what defines a rare car?

"mr_gofast" (jake_berenshteyn)
05/05/2014 at 09:32 • Filed to: None

random thought of the day - what defines a truly rare car?

is a Bugatti Veyron rare? or a Ferarri 599?

these cars are unique in design - suited to each owners whims but are they truly rare?

whilst we all ponder this immense question here is my take on a truly RARE care

a 1938 phateon corsair

OK as suggested - some more context - less then 500 units produced if any or production capable but not concepts

Rare combinations in a common vehicle like a Dakota wasn't what I meant.

What i mean is something you've rarely or never seen in any incarceration or model type. Another example would be the Bugatti Kellnor coupe - only six of these ever built

so suggest your examples Oppo :D

DISCUSSION (16)

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 09:35

It's a question that need context.

For example: V8+5 speed manual Dakotas are rare. Sure, they made tens of thousands of them, but there were millions of Dakotas made. So that combo tends to be one many people don't even know existed. So in that context, it's rare. Is it any more rare than basically any model of Lamborghini? No. Does that make a Gallardo rare? No. Different context.

OPPOsaurus WRX > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 09:37

According to Subaru salesmen, a car with an approximate run of 15,000 - 20,000 a year.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 09:40

I would say that there are varying degrees of rarity. An NSX can be considered a rare car, but obviously not as rare as a 250 GT California. Likewise, if you have a car that in the US that was never officially sold here (RS2 Avant, R32 GT-R, or diesel Hilux) then it would also be rare. Even if it is a domestic that was mass produced but is old and in very good condition, a '71 Barracuda for example (my favorite muscle car), then I'd say it's rare. Exclusivity, condition, location, a the number of those vehicles still on the road are all factors that contribute to how rare a car is.

offroadkarter > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 09:41

exclusivity and/or low production numbers. If toyota made a V8 manual camry, it'd just be a rare camry but still a camry.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 09:42

ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN COOKED

BOOM BOOM

Anon > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
05/05/2014 at 09:43

So from your theory, there is also a supply and demand type element to a car being rare. Two cars can have the same amout of units made but if one is more desired than the pther that that makes it more "rare" from an enthusiast perspective.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Anon
05/05/2014 at 09:51

No, it's not even that. It's the context of the discussion. If you're talking about "the rarest cars in existence" then basically any car that there is more than 10 of won't make the list. Even the F40 was in the thousands. You'd be down to basically just prototypes and one offs. I'm saying "rare" indicates an unusual example of the context being discussed.

Hence:

V8+5 speed manual Dakotas are rare (in the context of Dakotas)

F40s are not rare (in the context of supercars)

These statements are both true in their proper contexts. However there are far more V8+5 speed manual Dakotas than there are F40s.

RacecaR > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 10:03

Is not rarity subjective though?

What may be rare to me, may not be rare to someone else. I always think of rare as being something that is hard to obtain.
So a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV here in the states would be rare to me. But to someone in Japan, not so much.
Or a '67 Stingray may be rare in Greece, but not to an oil tycoon in Texas who has three (One red, one white, and one blue).

Or does a limited production amount make something rare? Would that make 6th gen GVR4's here in the states rare? Only 2,000 in '91 and 1,000 in '92 were imported to the US. So in the US, is the GVR4 rare?

Or what about a classic car where plenty were made 60 years ago, but now only 5 are left? Are those 5 rare?
But if that is the case, does that make a Pinto rare, if there are only 5 left?

I guess we have to keep "rare" and "valuable" and "sentimental" all separate from each other?

I think I asked more questions than I gave answers.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 10:05

Another great example. Find me a clean (both looks and title), unmodified, non-swapped, manual s13/14 with reasonably low mileage. It's interesting how trends in the automotive scene can change what makes a rare car. After drifting caught on, finding a 240 in that sort of condition is definitely rare.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
05/05/2014 at 10:07

Oh, and it also can't be $10k lol

mr_gofast > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
05/05/2014 at 10:08

however they made a lot of s13/14's so no not rare in my context. I explained what i meant in my OP - rare as in not many made to begin with - forget whats left now - time has reduced lots of common cars to rare just due to attrition.

mr_gofast > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
05/05/2014 at 10:13

what i meant were vehicles that were originally produced in less then 1k units - truly unique - so no F40s wernt rare - there were a modest amount produced and like i posted below - time will reduce common cars to rare just through old age.

mr_gofast > RacecaR
05/05/2014 at 10:14

made very sparingly - less then 500 units, not so much a rare trim of a common vehicle, GVR 4 wouldnt be - 3k units is more then what rare would qualify at least for the sake of this discussion.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > mr_gofast
05/05/2014 at 10:20

Ah ok. Didn't see that portion when I posted. Well then I suppose I just disagree with the terms that we've used to define rare then. I would rate cars under those terms to be extremely rare. :) haha

OPPOsaurus WRX > OPPOsaurus WRX
05/05/2014 at 11:11

.... I was told there would be no movement on the price of an 08 WRX and a new WRX because they are rare....

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > offroadkarter
05/05/2014 at 11:57

nice example. Toyota did make one. albeit TRD and RK motors "partnered up" which could very well mean RK Motors did everything and TRD slapped their name on it.