A new double-volume anthology presents 100 of the most collectible cars from across history. In a Dezeen exclusive, authors Charlotte and Peter Fiell pick out seven cars that top the list, including a Mercedes Benz thought to be the most valuable car in the world.
Published by Taschen, Ultimate Collector Cars showcases some of the most innovative examples of automotive design ever produced, in exquisite detail.
"It's 100 of the rarest, most desirable, most extraordinary and most collectible cars of all time," said Peter Fiell. "The total value of the cars in the book is over $1.2 billion."
"At the cutting edge of technical possibilities"
The cars featured were chosen for their rarity and exclusivity ? the majority were either used as racing cars, or "homologated" from racing cars ? meaning they were produced as part of the regulation process for motorsport sanctioning bodies. In both cases, only a limited number would have been produced.

"These weren't people cars; these were cars at the absolute cutting edge of technical possibilities," said Charlotte Fiell. "Every single car in the book was pioneering in its day."
Shedding light on the secretive world of car collecting
In most cases, the car showcased in the book is the ultimate example of its type in known existence.
However, the authors point out that the locations of many historic cars are unknown, because sales are often kept behind closed doors, and many...