10 Best Cars of Amelia Island 2026

Intro

The toughest part of covering the events around the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is coming home and trying to decide which cars to feature. Between the concours, the auctions, Werks Reunion, Radwood, cars and coffee and the influx of car enthusiasts, the island is overrun with thousands of incredible cars. There are Bugattis built nearly 100 years apart on the same show field. There are priceless race cars, classic Ferraris and Lamborghinis. And if you are a Porsche fan, you are going to be overwhelmed by the number of incredible Porsches that you will spot around town. How the heck am I supposed to pick just 10 of the best?

Well, it isn’t easy and a lot of amazing cars didn’t make the cut. But the following list is my best shot at highlighting the 10 best cars I saw at Amelia Island in 2026. Every single one of these machines is special for one reason or another. They are all very different, but they have one thing in common. I can’t afford any of them. Let’s take a look.

1. 1993 Jaguar XJ220

We have no idea what the future of Jaguar is going to look like, but the famous British brand belted out some amazing cars in their past. Cars like the 1993 XJ220. Only 277 examples were made. It was the fastest production car in the world went it came out. This example has just 781 miles on the odometer. The day after I spotted it the car sold at auction for $681,500.

2. 2026 Aston Martin Valhalla

The newest car on this list is the brand-new Aston Martin Valhalla. The $1 million super car is limited to just 999 examples. It is a plug-in hybrid that has a Corvette ZR1 matching 1,064 total system horsepower. The Valhalla also features active aero that was developed by the Aston Martin F1 team. Driving it is like being behind the wheel of a Le Mans Hypercar. It is a standout car in a field full of standout cars.

3. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722 S

Between the iconic McLaren F1 and the MP4-12C, McLaren teamed up with Mercedes-Benz and created the SLR. And the one pictured here is a special one, the Roadster 722 S. Only 150 examples were built. The hand-built AMG supercharged 5.4-liter V8 is rated at 641 horsepower. Only 3,428 miles are on the odometer of this example. It sold at auction over the weekend for $841,000.

4. 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition

The 2006 Ford GT really needs no introduction. Designed to pay tribute to the Ford GT40s that won Le Mans in the 1960s, the Ford GT is a highly sought-after collectible. Especially when we are talking about one of the 343 Heritage Edition examples wearing the legendary Gulf Oil livery. This car sold at auction for $681,500. The exact same amount as the Jaguar XJ220. Which would you rather have?

5. 2003 Ferrari Enzo

This is the big boy when it comes to auction sales for the weekend. This showroom fresh Ferrari Enzo sold for a staggering $15,185,000. This car was purchased new in 2003 and the owner took good care of it, but almost never drove it. Less than 450 miles are on the odometer. It is basically a 23-year-old new car. It is a real shame that this car has never been driven and given the incredible price paid, is unlikely to ever be driven. But that is not the fault of the car. This Enzo is a beauty.

6. 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO

Unlike the Enzo, this Ferrari was not for sale, but it is just as special. Ferrari has only built three GTO models in their history. The 250 GTO, The 599 GTO and this 288 GTO. Ferrari built the 288 GTO in order to take part in Group B racing. Unfortunately, by the time the 200 road cars required to meet homologation requirements were built, Group B racing was cancelled. About 277 of these cars were made and when they do come up for sale, they typically bring between three and four million dollars. This is a special machine.

7. 2025 Bugatti Mistral

282 miles per hour. That is how fast the open-top Bugatti Mistral will go. That makes it the fastest roadster in the world. To get to that speed the Bugatti uses a quad-turbo W-16 engine good for 1,578 horsepower. Only 99 Bugatti Mistrals were built, and they carry a price tag of $5 million. It was a pleasure to see one of these rare machines out in the wild.

8. 2025 Czinger 21C V Max

This car is bonkers. It is a 3D-printed car made in California. A 268-horsepower electric motor powers each of the car's front wheels, and a 750-horsepower twin-turbo 2.9-liter V8 that revs to 11,000 rpm powers the rears. Combined output is 1,250 horses. It is a two-seater, but the occupants don’t sit next to each other, they sit behind each other. Prices start at about $2.4 million. It accelerates to 60 mph in about 2 seconds flat. Top speed is north of 250 mph. Bonkers.

9. 2005 Porsche Carrera GT SC

A regular Porsche Carrera GT is special enough to earn a spot on this list. But this is not a regular Carrera GT. It is a Carrera GT SC. The SC stands for Sport Canepa, as in Porsche expert Bruce Canepa. The Carrera GT SC is enhanced with a KW suspension with an integrated lift system, an upgraded clutch designed for improved durability, a revised exhaust system and matte carbon fiber elements throughout the engine bay. Covered in Liquid Metal Green paint, this Carrera GT SC is unlike any other Carrera GT on the planet.

10. 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV

I was in the room covering the Broad Arrow auction when the lights went out and a video of this 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV began to play on the screens located in the ballroom. You knew something special was about to happen. This Miura was owned by a private collector for more than 50 years. It is a highly original, numbers-matching car with just over 18,000 miles on the clock. Bidding was fast and furious. Often going in half-million-dollar increments. The battle eventually boiled down to a couple of phone bidders. Finally, the hammer fell. $6 million was bid. $6,605,000 with buyer’s premium factored in. What a moment. What a car.

Images: Joe Kucinski