10 Of The Greatest One-Off Supercars Ever Created

The world of supercars is filled with limited-production hypercars and special editions but when the select few won't do, there are one-offs. These singular creations exist for plenty of reasons. Sometimes they're a showcase of an automaker's technology, other times they're a commission from an obscenely wealthy client, and occasionally they're even happy accidents. Whatever the reason they're made, these cars sit alone as the most coveted cars of all time.

However, over time, this ultra-exclusive class of cars has welcomed its fair share of entrants. While they're all incredible, some rise above yet again thanks to their unique blend of design and performance. These one-offs leave an imprint on the mind, even the soul, if you're ever lucky enough to see them in person. These are the truly great one-off supercars, and we've compiled a list of 10 of the very greatest you need to know about.

Maserati Boomerang

(1971)

Maserati Boomerang coupé 1972 Side Top Down

The Maserati Boomerang was a vision of the future. Created by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Italdesign, the Boomerang was based on the Maserati Bora and introduced a radical wedge shape with a gorgeous glass greenhouse that was a testament to minimalism and geometric design. Even better, the interior was completely modern for the time and featured a driver-focused cockpit with an unbelievable floating steering wheel that housed all the important instrumentation.

Despite its futuristic appearance, the Boomerang was fully functional. With a 4.7-liter V8 producing 310 horsepower, it was supposedly capable of 186 mph, though we doubt it's ever been driven that fast. An incredibly important piece of Maserati's history, it changed hands a few times in its life, before being sold for €3,335,000 ($3,489,910) in 2015.

Aston Martin Bulldog

(1979)

1979 Aston Martin Bulldog Front 3/4

Designed as a 200-mph speed record attempt, the Aston Martin Bulldog was another incredible icon to come out of the 1970s. Like the Boomerang, it had a low, wedge-shaped profile, gullwing doors, and awesome hidden headlights in the middle of the hood. Its twin-turbo V8 produced 600 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful supercars of its era, and a top speed goal of 237 was theorized. However, the Bulldog also fell just short of its 200-mph goal during initial testing, but in 2023, following a complete restoration, it finally hit 205.4 mph, fulfilling its original ambition four decades later.

Isdera Commendatore 112i

(1993)

1993 Isdera Commendatore 112i Front 3/4

The Isdera Commendatore 112i was the second model to come from the nascent sports car maker Isdera in the early 90s, but unfortunately, it was never meant to be. The company was founded by Eberhard Schulz, a former Porsche engineer, and partnerships with Mercedes and others saw the creation of the Imperator 108i sports car in the mid to late 80s.

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The Commendatore, however, was much more impressive, featuring a Mercedes V12, a six-speed manual, and parts taken from various Porsches. Its attractive, sleek styling was created with the hope the model would race at Le Mans but financial troubles doomed the company to failure. The car changed hands over the years, and eventually headed for auction in 2021, selling for €1,113,125 ($1,171,881).

Lotec C1000

(1995)

1995 Lotec C1000 Front 3/4 Silver

The Lotec C1000 was an engineering marvel built for a businessman from the United Arab Emirates, who requested the ultimate road-going hypercar with money as no limit. It was a joint partnership between Mercedes and a small German race car manufacturer, Lotec, featuring a lightweight carbon-fiber and aluminum monocoque chassis, with a wild, futuristic design that's unlike anything else we've seen. Powered by a twin-turbocharged Mercedes-Benz 5.6-liter V8, the C1000 delivered a reported 1,000 horsepower, an astonishing amount even today, and altogether it's lightning in a bottle, that easily goes down as one of the greatest sports cars of all time.

Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

(2006)

2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina Front On Track

What do you do when you buy a Ferrari Enzo but aren't thrilled with the styling? Well, you employ the help of the world-famous design house Pininfarina to redesign the car at a dizzying expense. The owner was the director James Glickenhaus, and he had a dream of turning the car into one of the famous Ferrari P cars of the 1960s.

For a reported $4 million, Pininfarina completely redesigned the car with a new hand-built carbon-fiber body, creating a stunning homage to 1960s Ferrari endurance racers. The performance of the car was left alone, however, so it retained the Enzo’s 660-horsepower naturally aspirated V12, capable of 225 mph. While another version based on the car was created for the track in 2011, given this is the only road-going example, we feel it has a place on this list.

GM EcoJet

(2006)

2006 GM EcoJet Front 3/4

Some people have enough pull and money in this world, they're granted special privileges. Jay Leno is one of those people, and thanks to his prodigious car collection and connections in the car community, he was able to work directly with GM on a project in 2006 that resulted in one of the coolest one-offs an American automaker has ever made.

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Dubbed the EcoJet, the vehicle was given a gas turbine engine that could run off biodiesel fuel, as well as a radical design that seemed to incorporate the Art and Science design of Cadillacs in the early 2000s, as well as a rear design informed by Buicks of the 1960s. The car was fully functional, with a modern interior, as it was meant to be driven, but the loudness of its engine limits where it can be used. It might also be missing a window.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail

(2017)

2017 Rolls-Royce Sweptail Front Top Down

The Rolls-Royce Sweptail is a one-off luxury grand tourer, commissioned by a wealthy client who wanted a car inspired by classic Rolls-Royce models and luxury yachts. As such, it's an enormous work of art that reportedly took four years to build, with a look unlike any other modern Rolls. Built on the Phantom VII platform, the Sweptail features an elongated, flowing design with a sweeping rear end, a massive panoramic glass roof and handcrafted materials.

A project like this is enormously expensive, and the buyer reportedly spent $13 million on it, making the Sweptail at one point in time the most expensive new car in the world. Every detail – from the wood and leather interior to the hidden champagne chiller – was custom-designed to the owner’s exact specifications. We hope it was worth the absurd price tag.

Kode 0

(2017)

2016 Lamborghini Kode 0 Front / Side

Some one-offs are lightning in a bottle, and the Kode 0 is a perfect example of this. Designed by Ken Okuyama, the same man behind the Ferrari Enzo, the Kode 0 is a modern tribute to the wedge-shaped supercars of the 1970s with some wonderfully futuristic vibes to it. While the shapes scream Huracan or Gallardo to us, there's actually an Aventador under all of this new bodywork that pays homage to classics like the Lancia Stratos Zero and Lamborghini Countach. Performance was left alone but it's still mighty impressive thanks to the 700-horsepower naturally aspirated V12 in the middle. However, we doubt it's going to see much use, given how much it's worth.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire

(2019)

2019 Bugatti La Voiture Noire Front 3/4

Another vehicle that once claimed the title of the most expensive new car ever built, the Bugatti La Voiture Noire is a tribute to the lost Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic, a legendary pre-war masterpiece that was owned by Jean Bugatti himself. The car was unveiled in 2019 and only one example was produced for an ultra-exclusive client (rumored to be Cristiano Ronaldo), but it's likely just some boring ultra-rich billionaire.

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Underneath its sculpted carbon-fiber bodywork lies the same powertrain as the Bugatti Chiron, featuring a 1,479-horsepower quad-turbo W16 engine. While its performance figures match those of a standard Chiron, what truly sets La Voiture Noire apart is its design which looks as dramatic as it does aggressive. While we don't often think the rich have good taste, this is truly one of the exceptions.

Lamborghini SC20

(2020)

2020 Lamborghini SC20 Side / Front Studio

The final and most recent model on this list is a roofless wonder that is the ultimate expression of the Aventador. This one-off model combines elements from the Essenza SCV12, the Diablo VT Roadster and even classic speedsters, and it's based on the Aventador SVJ, so it packs some unbelievable performance.

The SC20’s body is entirely made of carbon fiber, sculpted for optimal aerodynamics and cooling. Under the hood, the car retains the 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12, delivering 770 horsepower and a top speed of 217 mph, though we can't imagine going that fast without having a windshield in front to deflect air. It's easily one of the most extreme Lamborghinis ever made and makes us miss the Aventador just that much more.