Collector Cars That Won't Sell
You can’t be a car collector without having tons of money to fund your obsession, but surprisingly, many enthusiasts are surprisingly picky with their choices. For one reason or another, the cars listed here either went unsold or had a very tough time trying to secure a pittance.
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante
With its exceptional performance, the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante was acknowledged as one of the fastest production cars built before the Second World War. However, between a saturated market and limited bidder interest, this classic car failed to sell at the Monterey Car Week upon its release.
1959 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage
Ever watched “Wacky Races” as a kid? Well, this car should be right up any classic racer’s alley. Unfortunately, even with an estimated value of $5-6 million, this racer's delight went unsold during its time, more than likely due to its high valuation and very niche style and appeal.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California
Now, this is a car suited for legends in the world of Ferrari sports cars. While unfortunately missing the bid of between $15-17 million at the Monterey Car Week during its debut, this classic car redeemed its image over twenty years later by appearing in the 1980’s classic film “Ferris Bueller's Day Off”.
1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider
Being such an extremely rare car (with only four spiders ever being built), you would’ve expected the 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider to have made its dent in the racing market. While, unfortunately, another initial Ferrari flop, this car had an estimated value of $15 million yet only sold for $12.98 million.
1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Zagato
Now, this car was a marvel of engineering and artistry during the Italian pre-war golden age of automobiles. Elegant and lightweight, this car only had 106 units built yet remained unsold, possibly reflecting the shrinking market for vintage cars during its time.
1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sport Cabriolet A
Yet another victim of the pre-war car market, the 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sport Cabriolet A simply could not make a dent in the ever-shrinking car market, once having an estimated value of $3.1 million yet only being sold for $1.6 million even after its luxurious debut at the 1936 Paris Motor Show.
2006 Ford GT
The 2006 Ford GT’s fast and futuristic design for its time was aimed at honoring Ford's centennial year by reviving the heritage of the Mustang and Thunderbird. Alas, possibly due to the oversaturated market at the time, this car only received $357,000 of its $400,000 - 600,000 estimated value.
1993 Honda NSX Type-R
Despite being an ultra-rare high-performance limited edition variant of the NA1 Honda NSX only sold in Japan, this car's rarity could not promote its sales. Only selling at $368,000, this indicated a niche collector interest in what should have been a very high-demand car.
1959 Ferrari 250 LWB California Spider
Yet another attempt from Ferrari to blend racing engineering with a luxurious design, the 1959 Ferrari 250 LWB California Spider was mainly designed as a dual-purpose car for the American market to offer both road-cruising and track racing yet unfortunately missed its value estimate of $5-6 million.
1960 Ferrari 250 GT Coupé Pininfarina
Ferrari simply couldn’t catch a break during its early years! Designed to be fast, stylish, and refined, this coupe had a clean, almost minimalist design combined with a top speed of 140 mph. However, its lack of a Ferrari certification and imperfections meant it sold for only $483,500.
1954 MG TF
The 1954 MG TF is a two-door convertible and cabriolet-style open-seater sports car designed for American tastes but made in the United Kingdom. While a very classic design, this British mobile remains unsold, more than likely for its niche appeal and modest performance.
1964 Jaguar MK2 3.4
This midsize luxury sports saloon, often sporting a navy blue exterior paired with red leather seating, has become a fine example of great provenance in the world of classic cars yet simply could not sell, most likely due to the saturated market of 1960s sports mobiles.
1972 Triumph TR6
The 1972 Triumph TR6 is held in high regard for, at one time, being considered one of Triumph’s greatest sports cars. It was everything a sports car enthusiast could want in a car in its time, yet somehow, it remained unsold, most likely due to a shift in collectors' interest. If this car were released just a few years earlier, it could have gone down in history.
1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (R107)
A beautiful example of the possibilities of stylish design and sporty capabilities all rolled into one vehicle. However, the 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (R107)’s high maintenance and upkeep cost was a possible contributing factor to its lack of sales.
1972 Fiat 500 L
A fan-favorite Italian design combining style, efficiency, and urban living into the perfect city car. Practical and fashionable, yet in great need of some TLC, resulting in minimal sales in proportion to its expected number, probably due to the limited market for such a model.
2007 Mercedes-Benz CL600 (C216)
This next car was the last grand tourer to bear the CL600 nameplate, and just like its forefathers, it was a sleek, nifty machine that more than lived up to the Mercedes-Benz brand name. Sadly, this particular 2007 model sits unsold, mostly due to the high running costs that come with owning one.
1980 Ford Escort RS2000 Custom
In the 80s, the Ford Escort was one of the most common sights on the roads of Europe. It was a perfectly reliable family car with above-average performance for a vehicle of its size (and humility). This model was restored and refurbished to look like it had just come off the shop floor, but still couldn’t find a buyer.
1967 Triumph GT6 MK1
The GT6 was a nifty little sports coupe designed to pay homage to the earlier Triumph Spitfire. Like its predecessor, the GT6 was nifty, stylish, and performed fairly well, but despite rising demands for an original model, this particular one still couldn’t escape its storage unit, perhaps due to market fluctuations.
1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph
As a brand, Rolls-Royce has always been associated with luxury, embodying a consummate style for distinguished gentlemen. Indeed, this Silver Seraph lives up to the Rolls-Royce standard and then some, but still couldn’t secure a buyer due to its high maintenance and running costs.
1975 Volkswagen T2 Campervan
Volkswagen has always made vehicles for the everyday bloke like you or me - (their name literally means “people’s car”) - and their series of T2 Campervans were beloved by many. Surprisingly, however, this model couldn’t secure a buyer even with its standout paint job.
1969 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I
Like pretty much everything Rolls-Royce churns out, the Silver Shadow was luxurious and represented the company’s attempts at modernizing its engineering in its time. Owning one today would be like owning a piece of royal jewelry, and yet it still hasn’t managed to find a buyer.
1953 MG TD (TD2)
The MG TD was one of the last of those kinds of cars, those real old-timey vehicles that wouldn’t seem out of place in Tim Burton’s Batman. Despite its old-fashioned aesthetics, the TD2 featured a sporty ride and surprisingly nimble handling and wouldn’t seem out of place in the garage of a baron, yet this one remains unsold.
2004 Mercedes-Benz SL 350 (R230)
The SL350 from the Mercedes-Benz R230 line-up was a “stunning, open-top cruiser”, which is a fancy way of saying that it was a groovy convertible. Unfortunately, this one couldn’t find itself a buyer, possibly due to market fluctuations.
1959 Rover P4 80
Rover as a company may not be around anymore, but the P4 remains a symbol of British culture. Indeed, these cars were even driven by royalty - including Grace Kelly - and are remembered fondly across the pond. Around these parts, however, buyers’ interest in the vehicle remains… well, limited.
1989 Bentley Turbo R
The Bentley name has plenty of prestige and pedigree behind it, but the Turbo R combined its luxurious sensibilities with supreme power underneath the hood. Unfortunately, its high maintenance costs were enough to turn away most prospective buyers.
1974 Ford Capri RS3100 (Mk1)
The Ford Capri was already quite a success in Europe, but the RS3100 (Mk1) hoped to break ground on the racing circuit. It was a high-performance vehicle manufactured in a limited quantity, making it one of the rarer vehicles on this list. Sadly, despite the Capri being remembered fondly in Europe, its international appeal is sadly limited.
1958 Triumph TR3
The TR3 was a traditional yet powerful open two-seater and was also a huge success for Triumph during its production run from 1955 to 1962. Despite the fact that it pretty much oozes style, this restored and refurbished model still couldn’t secure a buyer.
1973 Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special
As a brand name, Lotus has always had a rather niche appeal. For whatever reason, their stylish sense of minimalism has never really caught on with a wide audience, but that hasn’t diminished or affected the quality of their cars. Indeed, this Europa Twin Cam Special was a fine car in its day but remains unsold due to limited collector interest.
2006 Bentley Arnage R (Mulliner)
The Arnage rolled out of the shop alongside its nearly identical sibling, the Silver Seraph from Rolls-Royce. Like the Turbo R decades before it, the Arnage R offered a consummate blend of both power and luxury, but just like its twin, its high maintenance costs affected buyers’ opinions.
1976 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce (S2)
The Spider is one of the most notable names in Alfa Romeo’s long and distinguished history, representing everything the company is known for - supreme style and terrible handling. Despite being remembered fondly, however, this particular Spider Veloce (S2) couldn’t find a buyer.
2005 Jaguar XKR-S Convertible
The XKR-S offered unique styling and better performance than the regular XKR. Only around 200 models were built, and they came with one of four exclusive colors. Despite its rarity and value, this one couldn’t secure a buyer due to its more niche appeal.
1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda (W113)
Timeless elegance and style in a traditional two-seater roadster - what more could you want from the fine folks over at Mercedes-Benz? Apparently, collectors could want a whole lot more since this one languishes unsold in some garage or warehouse somewhere.
1970 Ford Cortina 1600 GT Crayford (Mk2)
The Ford Cortina has already appeared on this list, so we won’t wax lyrical about it again. However, this particular model is unique due to it being modified by Crayford and modified into a convertible. Only a handful of examples exist… but that still isn’t enough to sway any buyers.
2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Silver Arrow (R129)
Like our previous entries, only a handful of Silver Arrows exist, built to pay homage to the “silver arrow” racers of the 30s. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been enough to convince any prospective buyers.
2007 Jaguar XKR Convertible
While hardly the fastest vehicle on this list, the XKR convertible model offers a supremely engaging cruising experience and embodies the style and sophistication Jaguar is known for. Unfortunately, it hasn’t managed to find a buyer, possibly due to market saturation.
