Car Launch Prices: What Famous Cars Cost When New

This page collects car launch prices for 17 famous cars, listed by date of launch, with the price in dollars and what that price is worth today. Every car has its own page that explains where the figure comes from.

A 1965 Ford Mustang; car launch prices ranged from $1,297 for a Subaru 360 to $139,995 for a Ford GT. — Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The cheapest car here is the Subaru 360 at $1,297 in 1968, and the dearest is the Ford GT at $139,995 in 2004. The Ferrari 250 GTO’s $18,000 in 1962 was about 7.6 times the $2,368 of the 1964 Mustang.

Cars launched from 1934 to 1959

Porsche 356 (1948): $3,750, about $52,556 today. See the Porsche 356 price page.
Chrysler Airflow (1934): $1,345, about $33,862 today. See the Chrysler Airflow price page.
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing (1954): $6,820, about $85,584 today. See the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing price page.
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (March 1957): $13,074, about $158,459 today. See the Cadillac Eldorado Brougham price page.
Edsel Ranger (September 1957): $2,484, about $29,575 today. See the Edsel Ranger price page.
Citroën ID19 (1959): $2,833, about $32,746 today. See the Citroën ID19 price page.
Chevrolet Corvair (October 1959): $2,038, about $23,357 today. See the Chevrolet Corvair price page.

Cars launched from 1962 to 1971

Ferrari 250 GTO (1962): $18,000, about $200,493 today. See the Ferrari 250 GTO price page.
Buick Riviera (October 1962): $4,333, about $48,025 today. See the Buick Riviera price page.
Ford Mustang (April 1964): $2,368, about $25,821 today. See the Ford Mustang price page.
Lamborghini Miura (1966): $20,000, about $207,614 today. See the Lamborghini Miura price page.
AMC AMX (February 1968): $3,245, about $31,970 today. See the AMC AMX price page.
Subaru 360 (1968): $1,297, about $12,564 today. See the Subaru 360 price page.
Chevrolet Vega (1971): $2,090, about $17,391 today. See the Chevrolet Vega price page.

Cars launched from 1987 to 2004

Cadillac Allanté (1987): $54,700, about $162,206 today. See the Cadillac Allanté price page.
Toyota Prius (July 2000): $19,995, about $38,988 today. See the Toyota Prius price page.
Ford GT (2004): $139,995, about $248,393 today. See the Ford GT price page.

Small cars and supercars

The list splits into two kinds of car. At the cheap end are cars aimed at ordinary buyers: the Corvair at $2,038, the Vega at $2,090, the Edsel Ranger at $2,484 and the Subaru 360, which was advertised in the United States, honestly, as “Cheap and Ugly”. At the other end are cars for collectors and the wealthy. The Ferrari 250 GTO could not simply be bought: every buyer was approved by Enzo Ferrari, and only 36 were built. In June 2018 one sold privately for $70 million.

Prices were not always what they seemed

Several of these prices were base prices. Options pushed the 1963 Buick Riviera past $5,000, and the Edsel Ranger cost within $74 of the most expensive Ford sedan, which is one reason Ford’s new brand struggled to find a place. The Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, at $13,074, cost twice as much as a regular Eldorado. Always check whether a quoted price is a base price or a fully equipped one.

Play it yourself

Do you know what a famous car cost when it was new? Play the free daily price-guessing game on Price Time Machine and challenge your friends.

Questions about car launch prices

How much did the first Ford Mustang cost?

The 1964 Ford Mustang started at $2,368 when Ford introduced it on April 17, 1964.

How much did a Ferrari 250 GTO cost when new?

The Ferrari 250 GTO cost $18,000 in the United States in 1962, and only 36 were built.

How much did a Toyota Prius cost at launch?

The Toyota Prius cost $19,995 when Toyota announced it on July 21, 2000.

What was the cheapest car on this list?

The Subaru 360 at $1,297 when it went on sale in the United States in 1968.