The World’s Rarest Car

Mon, Feb 23, 2009

Travel

The World’s Rarest Car
The One and Only Phantom Corsair Photo credit: Photo Courtesy JMPR

If you want to see the world’s only Phantom Corsair, you best get yourself down to Florida’s Amelia Island.

By Sarah Rose

In 1938 the Phantom Corsair was a vision of the future – a sleek, black, aerodynamic insect. Only one was ever built, making it the rarest car in the world, and it makes its sole appearance this year at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The brainchild of Rust Heinz, 25-year-old heir to the ketchup fortune, the Corsair was to sell for $12,500 ($184,000 today) with modernism that was more than skin-deep – it boasted features that wouldn’t take hold for a generation, such as padded interiors and gauges for fuel economy and battery charge, a barometer and compass, front-wheel drive, and electric gear shift. Tragically, Heinz died in a car accident before the Corsair saw an assembly line. His one car will drive onto the golf course at Florida’s Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton March 13 15 ($45; ameliaconcours.org).

This article originally appeared in the March 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.



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Sarah Rose - who has written 16 posts on Men’s Journal.


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8 Comments For This Post

  1. tata nano Says:

    Dude, nice car. As per your title this car is rare too. I never seen this king of car. From last some days tata nano becomes a top news for india automobile industry. I saw some details of it and its really nice car with price is very less around $2500. Its a cheapest car i ever heard. Even this can be a rare car too. Thanks for your nice information.

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  2. tata nano Says:

    Nice car…

    [Reply]

  3. steve Says:

    not too rare, not too expensive, not good looking keep trying, there are so many others worth writing about, that this would come in dead last, try in the lines of buick, such as 1963 spiecal wagon, you can even find a pitchure of one

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    laura Reply:

    Steve…if you are going to post intelligent comments, you might want to use spell check…and possibly get your eyes checked! This sure looks like a “special” car to me. Naturally, there are MANY cars that are rare, the idea being this is the RAREST as there was only ONE ever made. So despite your “educated” critique, of not too rare not too expensive, I rather liked the “pitchure” (picture) of the “spiecal” (special) car! …see you at walmart

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    Keith Reply:

    That buick is not rare, i found it right away on google.
    It is worth nothing.

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  4. Cars Online Says:

    Cool blog post, many thanks, The Car Lover

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  5. haruka2 Says:

    hmm like a batmobile to me ^ ^
    maybe batman should buy it~!

    [Reply]

  6. BruceDixon Says:

    i was looking to buy ferrari can anyone have best buy price of it and help me out for more detail.

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  7. Luxury Car Says:

    Great story, look forward to reading more posts.

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  8. The Motoring Journal Says:

    I was fortunate to see this car in person. It truly is breathtaking. The stealth-like appearance adds to its charisma and exhibits even further the emotion that you’re looking at something quite special.

    [Reply]

2 Trackbacks For This Post

  1. Sarah Rose » Blog Archive » Stories for boys Says:

    [...] World’s Rarest Car – The Car of Futures Past [...]

  2. dodo Says:

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