Many people appeal to the idea of an exotic car. An exotic car could be a luxury SUV, an iconic supercar, or a fast sports car. There are many definitions of an exotic.
However, they all share a high price tag, yet sometimes that price isn’t justified.
This list contains some of the most overrated exotics on the market. We have ranked them based on their overall performance, value for money, and ability to live up to expectations.
Fiat 124 Spider
We will caveat this entry by stating that the modern Fiat 124 Spider is a solid sports car. As one of the few affordable Italian roadsters on the market, the 124 was a great option that looked good and had more power in Abarth form.
But basing it on the Mazda Miata MX-5 meant nothing was that different beneath the new exterior. Yet somehow, the 124 Spider felt less sharp and responsive than the MX-5, and you couldn’t get as many options as you could with the Mazda. It is still sad, however, that the Fiat 124 is no longer in production.
Lamborghini Countach
We will probably generate some controversy with this one, but hear us out. The Lamborghini Countach is a spectacular work of art. It is fast, striking, and one of the fastest cars Lamborghini has ever produced, thanks to its 3.9-5.2-liter V12 engines.
Yet to drive, the Countach was a liability. It was never the most comfortable supercar in the world but also very impractical. Its low ride height meant you’d hate to take it onto rougher roads, and if you opted for the optional rear wing, you wouldn’t be able to see out of your rearview mirror as it blocked the rear window. An icon? Yes. A practical car? No.
BMW M8
Out of all BMW’s current cars, the BMW M8 is one of the best-looking. The German manufacturer offers the M8 in three body options: a two-door convertible, a two-door coupe, and a four-door Grand Coupe.
Under the hood is a mighty 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Yet despite these plus points, it does have its downsides. The ride quality is harsh thanks to its stiff suspension, which limits how much you want to use it. Plus, it starts at $136,800, which is expensive even for an exotic.
Mercedes-Maybach GLS
On the face of it, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS is a dramatic and luxurious-looking SUV. It is capable of off-roading thanks to all-wheel drive and features all the opulence you would expect from a car bearing the Maybach name.
However, while it has off-road capabilities, would you ever take it off-road? As a luxury SUV, the GLS is all about long, comfortable driving, so its off-road side is just a gimmick. Plus, it costs $160,000. For a car you wouldn’t dare to use to its full potential, that is an excessive amount of money—a figure that even those who can afford a GLS might wish to avoid paying.
2022 Lamborghini Countach
In 2022, Lamborghini decided to bring back the Countach with the new LPI 800-4 Countach. It already had a few plus points over the original Countach by being more practical, offering more comfort, and allowing you to see from your rearview mirror.
However, while it paid homage to the original with retro looks, the new Countach missed the mark. It lacked a lot of the quirkiness of the original Countach, even if it had the performance thanks to its 802-hp hybrid 6.2-liter V12. Lamborghini only produced 112, meaning few people could purchase one, and even fewer could afford it thanks to the staggering $2.6 million price tag.
2020 Bugatti Centodieci
It is difficult to determine why the Bugatti Centodieci is worth a $9 million price tag. Based on the Chiron, Bugatti upped the power of the 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 to 1,578 hp and reduced the weight as much as possible thanks to its carbon fiber body. It also took inspiration from the iconic Bugatti EB110.
Yet, like the revived Countach, this new Bugatti was a limited-run model with astronomical price tags that only the richest in the world could afford. The biggest disappointment is that, despite the high price tag, Bugatti hardly touched the interior of the Centodieci. So what was all that $9 million for?
Jaguar F-Type R Convertible
Jaguar has a shakey reliability record in modern times, but many of its products look good, sound good, and are reasonably priced. One of those looked to be the F-Type R Convertible, yet it struggled to hold on to its own as time passed.
The handling isn’t as dynamic as the Porsche 911, nor is the build quality as strong as that of a Porsche, BMW, or Mercedes. The exterior of the F-Type R has mostly stayed the same over the last few years, and it is now left behind by Aston Martin when it comes to design. For those looking for a somewhat affordable performance car, the R-Type R is no longer one of the favorite choices.
Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato
There is a lot to love about the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. This is a genuine, off-road capable supercar with an all-wheel-drive that doesn’t lose the performance credentials of its supercar sibling. The 5.2-liter V10 engine makes 602 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque, which is mighty for any off-road vehicle.
The thing is, though, will these get much off-road use? It might have had a raised ride height and made stronger, but the Huracan Sterrato will only go so far off-road. Most Huracan Sterrato’s will likely become garage queens, and you also have to question if it is worth the $284,000 asking price. Not that you will need to ask that, as with just 1,499 ever made, many of us will likely never drive one.
Hummer H2
Although it is a terrible car that is too big and heavy, the Hummer H2 has a lot of fans. This makes no sense, as the H2 is a gas-guzzling monster that is too heavy for most off-road trails. AM General and General Motors were rather buoyed by their success with the Hummer H1, so naturally, they wanted to build on that.
The Hummer H2 was the SUV given that task, yet the 6,600 lbs weight of the Hummer meant if you presented it with any form of challenging terrain, you could quickly get stuck. But worse was the fact that you could average just 9 MPG combined using the H2 as your daily driver. With a base price of around $57,000, the Hummer H2 was not worth the money.
Ferrari Testarossa
We want to caveat this by saying we love the Ferrari Testarossa, one of the most beautiful cars ever made. However, beauty sometimes doesn’t make for a great car, which is true of the Testarossa.
The width of its 385 hp 4.9-liter flat-12 gave the Testarossa an unusually wide track, which compromised its handling. This could lead to some downright terrifying driving characteristics, and then add into that bursting seals and hoses, and you have another set of nightmares for their owners. The Testarossa was always expensive to maintain, and that is especially true as we roll through the 2020s.
Mitsuoka Orochi
Despite its ugly design, the Mitsuoka Orochi looked like a fast supercar. Mitusoka also claimed they based the Orochi first-generation Honda NSX, but that must have somehow become lost in translation between management and the designers.
The Orochi is unquestionably ugly but even worse; it offered nothing like the performance levels of the Honda NSX. Under the hood, a 3.3-liter Toyota 3MZ-FE V6 engine produced just 231 hp. Despite the Orochi’s weirdness, they are now scarce and quite collectible, and it’s not unheard of for them to appear at auctions for as much as $100,000. According to SG Car Mart, the recorded MSRP of the Orochi was $389,800 in 2008.
Maybach 57
The Maybach 57 was the car that revived the brand in the early 2000s when it was under the ownership of Dailmer-Chrysler. The 57 was a shorter wheelbase version of the Maybach 62, and under the hood, it had a 5.5-liter V12 with 540 hp.
However, at $360,000 before any options, the Maybach 57 was not affordable for the masses. The longer-wheelbase Maybach 62 in Landaulet form sold for $1.35 million. While the 57 was comfortable, it felt sluggish and heavy and didn’t offer the most dynamic driving experience. It is not a classic luxury car.
Audi SQ7
When Audi first launched the SQ7, things started well. It was very well received, and a large 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine meant it had plenty of power. However, things began to go wrong for the SQ7 as it entered its second generation.
First, the SQ7 grew in size to become heavier than its predecessor. The S version with the diesel engine failed to sell, so Audi changed its powertrain to the twin-turbocharged V8 from the SQ8. The biggest problem is that the SQ7 is big, heavy, and not as nice to drive as rivals like the Bentley Bentayga. While it is not the worst car on this list, plenty of other options would likely appeal to more customers.
