Which era of supercar do you consider supreme? Though supercars are thought to be a modern invention, selling cutting edge technology packaged in no-compromise styling and the idea of a truly superior car is likely as old as the automobile itself. From the Cadillac V-16, which was the first to be formally advertised as a “super-car,” to the most recent addition to McLaren’s Ultimate Series, the three-seat Speedtail, much of the appeal of owning a car that can claim to best all competitors is an enduring goal for all automakers. Pushing the envelope in terms of performance is certainly the aspiration of all engineers.

RM Sotheby’s understands the inherent appeal that comes from these lofty goals, and how they translate into top-of-the-line production cars. Built in limited quantities and coveted by a worldwide network of enthusiasts, supercars and hypercars have come into their own in terms of collectability. With so many options these days in terms of outlets offering supercars, it is now more important than ever to choose the auction house that selects only the most prime examples. Proudly hosting not only one halo car, but a list of them, including low mileage and prototype examples (not to mention a trio of true hypercars), RM Sotheby’s next in-person event on 5 March 2022 at The Ritz-Carlton Resort on Amelia Island, Florida is the best supercar selection available now:

2005 Aston Martin Vanquish S

Estimate: $125,000 - $150,000 USD | Offered Without Reserve

Reigniting the Aston Martin brand itself with a characteristically expressive Ian Callum design, this car is worthy of consideration as a supercar for its flagship status and V-12 engine. With numerous upgrades, both practical and aesthetic, encompassing suspension, braking, and steering over the standard Vanquish (not to mention total output from its revised V-12 increased to 520 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque), the S model was dedicated to achieving 200 miles per hour. Recent interest has turned back to this era of Aston Martin, in part thanks to Callum’s own Vanquish 25 revival, and this scarcely used, 1,699-mile, Glengarry Gold-over-Parchment example is sure to be desirable for Aston fans that want to garage a modern classic.

2006 Ferrari F430

Estimate: $350,000 - $450,000 USD

While some would consider the mid-engine Ferrari models from the new millennium to be mere sports cars, among those who grew up with the 360 Modena and F430 models, they certainly offered the same poster car appeal of some of the most legendary prancing horse examples ever made. Surely, the one-of-a-kind specifications of this specific F430 elevate it to the level of supercar status: A gated six-speed manual transmission and a Nero-on-Nero paint scheme. Only 216 copies of the F430 were dispatched to North America in total, and with this example’s Giallo tachometer, Daytona seats, and all-important stick shift option, it surely makes this an opportunity the true tifosi will not want to miss.

2005 Ford GT

Estimate: $400,000 - $500,000 USD | Offered Without Reserve

Of course, it would not be a properly extensive supercar selection without mentioning the Ferrari F430’s main North American competition. The proper halo car heir to Ford’s great endurance racing success from the 1960s, the highly capable Ford GT has taken on new degree of collectability among those who appreciate the blend of American muscle and designer Camilo Pardo’s tasteful styling. This example is perhaps more tasteful than the average Ford GT, as it is one of a mere 26 which were painted in Quick Silver with the so-called “hood stripe delete” option, leaving only its iconic side stripes as ornamentation. Showing only 463 miles at the time of cataloguing, this uncommon Ford GT would make a tasteful addition to any American collection.

2006 Ford GT

Estimate: $400,000 - $500,000 USD

Deep supercar selection means that interested parties can choose between two different flavors of Ford GT. In contrast with our subtle silver example earlier, this GT is clad in the rarest color combination seen on the designed-in-Detroit halo car from 2006. Wearing a Speed Yellow paint scheme with full stripes, this example is one of a mere 75 ordered in the same shade, and only one of 69 sporting the full stripe package. Another avenue for collectors to focus on when it comes to differentiating Ford GT examples is the total mileage. This example has retained its delivery mileage and not much more, showing a mere eight miles on its odometer at the time of cataloguing, as well as retaining its pre-delivery window stickers. A fresh Ford GT in an exciting color.

2006 Spyker C8 Spyder

Estimate: $300,000 - $325,000 USD

Moving from a supercar sporting an uncommon color combination to a scissor-doored, Dutch-built, open-top that is flat-out rare no matter the shade, this Spyker C8 Spyder is one of only 140 made worldwide. Of that percentage, this example is one of a fraction that were fitted with a black interior, and one of an even smaller number that were destined for the US market. Having been prepared for this sale mechanically with an engine-out service at the hands of marque expert Chris Mora, this auction represents a rare opportunity for supercar collectors with discerning tastes to acquire a scarcely seen Spyker in a triple-black colorway.

1993 Jaguar XJ220

Estimate: $500,000 - $600,000 USD | Offered Without Reserve

Another sleek supercar which has recently found a new audience of collectors, both Jaguar fans and performance enthusiasts know the story of the Jaguar XJ220 well. Developed in conjunction with Tom Walkinshaw Racing under an all-new joint venture called Jaguar Sport, the XJ220 was intended to translate TWR’s endurance racing success into a potent road car. Though the firm’s ambitious goals were put on a temporary hold thanks to a worldwide recession in the early 1990s, for a time, this Jaguar XJ220 was the fastest production vehicle in the world. This example, clad in Spa Silver over a Charcoal interior, captures the elevated mood of the era, with a mere 1,130 kilometers (~703 miles) on its odometer at the time of cataloguing. Having extensive servicing carried out at worldwide experts Don Law Jaguar in the UK in 2002 and from 2016 to 2019, this Jaguar returned to the show circuit and promptly won Best in Class at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance and scored a 9.995 at the Jaguar Club of Florida Concours d’Elegance in 2021.

1994 Bugatti EB110 GT Prototype

Estimate: $2,000,000 - $2,500,000 USD

Another standout specimen from the Radwood era, this wedge-shaped, quad-turbocharged, V-12 supercar was also determined to be the world’s fastest production vehicle for a time. Even more important to Bugatti history in the early 1990s, this very example was used as a factory demonstrator and is one of the earliest prototypes built of the car we now recognize as the EB110 GT. Finished now in an unmistakable shade of Bugatti Blue with a grey interior, this prototype sports numerous features not found on any production EB110 GT. Now deemed to be a significant part of the storied brand’s modern history, for many Bugatti aficionados, this is the dominant supercar of the early 1990s, made to be nothing less than the best in the world.

1913 Stutz Series B Bearcat

Estimate: $350,000 - $450,000 USD

And now for something genuinely different. Though this American-made, motorsport-derived racer was built over half a century before the Lamborghini Miura ignited the supercar craze, the Stutz Series B Bearcat earned its reputation as a world-beating motorcar from the Brass Era. Packing three-speed manual transaxle technology and a stout 60-horsepower, 390-cubic-inch, T-head four-cylinder engine, this Bearcat was made to move. As the image above shows, it still can fulfil its famous promise as “the car that made good in a day,” a slogan which sprouted up after an early Stutz success building a car that completed the Indianapolis 500. Every supercar collection needs to start somewhere; this example shows the origins of American speed.

2015 Ferrari LaFerrari

Estimate: $3,600,000 - $4,000,000 USD

One hundred years later and the outer bounds of automotive performance were elevated to an extreme that any veteran of Brass Era motoring would be downright shocked at. More than a mere supercar, the Ferrari LaFerrari was one of a trio of competing models in the early 2010s that were deemed to be hypercars, in part due to their hybrid powertrains and premier-class status. Producing 950 horsepower through a conjunction of a signature Ferrari twelve-cylinder engine paired with a high-tech HY-KERS energy recapturing system, the LaFerrari was comfortably the most powerful prancing horse ever built at the time of its debut. With its menacing Nero-over-Nero color scheme accentuated with some $75,000 in factory options, including numerous fittings and fixtures in matte painted carbon fiber, and black brake calipers paired with 20-inch forged dark painted wheels, this well-preserved LaFerrari showed fewer than 600 miles on its odometer at the time of cataloguing. More importantly for Ferrari fans, this example is one of the first to qualify for an extended, two-year factory warranty program, which covers the all-important high-voltage battery system.

2019 Bugatti Chiron Sport

Estimate: $3,000,000 - $3,300,000 USD | Offered Without Reserve

For some high-performance aficionados, the idea of hybrid power is not as interesting as raw displacement paired with an industry-leading cylinder count. We have summarized this extremely impressive hypercar in a separate post highlighting all three Bugatti examples available at Amelia Island, but its place atop the top speed leaderboard among production vehicles, as well as its hypercar status, merits an additional inclusion here. More impressive even than its Veyron predecessor or the so-called “standard” Chiron on which it is based, the Chiron Sport was able to run the Nardo Ring in Italy five seconds faster than the base-level Chiron. This striking example was customized with $301,000 in additional factory options, and its numerous interior and exterior echoes of Satin Italian Red finish contrast perfectly with its deep Nocturne paint scheme. Truly a hypercar to rule them all, this example recently received its two-year service at O’Gara Coach Company in Southern California in late 2021 and is ready to form the centerpiece of its next owner’s collection.

2020 McLaren Speedtail

Estimate: $2,600,000 - $3,000,000 USD

A fascinating study in the evolution of extreme performance, the McLaren Speedtail is the fourth entry in the UK-based brand’s Ultimate Series. Fittingly, it features a no-compromise design festooned with aerodynamic details, including pop-out door handles, front-mounted static wheel covers, and side mirrors replaced by hidden cameras linking to twin, high-resolution internal screens. Of course, the most significant feature of the Speedtail is one shared with the legendary McLaren F1: Its central driving position. Offering its lucky driver a truly superior, symmetrical view of the road ahead, the Speedtail promises its occupants a truly unique motoring experience. And with the Speedtail prototype having achieved 250 mph over 30 times during testing, buyers can know that their on-track performance of their new hypercar is beyond the abilities of nearly every land-based production vehicle. This example, the 87th produced out of a total run of only 106, was only the second Speedtail imported to the United States, giving it practically unmatched status among American automobiles. Sure to be a high watermark for hypercars for years to come, this McLaren Speedtail presents an intriguing opportunity for future collectors and will no doubt stun the audience at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2022 auction next month, even standing still. Which world-beating supercar would you choose?