1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Convertible - $88k

3,074 miles. Rotisserie restoration. 428/335 HP Cobra Jet V-8 engine. Automatic transmission. Power steering. Power front disc brakes. AM/FM stereo. Tilt steering column. Tachometer. Bucket seats and console. Power windows. Power convertible top. Hideaway headlights.

This bad boy made $88k against a $75k to $85k estimate at Mecum. Here.

Base engine for the Cougar was the 250 hp, 351 cid V-8, with an optional four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts providing 40 hp more. A 320 hp, four-barrel 390 was also available. Top pussy cat was the Eliminator which could be had with a 335 hp, 428 CJ V8. With optional Super Cobra Jet ram-air intake it was good for about 400 bhp. The SCJ featured forged connecting rods and an oil cooler.

Bad Ferraris

Broadly speaking, no other car holds its value as well as a Ferrari. The Prancing Horse is revered. While most sports cars depreciate the moment they leave the lot, Ferraris tend to either hold their value or appreciate with time. These are the exceptions.

The Ferrari 348 is a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive V8-powered 2-seat sports car produced from 1989 through 1995. The 348 was Ferrari's low point. The supercar was all bad. The 348 had all the standard Ferrari problems without anything praiseworthy. Extremely expensive maintenance, poor reliability and bad ergonomics, the 348 has it all.

The Ferrari 400I is an embarrassing faux pas swept under the rug. Everyone seems to forget the 400I existed, and for many good reasons. Produced between 1972 and 1979, the Ferrari 400I is boring to look at and slow. Perhaps worst of all, its dull.

The Ferrari Mondial is a mid-engined, V8-powered grand tourer produced between 1980 and 1993, with more than 6,000 built. Some Ferraris depreciate spectacularly. But the Mondial goes above and beyond all others. Overweight and under-powered, the Mondial gets outrun by virtually anything with wheels. It is the poor man's entry into Ferrari world and can be had for $25,000 in some cases.

1967 Lincoln Limousine - Elvis - $165k

The Elvis Presley family car. Documented with copy of the original title application in Elvis Presley's name. Presented to Elvis Presley as a wedding gift by his manager Colonel Tom Parker. Elvis Presley owned this car when he got married and his daughter was born. The whereabouts of the car had been unknown for decades. Part of the Petrozzini collection since the 1980s.

When Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu in May 1967, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, gave the newlyweds this 1967 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousine by Lehmann-Peterson as a wedding gift.

Unlike most of Elvis' cars, this 1967 Lincoln Continental Limousine was largely forgotten over time. It was equipped with air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power windows, a power antenna, a power front bench seat, an in-dash clock and a host of other luxurious amenities. A 462 CI V-8 with an automatic transmission powered the limousine.

The car made $165k in 2019 at Mecum.

2012 Lexus LFA - $850k high bid

68 miles. No. 270 of 500 produced. 1 of 38 produced in Absolutely Red. 4.8L DOHC V-10 engine. 552 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque. 6-speed automated sequential gearbox with paddle shifters. Rigid lightweight carbon fiber construction. Torsen-type limited slip differential. Brembo carbon ceramic disc brakes with Yellow calipers. Polished wheels, $2,500 option.

The 2012 Lexus LFA was a flagship supercar, featuring a screaming 4.8-liter V10 engine delivering 552 horsepower, a carbon fiber body, and a six-speed automated manual transmission. Production was capped at 500 units.0-60 mph comes in 3.6 seconds onto a top speed of 202 mph. Of total production, 64 were the highly desirable Nürburgring edition.

Base price in 2012 was $375,000. This example failed to change hands at Mecum

1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder - $17,875,000

Chassis no. 4137GT. The Last Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder built. Ferrari Classiche Certification. 1 of 55 produced from 1960-1963. The Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder was introduced as the 250 Gran Turismo Spyder California or 250 California. It was designed by Sergio Scaglietti as a convertible version of the contemporary Berlinetta. The 250 GT California Spyder was created to appeal to American consumers, and that it did. The prototype was introduced in 1957, and series production commenced in the second quarter of 1958. The long-wheelbase (LWB) California Spyder was built through 1960 with a total of 45 cars.

All Ferraris are exceptional automobiles. But even among Ferraris there is a hierarchy that places some ahead of others. The 250GT California Spyder is one of them. This is one of the most desirable of all Ferraris, and by extension the most desirable and valuable automobliles on earth. The icon changed hands at Mecum Kissimmee 2024. Here

1995 McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 is the ultimate street car of the 20th century. When it appeared, the F1 was the fasted production car in the world at 240.1 mph, a record it held for a decade. The F1’s body, a monocoque hull made wholly of carbon fiber, was a first. Layout is rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, dihedral doors, with a center driving seat. A 6.1 Liter BMW S70/2 V12 produces 618 hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque through a 6-speed manual. A total of one prototype and 68 production F1 McLarens were built from 1993 to 1998. They are among the most collectible and expensive cars in the world. Cars change hands quietly amongst a niche group of owners for millions. With only 1,291 kilometers (802 miles) on the odometer, this McLaren F1 (chassis no. 053) is one of only two finished in Marlboro White. It is one of the lowest-mileage and most original examples in the world.

A racing variant, the McLaren F1 GTR was produced in 1995 for racing. The GTR was fitted with the same engine, but with modifications to satisfy racing regulations. In its debut, 5 McLaren F1 GTRs competed in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, bringing victories in both class and overall.

Thanks to their immense reputation, the McLaren F1 is one of the best investment supercars. In 2010 Chassis No. 062 sold above high estimate for $3,575,000. It had less than 3,500 miles. In 2014 Chassis No. 031 was offered for sale at Pebble Beach. Estimate for the 1,004-mile example was $12m to $14m. Here. A 1995 McLaren F1 Chassis No. 29 with just 243 miles on its odometer sold for a record-breaking $20.465 million at Pebble Beach Auction in 2021, obliterating its $15m high estimate. Here.

2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS - $350k high bid

1,068 miles. 4.0L/518 HP flat 6-cylinder engine. 7-speed PDK transmission. White with Black leather and Race-Tex interior with Guards Red stitching. 20 and 21-inch lightweight forged wheels finished in satin Pyro Red. Front axle lift system. Extended range 23.7-gallon fuel tank. Porsche carbon ceramic brakes with Yellow calipers. Porsche Dynamic Lighting System with Black housings. Bose surround sound system. Why would you want a used Porsche that some dirty bum has already been in for over 1,068 miles? The 911 GT3 RS isn't just ANY Porsche, and world-wide production was capped at 1,963 units.

Without the Weissach package and assuming you had the suction to get one, the price started at $241,300.

If smitten, the corporate propaganda is available here. If you simply must have one, this example appears at Mecum.