What is an Exotic Car?
While the distinction between supercars and hypercars often comes down to specs and capabilities, drivers who want to nail down an exotic car definition will need to think about a vehicle’s social status, rarity, history, and maintenance requirements. So, what is an exotic car? Whether a vehicle is born as an exotic or it becomes so over time, the distinction might be boiled down as follows: exotic cars are collector’s items with utterly unique style.
A Closer Look at the Exotic Car Definition
What is considered an exotic car? Although names like Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and McLaren will be among the first to come to mind, it’s best to answer this question with another question: what makes a collector’s item into a collector’s item? The answer comes down to a few key factors:
Social Status
Exotic cars, whether by virtue of their rarity, their unique looks, or their expensive reputations, are associated with a certain status and a certain standard of living. Rare cars are not necessarily exotic because the term exotic also connotes luxury.
Many — though not all — exotic cars also qualify as sports cars, supercars, or hypercars. The raw power and speed offered by these models only improves their status and makes them more exotic in the minds of collectors.
Rarity
Some cars are made to be ‘exotic’, while others become that way as the years go by. Either way, a given vehicle can’t really become an exotic collectors item if it is ubiquitous on Maryland and Virginia highways. Some exotic cars are produced in extremely limited quantities, or made to order with custom specifications, while other, older luxury models are increasingly recognized as exotic if they become rare over time.
Since some vehicles become exotics over time, it’s important to point out that a model’s history and reputation are important to take into account. A model with a storied past is all the more exotic.
Maintenance Requirements
Exotic cars and exotic pets don’t have much in common, but both could be described as high maintenance. Of course, a little bit of extra work is a small price to pay for a vehicle that really feels like it’s one-of-a-kind, and many (would-be) exotic car owners have plenty of time and money to dedicate to service and care. But in general, it’s important to note that finding parts or accessories for an exotic car can be significantly more difficult than finding components for more common stock vehicles. Of course, that’s not a problem when you order parts or schedule service with the team of exotic car specialists at Sterling Motorcars.
Find Your Exotic Car at Sterling Motorcars
Whether you’re looking for new or pre-owned exotic cars, you’ll want to have the team at Sterling Motorcars in your corner. We’re easy to reach from just about anywhere in the DC Metro area.