever sold.

5 Audi: 2003 Le Mans Concept

The LeMans is one of the most intense races ever created. The cars there have to be crafted with not only speed in mind but durability as well. Audi was once the champion of LeMans three times in a row and to celebrate they created the Audi LeMan concept car for the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003. Only one of these cars ever saw production but its concept quickly got spun into the Audi R8.

2003 Audi LeMans Concept — Via: Audi Mediacenter

The Audi R8 is worth roughly $150,000 but to get your hands on the concept that started it all you would have to put down an estimated amount of $5,000,000.

4 Jaguar: 1955 D-Type

1955 Jaguar D-Type- $21.78Million — Via :Urdesignmag

Jaguar has been around since 1922. There is no shortage of history to draw from when it comes to cars that have sold highly from the brand. The 1955 Jaguar D-Type was the racing car that was set to take on Le Mans. It would go on to make history twice. Not only for winning that year but also for becoming one of the most expensive cars to ever sell at auction.

The specific car that won LeMans sold for $21,780,000, but if that seems a bit rich for your blood you could also obtain a less collectible one for roughly $7.6 million (rather reasonable if you ask us).

3 Nissan: 2002 Skyline GT-R V-Spec II

The Skyline GT-R has become many JDM enthusiasts' dream car. The iconic look, its features in movies like the Fast & Furious, and its ability to allow for a plethora of tuning options have made it so. This car was designed for the last year of the Skyline run as a tribute of sorts. This edition featured a different body kit than the regular GT-R's and only 1000 of them were ever produced.

A 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec II Nur — Via: Hypebeast

While it isn't the priciest car on the list coming in at around $485,000 at auction, it's certainly one of our favorites.

2 Dodge: 1970 Challenger Hemi R/T Convertible

The 1970s were certainly a different time for cars. Instead of going with lightweight and nimble, America wanted huge engine blocks with tons of power. The Challenger Hemi was no different. Boasting a 425 horsepower engine, this car could blow the doors off of most other cars. The one thing that set this specific car apart was that it was a soft top. The Hemi/ convertible combo didn't garner a lot of attention so only 9 ever saw roadways.

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible parked on the road — Via mecum.com

Fast forward to 2021 and the car will set you back a lot of money. Some have sold at auction for $1,000,000 but the most recent estimate has the car sitting in the $2,000,000 range.

1 BMW: 1991 Nazca M12

BMW has always been known for having the ability to create vehicles that are fun to drive and have a racing pedigree to back them up. The Nazca M12 was born from the mind of Giorgetto Giugiaro who was renowned for the vision that he had when making vehicles. The M12 featured a V12 engine and a full carbon fiber body but only two were ever produced.

Italdesign Nazca M12 rear — Via Italdesign

The car comes in at roughly $3,000,000 and that's if the current owners would ever part with such a cool portion of auto history.

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About The Author

Kyle Harper (6 Articles Published)

Kyle Harper grew up at the base of Pikes Peak. His passion for cars comes from his dad who raced the hill climb there for the majority of his childhood. This passion took shape in the form of writing about cars and the culture surrounding them. He has written for various marketing companies and HotCars since graduating with a degree in English from Colorado State University in 2019. If he is not writing, he is probably playing Forza, snowboarding, or driving around in his 2016 Subaru Impreza.