The Rarest Ford Ever Produced

For certain gearheads, raw speed or plush luxury will never be enough. What they crave is something genuinely uncommon — a car that stops strangers in their tracks and defies easy identification. Few things scratch that itch quite like tracking down one of the rarest production vehicles a major automaker has ever released, such as a 1972 Mercury Montego Cyclone.

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Rarity almost always comes at a price, but the bragging rights are hard to put a dollar figure on — especially when curious onlookers can’t even name what they’re looking at.

Ford has produced its fair share of rare models across its 100-plus-year history, so HotCars set out to identify the rarest production car the Blue Oval has ever built.

Just 10 Ford Mustang McLaren M81s Were Ever Constructed

1980 Ford McLaren Mustang M81 Specs

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Power	175 hp
Torque	149 lb-ft
Number Produced	10

(Sources: Ford, Mecum Auctions)

Looking to reinvigorate Mustang sales as the 1980s got underway, Ford set to work on a special Fox-body variant that would make a splash in the performance car market. Tightening emissions regulations had effectively brought the muscle car golden era to a close a decade earlier, all but eliminating the ultra-powerful V8s that had defined the era. Rather than fight that tide, Ford pursued a different approach for its special Mustang.

The model could still be had with a 4.2-liter V8, though output had fallen to just 139 hp. Convinced it could offer a four-cylinder alternative that delivered nearly comparable power while being more efficient and affordable to run, Ford brought Formula 1 powerhouse McLaren on board to help develop the project.

The McLaren-badged Mustang was conceived to make a similar statement to the Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s. Ford first developed a turbocharged four-cylinder engine capable of 131 hp, but felt there was more potential on the table. That’s where McLaren stepped in, with the engine shipped to the British manufacturer’s powertrain department for further development.

The cylinder head ports were polished to improve airflow throughout the engine, and a new variable turbocharger was fitted. That turbo could generate between 5 and 11 psi of boost — a figure the driver could adjust from inside the cabin. The result was a healthy 175 hp, comfortably eclipsing the most powerful V8 in Ford’s lineup at the time. Power was sent through a four-speed manual gearbox.

High Cost Prevented M81 Sales Soaring

For all its promise, the M81’s most damaging flaw was its sticker price. It launched at $25,000 — a figure that, adjusted for inflation, equates to well over $95,000 today. That put it uncomfortably close to the cost of a Ferrari 308 of the same era, which was a tough sell for a car that lacked the thunderous V8 most buyers associated with a true muscle car.

The consequence was stark: Ford sold just ten of the 250 cars it had planned to build. That figure alone makes the M81 the rarest production car Ford has ever offered to the public.

Mustang M81 Upgrades Didn’t End With The Engine

While McLaren’s involvement was limited to the engine and the Papaya Orange paint scheme applied to seven of the ten cars, Ford pushed further to convince buyers the M81 was the genuine article. Engineers from the American brand’s Special Vehicle Operations — SVO — department were given free rein to sharpen the Mustang’s handling as well.

Heavy-duty springs and uprated Koni shock absorbers, working in concert with stiffened front and rear stabilizer bars, reduced body roll and improved weight transfer, making the Mustang noticeably more agile. Larger brakes were added too, giving drivers the confidence to attack corner entries as hard as the apexes themselves.

Anticipating that those brakes would see serious use, functional rear brake ducts were installed to manage heat buildup. Ford also fitted a set of BBS alloy wheels wrapped in wider tires, boosting cornering grip, while IMSA-inspired fender flares were added to accommodate the wider rubber within the bodywork.

To sharpen the car’s visual aggression further, a bulged performance hood was fitted. Inside, the standard seats gave way to supportive bucket chairs, and a bolt-in roll bar — which also helped stiffen the chassis — was added alongside Borg Warner gauges. Each of the ten cars received a Team McLaren-branded dash plaque bearing its individual production number.

Taken together — the striking paint, prominent McLaren branding, and comprehensive performance upgrades — the M81 was impossible to ignore.

Used McLaren Mustang M81s Aren’t Worth As Much As You’d Think

Mecum Auctions

Interestingly, despite the M81’s extreme rarity, it hasn’t commanded eye-watering money at auction. Classic.com, which aggregates classic car auction results worldwide, reports that the average sale price of the M81 sits at around $54,467 — remarkably accessible for a car of which only ten exist.

The very first M81 ever built — the functional prototype — crossed the block at Mecum Auctions in September 2024. Wearing the iconic split orange-and-black livery and showing just 566 miles on the odometer, it had spent its early life touring dealerships across the country as a showpiece for the new model. Given how few buyers ultimately came forward, that tour did little to move the needle.

Despite its near-pristine condition, the prototype sold for just $51,000. For gearheads hunting a Ford that commands a double-take and exists in genuinely tiny numbers, the surprisingly attainable Mustang McLaren M81 remains one of the great conversation starters.

The 1965 Magic Skyway Mustang Is Another Extremely Rare Ford

Mecum Auctions

1965 Magic Skyway Ford Mustang Specs

(Sources: Ford, Mecum Auctions)

The M81 isn’t the only extraordinarily rare Ford waiting to be discovered on the used market. For those willing to search a little harder, one of just 11 surviving 1965 Magic Skyway Mustangs could be out there. Built on the foundation of the standard 1965 Mustang Convertible — already a timeless muscle car icon — these 11 cars served as passenger transportation for the Magic Skyway attraction at the 1965 New York World’s Fair.

Each car was fitted with a specially engineered underbody that allowed it to travel along the ride’s tracks, which wound past more than 65 animatronic figures depicting dinosaurs and early humans — giving visitors a vivid glimpse of life before civilization. The Mustangs were fully functional, each powered by a 3.2-liter inline-six engine.

When the ride closed, the cars were sold off to the public. According to Mecum, just three of the original 11 are believed to remain roadworthy today. One of those survivors crossed the block at Mecum’s Indy auction in 2022, having accumulated just over 35,000 miles during its remarkable life. A full restoration completed in 2014 brought its bright red interior and white exterior back to showroom condition.

The engine and mechanical systems were also fully reconditioned as part of that restoration. The car was estimated to fetch between $100,000 and $150,000 at auction, though its final sale price has not been publicly confirmed. For any enthusiast with a soft spot for automotive history — or an unusually ambitious backyard project — one of the remaining Magic Skyway Mustangs would be a truly one-of-a-kind find.

Sources: Ford, Mecum Auctions, Classic.com