13 Remarkable Car Models That Most People Don’t Know
As gearheads, we think we know about virtually every car in existence, especially the true automotive legends.
From legendary classics to modern daily drivers and everything in between, the world is full of remarkable vehicles that few people know about. It was a challenging task, but we’ve narrowed it down to 13 of the best.
Based on their looks, how well they perform, and some innovations, we think these are some of the most remarkable cars in the world. One or two might ring a bell, but you’ve never heard of the vast majority.
Toyota 2000GT
For many years, many saw Japan as the land of reliable, safe, and dependable models, not sports cars and excitement. The Toyota 2000GT changed that, showing the rest of the world that Japan could produce fast, stylish, and excellent performance cars.
Toyota designed the 2000GT as a rival to the Jaguar E-Type. Under the hood, the coupe had a 2.3-liter inline-six that produced 148-hp. The 2000GT was an instant hit, with sensational styling and excellent handling. A unique convertible model appeared in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Thanks to how rare they are, the 2000GT can sell for well over $1 million at auction.
Lamborghini LM002
After the failure of its Cheetah project, Lamborghini still wanted to produce a big, bulky SUV and off-roader to showcase what it could do. Enter the striking Lamborghini LM002, one of the rarest of all its products, with just 301 produced. The LM002 was a massive surprise to the world, with a L503 5.2-liter L503 V12 under the hood producing 444-hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.
But Lamborghini didn’t stop there. They also offered the LM002 with a Class 1 offshore powerboat engine, the 7.2-liter L804 marine V12 that produced 612-hp. The LM002 is a cult icon of the 1980s and early 1990s and one of the most unusual creations in the Italian manufacturer’s history.
Nissan R390
The Nissan R390 is a supercar you may never have heard of simply because the Japanese manufacturer never produced it. The R390 came when Nissan was looking to race in the FIA GT1 category, with the racer produced to participate in the Le Mans 24 Hours. It did so in 1997 and 1998, but with poor results, it never looked like a threat for the win.
Nissan produced a solitary example version of the supercar to satisfy F.I.A. homologation rules. Under the hood, the same twin-turbocharged VRH35L V8 engine produces 550-hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. Nissan still owns this solitary R390; however, racing driver Erik Comas did have a racing R390 GT1 converted into a road car.
Alfa Romeo B.A.T. Concept Cars
Concept cars are some of the most striking, and none more so than the remarkable 1950s Alfa Romeo B.A.T. concept cars that wowed the crows at the Turin Motor Shows of 1953, 1954, and 1955. The Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica (B.A.T.) concepts used an Alfa Romeo 1900 road car chassis, but all had unique bodies coach built by the legendary Franco Scaglione.
The remarkable designs were all streamlined with covered wheels, and the first in the series, the B.A.T. 5, had a drag coefficient of just 0.23. The other cars were the equally beautiful B.A.T. 7 and B.A.T. 9. All three went under the hammer at R.M. Sotheby’s in 2020, selling for a combined price of $14.840 million.
1980 Ford Mustang McLaren M81
You might think you know about every version of the iconic Ford Mustang. But we don’t believe so many people remember this one, the 1980 Mustang McLaren M81. Ford partnered with the McLaren Engines division in Michigan, USA, to create the M81, an all-pappya version of the legendary Mustang with a British twist.
McLaren Engines worked their magic, and what started as a regular Fox-Body Ford Mustang would soon have IMSA-style wheel arches, a new hood bulge, plus an upgraded engine. McLaren tore the 2.3-liter turbocharged engine apart and increased the power output to 174-hp. With only ten ever made, the McLaren M81 is one of the rarest and most obscure Mustangs worldwide.
1965 Bertone Mustang
Another glorious Mustang is the 1966 Bertone Mustang, a one-off creation that has become an object of mystery and fascination. Legendary designer Bertone had wondered what would happen if he applied his design language to the American muscle car, so this 289 fastback Ford Mustang became the realization of that idea.
The lower and sleeker Mustang had new body panels and a glasshouse canopy, and it was undoubtedly an elegant machine. But after it appeared at the 1965 New York Motor Show and various other events, the Bertone Mustang disappeared. To this day, nobody knows what happened to the car after it did its rounds. However, many believe that despite the mystery, the vehicle is still out there somewhere.
Ferrari Modulo Concept
Ferrari has produced many concept cars over the years, but few are as striking as the stunning Modulo showcased to the world at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show. The Paulo Martin design had a low wedge shape, a canopy-style glass roof, and a V12 engine with up to 550-hp.
Ferrari briefly tested the Modulo, but it quickly became a show car, and the outrageous design never made it to production. However, it had a new lease of life in 2014 after racer and businessman James Glickenhaus bought the car and restored it to running condition via an Italian firm while keeping it in as original condition as possible. The Modulo is still in Glickenhaus’s care and is still road-legal.
Bugatti Chiron La Voiture Noire
While the Bugatti Chiron is not an unknown car, its beautiful La Voiture Noire edition certainly is. This special edition debuted at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, and it was very much a one-off design commissioned by a Bugatti customer.
The idea came from the remarkable Bugatti Type 57 S.C. Atlantic of the same name, a car shrouded in mystery due to its disappearance before World War 2. The La Voiture Noire has the same 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged engine as the Chiron under the hood, and it has a piece of trim running from the front of the vehicle to the rear spoiler that mimics the dorsal fin of the original Type 57 S.C.
Bugatti EB112
Following the launch of the Bugatti EB110 supercar in the 1990s, the Italian manufacturer wanted to produce something a bit more practical. So they developed the Bugatti EB112, a four-door fastback saloon inspired by the iconic Type 57 Galiber.
Under the hood, the EB112 had a vast 6.0-liter V12, producing 450-hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. Bugatti made the body out of aluminum, and the EB112 shared the same carbon chassis as the EB110 supercar. However, financial issues prevented this extraordinary saloon from entering production, and only one was ever homologated for road-legal usage.
Lotus Europa
Lotus is most famous for cars such as the Elise, Exige, and, more recently, the Emira and Evija. But one of its earliest creations is the gorgeous Europa, an exciting car with a strange bread-van-style body that hid an innovative mid-engine layout.
Despite the unusual appearance, the Europa was a Lotus through and through, with some of the best handling and performance of any performance car at the time. Under the hood, the Europa had a choice of two Renault inline-four engines and, later, a 1.6-liter Lotus-Ford inline-four, producing up to 126-hp. Lotus produced just a handful of Europas, and they are now scarce.
Talbot-Lago T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe
The 1930s was an incredible time for the automotive world, thanks to the influx of Art Deco designs that transformed cars into sleek and stylish streamliners. British-French company Talbot had become renowned for producing beautiful vehicles, and the 1938 T150-C Teardrop is no exception.
French designers Carrosserie Figoni and Falaschi designed the T150-C. Thanks to its highly aerodynamic shape, it had a top speed of 100 mph and finished third in the 1938 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their rarity makes them extremely valuable, and an example of the T150-C was auctioned by R.M. Sotheby’s in 2022 for a staggering $7.265 million.
Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
Bugatti’s Type 57SC Atlantic is one of its most famous creations. The French manufacturer sold just a handful before World War 2, all unique versions of their Type 57 grand tourer and worth millions — a rediscovered Type 57 sold for over €3.4 million at an auction in Paris in 2009.
However, the all-black La Voiture Noire is the most famous example of the Type 57 S.C. This remarkable car led to the Bugatti Chiron recreation, and it was hidden away from the Nazis just before they invaded France. However, it went missing since the conflict, and its whereabouts are now unknown. However, the estimated value of La Voiture Noire is a whopping $114 million.
Bristol Fighter
British automotive manufacturer Bristol was once one of the country’s most famous car makers, but it has sadly been defunct for some time. However, it went out with a bang thanks to the brilliant and remarkable Bristol Fighter, produced in small numbers from 2004 to 2011.
Bristol was more famous for its comfortable sedans and grand tourers, but the Figther was an outrageous super with a mighty 8.3-8.4-liter Dodge Viper V10 engine under the hood. Thanks to the tuning work by Bristol, Bristol was able to extract 545-hp and 525 lb-ft of torque from the Fighter, creating one of the most potent British supercars of all time. Thanks to their rarity, you are unlikely to find a Fighter selling for less than $200,000.
