Every once in a blue moon a cover band comes along that's better than the original. Either they have more energy, or they sound better, or they just plain look better. That happens in the car world, too. A company will put out a car, a design firm gets ahold of it, and voila, you've got a beauty on your hands.
Sometimes they pay homage to cars that existed long ago, and sometimes it's a completely new riff on something that already exists. Either way, these ten one-off modifications of already-existing cars are just absolutely stunning.
10.) Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta
Based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, the Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta has a fantastic targa-looking top, and its fluid lines smooth out the 599's sharp creases. Not to mention that gorgeous golden color.
Suggested By: 4kbar Photo Credit: Ferrari
9.) Ferrari 456 Venice
Pininfarina actually built seven Ferrari 456 Venices for the Sultan of Brunei, and I think they look better than the original donor car, the Ferrari 456M. The Venice modification took what was an okay GT car and turned it into an incredible station wagon. Who says custom bodywork is only about looking good?
Suggested By: GrayHays Photo Credit: Wikicommons
8.) Porsche Tapiro
Under the skin it was basically a Porsche 914/6 (albeit with a few modifications), but the beautiful bodywork of the Porsche Tapiro was designed by a young man named Giorgetto Giugiaro. It looks like a lot of other 1970s wedge cars, actually, including the Mercedes-Benz C111 and early models of the Lamborghini Countach.
Suggested By: manifold engines, wanting for time, Photo Credit: Porsche-Mania.com
7.) Aston Martin DB4 Jet
The Aston Martin DB4 Jet, styled by Bertone, took what was already a classic British car and gave it sleek Italian bodywork. Those round headlamps look just like the jet intakes that had begun to sweep the globe, and that roofline looks like it just screams wind-swept motoring.
And it just sold for $5.8 million.
Suggested By: TwinCharged, Photo Credit: Bonhams
6.) Citroen-Ferrari F355
The most common complaint about the Ferrari F355 was that it was too darn pretty, and too modern looking. That's why one intrepid owner decided to lower the body from a Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette onto the structure of his own Ferrari. Now it can go like stink while hauling French cheeses all day long.
Suggested By: Highbury
5.) BMW Z4 Zagato Coupe
The BMW Z4 was already not a bad looking car, but Zagato added its trademark double-bubble roof and sheetmetal from the future to make it look like the aggressive little sports car anyone could ever want.
Suggested By: zer0sum, Photo Credit: BMW
4.) The New Lancia Stratos
Replacing the ugly and wrong-in-every-way body of the Ferrari F430 with an angular shape inspired by the original Lancia Stratos, the new Stratos looked nearly production ready. It's too bad Ferrari killed it from ever seeing a series production run, though they couldn't stop it from rallying.
Suggested By: Stefan25, Photo Credit: Italiaspeed
3.) Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3 Stradale
What you're looking at is not a new Italian SuperCoupe, but rather a down-home slice of Americana. The Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3 Stradale was essentially a Viper under all that Italian flair, and somehow Zagato built nine of them for sale.
Suggested By: fourtitude Photo Credit: Maté Petrany
2.) Maserati Pininfarina Birdcage 75th
The Maserati MC12 GT1 is clearly such a sedate car, so Pininfarina went ahead and built this, the Maserati Birdcage 75th, on its guts. And somehow it's still fully functional, while still being fully awesome.
Suggested By: Graugeist, Photo Credit: Pininfarina
1.) Ferrari SP12 EC
Give Ferrari $4,700,000 of your hard-earned dollars, and they'll make you anything you want. Eric Clapton wanted a car that reminded him of his old Ferrari 512, but that drove like a modern Ferrari 458. Thus the Ferrari SP12 EC was born.
If you've got to trade a glass engine cover for something else, I'll take what this thing's got.
Suggested By: Highbury
Welcome to Answers of Last Weekend - our weekly Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous week's Question of the Weekend and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Topshot credit: Ferrari