The 10 Most Expensive Japanese Cars
The most expensive JDM cars are finding their footing as high-end collector models, including the Toyota Supra and Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R.
Written by Kara Vanderbeek
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Table of Contents
- 1. 1967 Mazda Cosmo 110 Sport — $264,000
- 2. 1973 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R — $432,148
- 3. 1970 Nissan Z432R — $805,000
- 4. 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package — $918,500
- 5. 1992 AAR/Toyota Eagle MkIII GTP — $1,045,000
- 6. 1967 Toyota 2000GT — $1,155,000
- 7. 1989 Mazda 767B — $1,175,000
- 8. 2017 Acura NSX — $1,200,000
- 9. 2021 Lexus LC500 Convertible — $2,000,000
- 10. 2020 Toyota Supra — $2,100,000
- How to find affordable car insurance
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The most expensive Japanese car ever sold at auction, the 2020 Toyota Supra, went for $2.1 million. Other pricey Japanese cars include the 1973 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R, 1992 AAR/Toyota Eagle MkIII GTP, and the 1989 Mazda 767B.
French and American cars have sold for blockbusting prices of $10.4 million and $22 million, respectively, so the Japanese Domestic Market may not come to mind when you think of expensive vehicles.
In the 1960s and 1980s, Japanese manufacturers intended to create “people’s cars” that were notorious for their reliability and endurability. As a result, many Japanese models lack the key ingredient needed to command auction attention: rarity.
While they have yet to break records, Japanese cars are picking up speed in the auction blocks and can be valued at several times their original price. In this article, the c
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1. 1967 Mazda Cosmo 110 Sport — $264,000
This Mazda was the first of its kind and is a hand-built two-rotor sports car of only 343 units ever produced. Any collector would be hard-pressed to find this car in the United States, making this model a true rarity.
This 1967 Mazda was beautifully maintained and went through a 4-year restoration process. Such factors increased the car’s value to be auctioned for the tidy sum of $264,000.
2. 1973 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R — $432,148
With only 197 units ever made, the 1973 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT was sold with most of its original parts at a 2020 auction in Tokyo.
The model is thought to have been originally created as a means of moving leftover engines from the car’s predecessor, the Nissan S20. This car was never made available to the United States, which likely increased the car’s collector value to make it the most expensive Skyline model ever made.
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3. 1970 Nissan Z432R — $805,000
The racing version of the 1970 Nissan Fairlady, the Z432R is the most sought-after car for Nissan Z collectors and one of the most expensive Japanese cars to ever be sold at auction.
This car was created with such notable features as a fiberglass hood, thin body panels, and a large fuel tank. With only 30 to 50 models in existence, this “Fairlady” went for the staggering price of $805,000 at a 2020 auction.
4. 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package — $918,500
The 2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring is the first and only Lexus supercar with the cleanest sounding V10 ever produced. Capable of reaching 202 mph in less than 3.7 seconds, the car is thought to be a masterpiece of engineering.
This supercar was sold at a 2019 auction with less than 1,000 miles on the odometer. While Lexus lost money with each LFA that was produced, the car’s resale price and collector value have flipped the script on the manufacturing losses.
5. 1992 AAR/Toyota Eagle MkIII GTP — $1,045,000
The MKIII was built by Dan Gurney’s All American Racers and was a leading prototype for U.S. motorsports. The car was sold from the private collection of motorsport champion Juan Manuel Fangio II, who won the IMSA GTP Championship in 1992 and 1993 driving the MKIII.
The Eagle MKIII was a significant player in motorsport history, winning over half of the 23 races it participated in, It’s no wonder that the car was auctioned out of Fangio’s garage for the steep price of $1,045,000!
6. 1967 Toyota 2000GT — $1,155,000
After gaining fame from the James Bond film You Only Live Once, the Japanese car commanded widespread attention and is considered to be one of the greatest Japanese cars ever built.
To add to its superiority, this car was 1 of 62 units that were manufactured with left-hand drive. The auction value of this car will only continue to increase as the historical impact of Japan’s first supercar intensifies
7. 1989 Mazda 767B — $1,175,000
This Mazda was the most expensive rotary-engined race car and 1 of only 3 racers made to compete at the Le Mans Endurance race. With an engine capable of putting out 630hp at 9,300rpm, this was the only Japanese car to finish at the top of its class in the 1990 racing season.
This car’s championship title classified Mazda as the only Japanese manufacturer to win at Le Mans in 1990. Sold at an Amelia Island auction in 2017 for $1,175,000, it was the most expensive Japanese car that had ever been sold.
8. 2017 Acura NSX — $1,200,000
A contemporary redevelopment of Acura’s first NSX, this car was electrically re-enhanced to run on a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that produced 573 horsepower. This car could reach a speed of 191 mph, making it Acura’s fastest car to date.
The first second-generation Acura NSX was taken off the market at a 2016 auction by Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and the Hendrick Automotive Group. All the proceeds from this staggering purchase were graciously given to charitable foundations.
9. 2021 Lexus LC500 Convertible — $2,000,000
To celebrate the launch of the 2021 Lexus LC500, Lexus auctioned the first unit as a 1 of 1 edition with a stunning paint that was, at the time of the auction, the deepest color of blue on the market. Perhaps increasing its value as a unique collectible was the VIN of this model: #100001.
Lexus’s fastest sports car was sold in just 3 minutes to an unknown buyer. Proceeds from the purchase of this sleek machine went to the Boys and Girls Club of America and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
10. 2020 Toyota Supra — $2,100,000
The 2020 Toyota Supra holds the title of the most expensive Japanese car ever sold. This modern sports car was sold at a 2019 Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona and autographed by Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda.
Proceeds from this lavish purchase were donated to the American Heart Association and the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The astonishing $2.1 million sale puts Japan on the car auction map and names the Toyota Supra as the highest-priced JDM car to have ever hit the roads.
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