Top 10 Exotic Cars

There’s no shortage of supercars and hypercars to choose from. Each of these exotic cars lives up to the hype surrounding it, but with so many legendary models out there, it’s time for a roundup.

For our list of the top 10 exotic cars, we’re focusing on cars that deliver the performance, design, engineering, and driving experience that make an exotic feel genuinely special. We’re also keeping things within a relatively attainable range by exotic-car standards, focusing primarily on models that can be found somewhere between $200,000 and $800,000 depending on model year, mileage, condition, and specification.

Here are our choices for 10 of the best exotic cars.

1. Porsche 911 GT3 RS

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS takes everything enthusiasts love about the GT3 and pushes it much closer to race-car territory. Porsche designed it around aerodynamic performance, with active aero and an unmistakable rear wing generating serious downforce when the car is being pushed. Its naturally aspirated flat-six also keeps the experience refreshingly visceral in an era increasingly dominated by turbochargers and electrification.

The GT3 RS is fast in a straight line, but that’s hardly the point. Put it on a circuit, and you begin to understand why this is one of the most respected road-legal performance cars Porsche has ever built.

• Engine: 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six
• Horsepower: 518 hp
• Top Speed: 184 mph
• 0-60 mph: 3.0 seconds
• Why We Love It: Race-car aerodynamics and engineering in a road-legal 911.

2. Porsche 911 Turbo S

The Porsche 911 Turbo S has long been the 911 for drivers who want enormous performance without giving up the ability to actually use their car regularly. Its twin-turbocharged flat-six sends power through all four wheels, producing acceleration that can embarrass much more dramatic-looking supercars. Yet the Turbo S remains comfortable, beautifully finished, and remarkably approachable when you aren’t testing the limits of its performance.

Buyers can choose between the Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupe and Cabriolet, making the decision less about sacrificing performance and more about whether you want the roof to come along for the ride.

• Engine: 3.7-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six
• Horsepower: 640 hp
• Top Speed: 205 mph
• 0-60 mph: 2.6 seconds
• Available As: Coupe or Cabriolet
• Why We Love It: Supercar performance without the usual supercar compromises.

3. Porsche 911 GT3

Porsche is continually beating its own records with the 911 GT3. The GT3 has spent generations demonstrating just how capable the basic 911 architecture can become when Porsche’s engineers focus on performance, and its accomplishments at the Nürburgring have become part of the car’s reputation.

The 911 GT3 was built with speed and performance in mind, and it surely shows. Its naturally aspirated engine, high-revving personality, and track-focused chassis have also made it a favorite among purists who care about the experience behind the wheel just as much as the numbers on a spec sheet.

• Engine: 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six
• Horsepower: 502 hp
• Top Speed: Up to 199 mph
• 0-60 mph: As quick as 3.2 seconds
• Why We Love It: One of the purest modern expressions of the Porsche 911.

4. Lamborghini Huracán

It would be nearly impossible not to talk about Lamborghini on a top 10 list of exotic cars, and the Lamborghini Huracán definitely earns its place. Its naturally aspirated V10 gives the Huracán the kind of soundtrack that has become increasingly rare, while its dramatic proportions leave little doubt that you’re driving a Lamborghini.

Throughout its production run, Lamborghini also continually evolved the Huracán with increasingly sophisticated performance technology. Models such as the Huracán EVO combined all-wheel drive with technologies including rear-wheel steering and advanced vehicle dynamics management, while more focused variants pushed the platform considerably closer to the racetrack.

The Huracán was offered in both coupe and Spyder configurations, along with an extensive family of special and high-performance variants. That variety makes the used Huracán market particularly interesting for buyers today.

• Engine: 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10
• Horsepower: Varies by model, with later variants exceeding 600 hp
• Top Speed: Around 200 mph, depending on configuration
• Available As: Coupe or Spyder
• Why We Love It: A naturally aspirated Lamborghini V10 paired with unmistakable Italian drama.

5. Lamborghini Aventador

If the Huracán is Lamborghini’s relatively approachable supercar, the Lamborghini Aventador turns everything up several notches. Its naturally aspirated V12 sits behind the driver, delivering the sound, drama, and sense of occasion people have expected from flagship Lamborghinis for generations.

The Aventador also introduced a carbon-fiber monocoque and evolved considerably during more than a decade of production, ultimately spawning increasingly aggressive variants such as the Aventador S, SV, and SVJ. Scissor doors certainly don’t hurt the experience, either.

For buyers who believe an exotic car should make every trip feel like an event, the Aventador is difficult to beat.

• Engine: 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12
• Horsepower: 691 hp and up, depending on variant
• Top Speed: Approximately 217 mph
• Drivetrain: All-wheel drive
• Why We Love It: Lamborghini’s naturally aspirated V12 flagship at its most theatrical.

6. Ferrari 458

The Ferrari 458 Italia occupies an increasingly important place in Ferrari history. Its 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 revs to 9,000 rpm, creating the immediate response and incredible soundtrack that helped make the car an enthusiast favorite from the moment it arrived.

It also represents a fascinating point in Ferrari’s evolution. The 458 has the sophisticated dual-clutch transmission and electronics expected of a modern supercar while retaining a naturally aspirated engine that makes it feel distinctly different from the turbocharged Ferraris that followed.

More than a decade later, the 458 still looks fantastic and sounds even better.

• Engine: 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V8
• Horsepower: 562 hp
• Top Speed: Over 200 mph
• 0-60 mph: Approximately 3.3 seconds
• Why We Love It: One of Ferrari’s great naturally aspirated V8s in a thoroughly modern supercar.

7. Ferrari 488

Ferrari followed the 458 with the Ferrari 488 and made one enormous change behind the driver: turbochargers. The 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 dramatically increased torque and power, giving the 488 explosive acceleration while Ferrari worked hard to preserve the immediate response expected from one of its mid-engine V8 cars.

The 488 also benefited from sophisticated aerodynamics developed using Ferrari’s extensive motorsport knowledge. Later models such as the 488 Pista demonstrated just how much performance Ferrari could extract from the platform.

For enthusiasts who want a modern Ferrari with serious turbocharged power, the 488 remains a compelling sweet spot.

• Engine: 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8
• Horsepower: 661 hp in the 488 GTB
• Top Speed: 205+ mph
• 0-60 mph: Approximately 3.0 seconds
• Why We Love It: The car that successfully carried Ferrari’s mid-engine V8 formula into the turbo era.

8. Ferrari F8 Tributo

The Ferrari F8 Tributo took Ferrari’s twin-turbocharged V8 formula and refined it into one of the company’s most accomplished mid-engine cars. Its 3.9-liter V8 produces 710 horsepower, while extensive aerodynamic work helps make that power usable when the road gets interesting.

As its name suggests, the F8 Tributo also serves as something of a celebration of Ferrari’s V8 lineage. That feels especially meaningful now that Ferrari’s mid-engine lineup has moved toward hybrid power.

The Ferrari F8 was offered as the fixed-roof F8 Tributo coupe and the open-top F8 Spider. Both provide staggering performance, but the Spider adds the obvious appeal of hearing that V8 with considerably less between you and the exhaust.

• Engine: 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8
• Horsepower: 710 hp
• Top Speed: 211 mph
• 0-60 mph: Approximately 2.9 seconds
• Available As: F8 Tributo Coupe or F8 Spider
• Why We Love It: A fitting finale to an extraordinary era of Ferrari V8 supercars.

9. Ferrari 812

Ferrari has built some extraordinary V12 grand tourers, and the Ferrari 812 family ranks among the greatest. The 812 Superfast arrived with a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 mounted up front and 789 horsepower on tap, delivering the kind of effortless high-speed performance its name promised.

Yet the engine is arguably more important than the numbers. In a world of smaller turbocharged engines and increasingly complex hybrid powertrains, a naturally aspirated Ferrari V12 capable of revving close to 9,000 rpm is something worth celebrating.

The 812 Superfast coupe was eventually joined by the 812 GTS convertible, bringing open-top driving back to Ferrari’s series-production front-engine V12 lineup. Either way, this is a grand tourer capable of delivering genuine supercar performance.

• Engine: 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12
• Horsepower: 789 hp
• Top Speed: 211 mph
• 0-60 mph: Under 3 seconds
• Available As: 812 Superfast Coupe or 812 GTS Convertible
• Why We Love It: A front-engine Ferrari V12 that feels appropriately outrageous.

10. McLaren 720S

The McLaren 720S doesn’t need a huge naturally aspirated engine to earn a place among the best exotic cars. Its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 sits within a lightweight carbon-fiber structure, creating an extraordinary power-to-weight ratio and the kind of acceleration that makes even seasoned supercar drivers pay attention.

McLaren also approached the 720S with an obsessive focus on aerodynamics. The distinctive eye-socket headlights double as aerodynamic channels, while the active rear wing and carefully sculpted body continually manage airflow around the car.

The 720S Coupe delivers the light, rigid experience you’d expect from a carbon-fiber McLaren, while the 720S Spider adds open-air driving with remarkably little compromise to the formula.

• Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8
• Horsepower: 710 hp
• Top Speed: 212 mph
• 0-60 mph: 2.8 seconds
• Available As: Coupe or Spider
• Why We Love It: Astonishing speed wrapped around one of the best carbon-fiber chassis in the business.

What Makes an Exotic Car One of the Best?

Horsepower and top speed certainly matter, but numbers alone don’t create a great exotic car. The best examples have something that makes enthusiasts remember them long after something faster comes along.

For the Ferrari 458, it’s that 9,000-rpm naturally aspirated V8. The Aventador gives you a V12 and scissor doors, while a GT3 RS can turn a trip to the racetrack into a reminder of exactly why Porsche has won so many races. These cars take very different approaches to performance, and that’s exactly what makes the exotic-car world so interesting.

There’s also no single “best” choice for every buyer. Someone looking for an exotic they can drive frequently may gravitate toward a Porsche 911 Turbo S, while someone looking for maximum theater might find it impossible to resist an Aventador. The right exotic is ultimately the one that delivers the experience you’re looking for every time you open the garage.

Sell Your Exotic Car with iLusso

While parting with your exotic car may seem like sacrilege, iLusso makes the sale process simple and convenient. Sell your exotic car with us and get a competitive offer fast with minimum hassle.

Whether you’re making room for your next Ferrari, moving from a Porsche into a Lamborghini, or simply ready to see what your exotic is worth, iLusso understands the details that distinguish these cars from ordinary vehicles. Our team knows the exotic market and can help make your next move just as exciting as the car you’re leaving behind.