Even mainstream Lexus production models stand out from the crowd. If you want luxury, sophisticated style and exceptional performance, you need to look no further than your local Lexus dealership.
However, the really special cars never make it to the dealership lot. They are acquired through special order or auction — and you can only get one through special order if you are lucky enough to make the cut. Limited production models can be made in numbers as small as 20 or as large as 500. You’ll have to do a lot more than get to your dealership right at opening to snap up one of these cars.
Here are a few of the top limited production supercars you’d be lucky to own:
Lexus LFA
The Lexus LFA doesn’t look anything like another Lexus you’ll see on the road. The two-seat supercar looks like it’s ready to tear up the road, and its powerful engine will allow it to do just that. This gorgeous sports car is powered by a 4.8-liter V10 engine that puts out 553 horsepower.
The history of the LFA started in 2000, when early development began. However, the first concept vehicle would not be unveiled until 2005. Two more concepts were introduced in 2007 and 2008, but the production model wasn’t ready for its debut until the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
The first production LFA had a carbon-reinforced polymer body and sold for $375,000 in late 2010. A 2012 model went on sale for $445,000. Between both models, only 500 units were produced and sold.
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 looks like a luxury vehicle right out of the future, with a streamlined silver body and butterfly doors that open up and out. Between 1992 and 1998, only 106 units of the McLaren F1 were produced. Elon Musk, the brainchild behind Tesla Motors, was one of the lucky few to own this luxury supercar.
In 1998, the McLaren F1 set a record for the world’s fastest production car at 231 mph. It accomplishes this with a 6.1-liter V12 engine and six-speed manual transmission.
When you sit in the driver’s seat of this beautiful vehicle, you’ll feel like you’re in the cockpit of a race car. The driver’s seat sits in the middle of the car, and two passenger seats sit to the side and slightly behind it.
Other unique features of the McLaren F1 include carbon fiber reinforced plastic monocoque chassis structure (the first at the time), specially designed tires from Goodyear and Michelin that were unique to this model, rare full-cabin air conditioning, and more.
The McLaren F1 now sells for millions of dollars at auction.
McLaren P1
For the more environmentally conscious among us, McLaren introduced a hybrid version of its supercar. The McLaren P1 was a plug-in hybrid that featured a3.8-liter, twin turbo V8 petrol engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It had an overall range of 300 miles and an electric-only range of 19 miles.
The McLaren P1 was introduced at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, but it did not start shipping until October 2013. The 375 available units were completely sold out by the following month. A track-only GTR version was introduced at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, and only owners of the McLaren P1 will be allowed the opportunity to buy one of the 35 units to be produced.
The McLaren P1 sold for $1.35 million when it was released, but the average cost is now estimated at $1.6 million.
Bugatti Veyron
The Super Sport version of the Bugatti Veyron has stolen the title for the fastest street-legal production car in the World, and it is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. It reaches top speeds of nearly 267 mph. Meanwhile, the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse has the title for the fastest roadster in the world, reaching top speeds of 254 mph.
The television show Top Gear named the Bugatti Veyron the Car of the Decade for 2000 to 2009 and awarded it Best Car Driven All Year in 2005.
Volkswagen purchased the rights to Bugatti in 1998 to revive the brand. In 1999, it presented the first concept for the Bugatti Veyron, but the first prototype wasn’t ready until 2003. The first models were produced in 2005.
The first models featured an 8.0-liter quad turbo W16 cylinder engine. It effectively had the power of two V8 engines in one. The model features permanent all-wheel drive and a dual-clutch automatic transmission with seven gear ratios and a direct-shift gearbox. The car can change gears in less than 150 milliseconds.
Between 2005 and 2013, only 450 units were produced. Only five units were produced in that first year, making the cars highly collectible.
Ferrari LaFerrari
A name so nice you have to say it twice. The Ferrari LaFerrari was limited to 499 units between 2013 and 2015, and they were each sold for $1.69 million.
Though Ferrari isn’t known for its eco-conscious designs, it created its first mild hybrid with the LaFerrari, and it lowered fuel consumption by 40 percent in the process. The car is powered by a rear-mounted 6.3-liter V12 engine and a supplemental KERS unit, which provides extra power.
The LaFerrari gets a top speed of 217 mph and can go from 0 to 62 mph in just under 3 seconds. The model has a carbon fiber monocoque platform. The steering wheel has integrated controls and gear levers, and a bridge between the front seats has a dual-clutch gearbox and other instruments.
Lamborghini Sesto Elemento
The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is one of the most exclusive cars ever produced. It was limited to only 20 units. The “Sixth Element” was introduced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, and it featured a 5.2-liter V10 engine with a six-speed semi-automatic transmission.
The two-door, two-seat supercar features a carbon fiber body, which provides strength while also reducing overall weight for greater performance and fuel efficiency. In fact, the Sesto Elemento weighs about as much as a subcompact Honda Fit. Its low weight and powerful engine mean that it can go from 0 to 62 ph in just 2.5 seconds.
All 20 units of the Sesto Elemento were sold in 2013 for between $2.2 million and $2.9 million. The cars were sold for track use only, so you are unlikely to see one of these on the road — even in places where you see the rich and the famous flaunting their exclusive wares, such as Hollywood.
