Boutique beauties: high-performance cars made to order from small manufacturers

If you think that Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini are too common and “out of the box”, then you are in luck: there are many exclusive car manufacturers that can offer high performance, individual style and make you stand out from the crowd.

Whether you're into supercars, resto mods or SUVs, there's something for everyone - from tastefully remodeled to downright extravagant! Uniqueness comes at a cost, and that cost can easily exceed a million dollars. But if you're immune to sticker shock, some of these cars are truly amazing. Here are some awesome boutique cars and trucks from small manufacturers that can deliver great performance.

Is there such a thing as "too much energy"? This boutique hypercar is set to test that theory with an engine that's more than double the horsepower of any other car on this list.

Singer Car Design 911

Singer Vehicle Design is a Swiss watch manufacturer of custom made Porsche cars. The California-based company takes 90-era '911s, completely strips them down, and then meticulously restores them to give them a vintage look, modern mechanical performance, and cutting-edge performance. Timex keeps time just as well as Rolex, but Rolex is a work of art. Like the Singer 911.

The Singer 911 DLS (Dynamics and Lightweight Study) is the ultimate expression of their resto fashion philosophy. Every component of the car has been made 50% better and the engine has been designed by Williams Advanced Engineering to deliver a massive 500 horsepower.

W Motors Lycan Hypersport

Fame in cinema Fast and furious 7, The Lykan Hypersport from W Motors is a supercar that looks like nothing else on the road. The Hypersport is powered by a 3.7-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six engine that's based on a Porsche design and then tweaked by RUF Automobiles to 780 horsepower.

With a 0-60 mph time of 2.8 seconds and a claimed top speed of 245 mph, the only thing more important than performance is price. $3.4 million is not a cheap date, but there are only seven of them in the world, so the exclusivity works for him.

Icon Motors Abandoned Rolls Royce

ICON Motors is known for its Land Cruiser and Broncos resto mods. Vintage trucks with the right look but with a completely modern running gear. You get the style and coolness of a vintage truck, but with modern gear that won't leave you stranded.

Their Derelict series follows the same principle, and their coolest project is the Derelict Rolls Royce. Unrestored vintage exterior with the heart of a Corvette under the long hood. It has the looks, the vibe and with the LS7 V8 it has the power to last for days. If boutique resto mod is your thing then this is one of the best.

Alphaholics GTA-R 290

Everything that is beautiful about cars and driving is embodied in Alfaholics GTA-R. It makes the right sounds, drives like a modern sports car, it's as handsome as the back of your hand, and it's Italian.

Alfaholics builders do to classic Alfa Romeos what Singer does to Porsches. The result of this love and attention is the 240-horsepower Alfa Romeo GTA, which retains the look of a vintage racing car with modern suspension, electrics, brakes and tires. If you are passionate about Alfa Romeo, Alfaholics is the place to order custom builds. They can transform just about any Alfa, but the GTA-R 290 is their best boutique build to date.

East Coast Defender UVC

Boutique maker East Coast Defender (ECD) is taking Land Rover Defenders and turning them into state-of-the-art heavy duty vehicles that can go anywhere.

The process begins with a complete inspection of the entire body of the car, mechanics and electrics. ECD then ditches tired Land Rover engines and adds the power of a modern Chevrolet V8 in the form of the venerable LS3 V8. Finally, Land Rover gets everything you need to tackle the toughest roads and conditions anywhere in the world, including winches, off-road tires and, of course, a more comfortable and modern interior. Just because the journey is difficult doesn't mean you have to go through it without a little luxury.

Arash AF10

English sports car manufacturer Arash celebrates its 20 anniversary in 2019. During this time, the company has designed, developed and built four different models: Farboud GT, Farboud GTS, AF8 and AF10.

Of the four, the AF10 is the craziest. A 6.2-liter V8 paired with four electric motors makes a ludicrous 2,080 horsepower, and the carbon fiber chassis and large rear wing put them out of business to keep it all connected to the road. It's one of those hyper hybrids, and best of all, it looks like a Le Mans road racer.

Hennessy Venom F5

Hennessey Special Vehicles is a special division of Hennessey Performance Engineering dedicated to the creation of boutique hypercars. Their latest car, the Venom GT, was able to reach 270 mph, setting a new world record.

Hennessey encore for GT - F5. The Venom F5 will be powered by an 8.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine capable of delivering over 1,600 horsepower. All that power is used to propel the F5 to a top speed of 301 mph. The Hennessey Venom F5 uses extensive carbon fiber and active aerodynamics to help the car handle as well as accelerate.

Brabham BT62

The Brabham BT62 is a boutique racing car designed to make you look like a hero every time you hit the track. Powered by a heavily modified 5.4-horsepower 8-liter Ford V700 engine, the BT62 delivers less top speed and faster lap times. A race-style aero package with adjustable Ohlins dampers and Michelin racing slicks gives the Brabham enough traction to challenge real Le Mans racers.

Although the BT62 is not intended for use on public roads, the company offers a conversion package that allows the vehicle to be used on public roads. The best of both worlds!

Noble M600

Technology, innovation and advanced automotive systems are taking supercar performance to even greater heights. But what if you're looking for an old school experience in a modern car? Then you need the Noble M600. This is an analog supercar living in a digital world.

The hand-built Noble uses Yamaha's unique 4.4-litre Volvo V8 engine. This is the same engine as in the old Volvo XC90. Noble attached a pair of turbochargers to the engine, which increased power to 650 horsepower. The M600 analogue has no ABS, no traction control, no active aerodynamics, no electronic babysitters, or anything like that. Just you, the car and a lot of speed.

Weissman GT MF5

Weisman GmbH is a German sports car manufacturer producing hand-built coupes and convertibles. The best of them is undoubtedly the GT MF5. The MF5 uses the legendary BMW S85 V10, the same engine as the M5 and M6. In the Weisman, the engine is tuned for 547 horsepower and is capable of giving the MF5 a top speed of just over 190 mph.

Weisman does not use sophisticated aerodynamics or advanced electronics. This is a modern BMW powertrain with a retro curved body designed to give you the best possible driving experience.

Spyker C8 Preliator

Spyker Cars traces its history back to 1880, when two Dutch brothers founded the company. Their first car appeared in 1898 and they started racing in 1903. Spyker has been racing at Le Mans ever since and even has its own Formula One team.

Spyker's current sports car, the C8 Preliator, is a luxury sports car that's as unique as it is fast. The C8 uses a supercharged 5.0-liter Koenigsegg V8 engine that's tuned for 525 horsepower. The interior is a true work of art and inspired by the history of the aircraft company.

David Brown Automotive Speedback GT

David Brown Automotive is a British automaker that creates modern interpretations of iconic cars from the 60s. The Speedback GT is their sleek, modern take on the classic Aston-Martin DB5. Don't think of it as an attempt to copy, think of it as a tribute, with similar shapes and smooth lines.

Using the Jaguar XKR as its base, the Speedback GT retains the chassis, powertrain and running gear, but eschews the Jaguar bodywork in favor of a traditionally handcrafted bodywork. The performance is utterly modern, and Jaguar's 5.0-liter V8 puts out 600 horsepower, making the Speedback GT significantly faster than the car that inspired it.

Ariel Atom V8

Driving an Ariel Atom V8 is not like driving a normal car, it's not even like driving a supercar! This is a completely different feeling of speed, similar to flying on the blast wave of an atomic explosion.

The Atom is equipped with a 500-liter V3.0 engine with 8 horsepower that reaches speeds of up to 10,600-1,200 rpm. This ferocious power is combined with Ariel's magnificent 8-pound chassis. This means that the Atom V0 can reach 60 km/h in 2.3 seconds! This car was built for the race track, but it is fully legal for road use, however, on the street, its huge capabilities are lost.

At Motors Fenyr Supersport

W Motors is the first manufacturer of luxury supercars in the Middle East. It was based in Lebanon, based in Dubai, and its cars look like they just stepped out of a Hollywood sci-fi movie.

The Fenyr Supersport, named after a wolf from Norse mythology, is the latest and second car produced by W Motors. Powered by a RUF-designed 800 horsepower 3.8-litre flat-six engine with twin turbochargers, the Fenyr accelerates from standstill to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and tops out in excess of 245 mph. A fitting continuation of the Lykan Hypersport.

Apollon Avtomobili IE

It looks like a spaceship, it has a Ferrari V12 and puts out one and a half tons of aerodynamic downforce. In short, this is Apollo IE. The 6.3-liter V12 puts out 780 horsepower, and given that the Apollo IE only weighs 2,755 pounds, it can sprint to 0 km/h in less than three seconds.

IE means Powerful emotions, which means "Intense Emotion" in Italian and Apollo is a German supercar manufacturer based in Affalterbach, Germany. Affalterbach is also the home and headquarters of AMG, a division of Mercedes-Benz.

Spanish GTA Spain

Made in Spain by Spania GTA, the Spano supercar is a real beast. Behind the curves, vents and corners is a crude engine, a twin-turbocharged 8.4-liter V10 taken from a Dodge Viper. In the Spano, the engine produces 925 horsepower and is mated to a seven-speed transmission with paddle shifters.

The chassis is a highly engineered carbon fiber monocoque with titanium and Kevlar reinforcements. The rear wing can be controlled from the cab along with the opacity of the panoramic roof. This is great.

Zenvo TS1 GT

Danish supercar manufacturer Zenvo made a splash back in 2009 when the ST1 was launched with 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of 233 mph. Zenvo follows ST1 - TS1 GT. It's not a brand new car, it's an evolution of the original ST1.

The engine is new, a 5.8-liter V8 with not one, but two superchargers. These blowers help the engine produce 1,100 horsepower and the car's speed is electronically limited to 230 mph. The TS1 is marketed as a Grand Touring vehicle. It is more focused on comfort and high-speed long-distance travel. If you're interested in more performance and track-focused technology, Zenvo is happy to sell you the track-only version of the TS1, TSR.

Rimac Concept-One

The Concept-One is an all-electric supercar from the Croatian manufacturer Rimac. Concept-One, equipped with four 1,224 hp electric motors.

Rimac uses an all-wheel torque distribution system that allows power to be continuously transferred to the wheel with the most grip. The car also has the ability to switch between front, rear or all-wheel drive. The Rimac Concept-One is the future of boutique supercars and a phenomenal demonstration of the power, performance and capabilities of an all-electric vehicle.

NIO EP9

Like the Rimac, the NIO EP9 is an all-electric supercar, but unlike the Rimac, it's designed purely for the race track. The chassis is made from carbon fiber and the construction and design is based on prototype Le Mans racing cars. The active suspension and underbody aerodynamic tunnel keep the EP9 on the race track.

Four electric motors located on each wheel give a total of 1,341 horsepower. Incredible power and amazing traction have helped the EP9 break track records around the world and is currently one of the fastest cars available. The future of boutique racing cars looks very bright!

Devel Sixteen

Excess can sometimes be useful, and Devel Sixteen is the definition of the word. Its stats, performance claims, and design are cartoonishly over the top, which is what's so great about this car. You'll want to sit down for this list of specs. The Devel is powered by a 16 liter V12.3 four-turbo engine. This monster produces a claimed 5,007 horsepower! Five. One thousand. Horsepower.

Devel claims that the final production car will be able to top speed somewhere in the region of 310-320 mph. It's pretty crazy, but not as crazy as 0 seconds to 60 km/h.