The statistics – 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds – backed this up, but another key figure was the price: £1,425,000.
And equally significant were the production numbers, which gradually fell from 399 to 249 and then to 149, hinting that buyers weren’t quite as plentiful as first expected.
Vermot Veritas RS III
Hailing from Germany, this is one of the lesser-known models in our collection, although with its aggressive shark-like face, it’s a car you’re highly unlikely to forget if ever you do happen to see one.
The Vermot Veritas RS III appeared as a concept back in 2001, but it took until 2010 before 30 hand-assembled models were made available. With heavy use of carbon fibre, a ‘1+1’ seating layout – the passenger side could be covered by a body-coloured panel – and a V10 engine from a BMW M5, the Veritas RS III was truly spectacular. But despite the car’s obvious charms, the first 30 examples were the last 30, and little more was heard from Vermot.
Lamborghini Aventador J
The outrageous Aventador J predictably attracted plenty of attention at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. But even more amazing was the story behind it; the car was conceived and put together in only six weeks after Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann ordered his design team to come up with “something special” for the Swiss spectacular.
Despite sharing its name with the Aventador coupe, nearly all of the speedster’s panels were brand new, making the achievement all the more noteworthy. Sadly, the car was to remain a one-off, sold immediately to a collector for nearly £2million. And the J? That was a tribute to the Jota, the firm’s wild Miura racer of the seventies.
Aston Martin V12 Speedster
Aston’s take on the speedster formula was this 691bhp V12-powered two-seater created by the Q customisation programme, and revealed in 2020. Only 88 were made, with prices starting at £765,000 – although the fifties-inspired livery above nudged things closer to £800,000.
Amusingly, the Aston made headlines earlier this year when a TikTok video showed one London owner using a collection of umbrellas to keep the seats dry during a rain shower. Such are the perils of owning a car with no roof…
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