11 Most Overengineered Cars of All Time
When it comes to cars, some engineers don’t just think outside the box. They weld the box shut, install three turbochargers, and send it to the Nürburgring. Overengineering often gets a bad rap for being impractical or expensive, but let’s be honest: it’s also what makes certain cars legendary.
These 11 rides weren’t built with “good enough” in mind but were designed with a wild glint in the eye and a blank check on the table. And that’s exactly what makes them awesome.
1. 2005–2011 Bugatti Veyron
Volkswagen spent over $1 billion developing the Veyron, just to prove they could make a vehicle go over 250 mph… and still be civil enough to drive to brunch. With ten radiators, a quad-turbo W16 engine, and tires that cost more than some used Hondas, it’s gloriously absurd.
The cooling system alone looks like it belongs in a nuclear facility. Every component underwent testing to extremes to handle the sheer power this beast produced. Too much? Maybe. But also one of the greatest flexes in automotive history.
2. 1990 Lexus LS400
Toyota’s debut luxury sedan had a paint job tested in acid rain simulations, doors engineered to close with a perfect “thunk,” and an engine so smooth you could balance a coin on it. It didn’t merely redefine refinement—it redefined obsession.
Engineers tested the sedan for over 2.7 million miles before launch. The result? A premium ride that could make a Mercedes owner pause mid-sentence—and a brand that would give the Germans a run for their Autobahn money.
3. 1987 Porsche 959
Originally built to dominate Group B rally, the 959 ended up being a rolling tech demo. Variable all-wheel drive, twin sequential turbos, and height-adjustable suspension turned it into a spaceship in the body of a sports car. It had tire pressure monitors in the ‘80s, people.
Porsche didn’t simply throw the kitchen sink at it—they redesigned the sink. And while only 337 were made, its DNA lives on in every 911 Turbo that followed.
4. 2004 Mercedes-Benz S600 (W220)
With 11 ECUs managing everything from the massage seats to the air suspension, the S600 operated as a rolling server room. It ran buttery smooth and could silently hit 60 mph in under five seconds—while giving you a hot stone massage.
The V12 under the hood whispered its way to Autobahn speeds without breaking a sweat. Sure, fixing anything proved a wallet-scorching ordeal, but you were too relaxed to care. This sedan shone as the ultimate “executive spaceship.”
5. 1971 Citroën SM
Leave it to the French to make a car with self-centering steering, hydro-pneumatic suspension, and a Maserati V6. The SM drove like a dream—if your dreams were filmed by Stanley Kubrick. Its headlamps turned with the steering wheel like the car was thinking ahead.
The ride quality felt like floating on crème brûlée, and the interior was styled like a modernist art museum. Quirky? Absolutely. Brilliant? Without question.
6. 2001 BMW 7 Series (E65)
Say hello to iDrive, an advanced braking system, and a sedan that tried to be smarter than the driver. Love it or hate it, the E65 came packed with tech that paved the way for modern luxury sedans—warts and all.
It featured active anti-roll bars, night vision, and more control menus than a space shuttle. And though it confused many at first, it also signaled that the future of luxury was digital. Overengineered? Sure. Visionary? Definitely.
7. 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari
Hybrid? Yes. Boring? Absolutely not. Ferrari crammed Formula One KERS tech into this thing, along with active aerodynamics and a V12 that sang like Pavarotti on espresso. It could hit 217 mph and still look graceful while doing it.
Every inch of the machine was designed for function, form, and ferocity. This ride wasn’t just overengineered—it was crafted to be over the top.
8. 1991 Acura NSX
Gordon Murray bought one as a daily driver while building the McLaren F1. With its all-aluminum body, titanium connecting rods, and input from Ayrton Senna, the NSX showed the world you could build a supercar with samurai precision.
The steering was surgically sharp, and the chassis balance made Ferraris feel fidgety. It taught the industry that performance could be both exhilarating and reliable. Honda didn’t just raise the bar—they bent it into a new shape.
9. 2000 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph
It had more wool, wood, and wiring than a small Victorian estate. And while maintenance remained a nightmare, sitting in one felt like you’d made it in life—while riding in a barely disguised spaceship.
The Seraph was handmade, with details so intricate you’d think it was built with tweezers and a monocle. Under the hood? A BMW V12 wrapped in aristocratic silence. This beauty dialed luxury to eleven—with no option to turn it down.
10. 1981 DeLorean DMC-12
Brushed stainless steel body? Gullwing doors? Underpowered engine but eternal cult status? The DMC-12 may have been an oddball, but its ambition was off the charts—and that’s why it’s unforgettable.
It was designed with safety in mind before that was trendy, and the design turned heads like nothing else. It failed as a car, perhaps—but succeeded as a cultural icon.
11. 2022 Mercedes-AMG One
This machine is basically a Formula One engine with headlights. With a 1.6L turbo hybrid V6 that revs to 11,000 rpm and tech borrowed directly from Lewis Hamilton’s world championship car, it’s proof that overengineering thrives, well, and roaring.
It took years just to make the powertrain street-legal. The result delivers a hypercar that sounds like it belongs on the starting grid of Monaco. Mission excessive: accomplished.