May 2026 picks.

1. 01

   2019 Mercedes-Maybach S 650 (W222, V12)

   Luxury sedan·Mercedes-Maybach brand page

   Curve position: Past the steep-drop phase, into the flat zone — and the segment's last V12

   The W222-platform Maybach S 650 was the V12 variant of Mercedes-Benz's flagship sedan — 6.0L M279 biturbo V12, 621 horsepower, around $200K original MSRP. Production wound down in 2020; the W223 generation Maybach (S 580 / S 680) launched in 2021 without a V12 option, retiring Mercedes-Benz from the segment entirely. At year 7 in 2026, the 2019 Maybach S 650 sits well past the steep-drop phase. Listings $80-130K for clean examples — well below original MSRP and now well below current W223 Maybach S 580 transactions. Editorial reasoning: this is the last V12 Mercedes-Benz will sell, the cabin executes the same rear-seat-lounge brief as the W223, and acquired cost is roughly half of the new car. Sweet spot for an ultra-luxury sedan buyer who values the V12's smoothness signature and is willing to drive a one-generation-back chassis.

   Typical listing range: $80K – $135K

2. 02

   2017 Maserati GranTurismo MC (4.7L F136 V8)

   Grand tourer·Maserati brand page

   Curve position: Late-flat, near a collector floor for the last NA V8 in the segment

   The original GranTurismo ran from 2007 to 2019 on the Ferrari-derived F136 V8 — 4.7L naturally-aspirated, 460 horsepower in MC trim, ZF six-speed automatic. Production ended in 2019; the 2024-onward GranTurismo is a clean-sheet redesign with the 3.0L Nettuno twin-turbo V6, an entirely different drivetrain character. At year 9 in 2026, the 2017 GranTurismo MC sits at the late-flat portion of its curve, near a collector floor for the last NA V8 four-seat grand tourer in production. Listings $55-85K for clean examples. Editorial reasoning: the F136 is the same engine architecture family as the Ferrari 458's, the GranTurismo body has aged into one of the most enduring Italian-design objects of the last two decades, and acquired cost has settled into BMW M car territory. Curve-supported entry for a buyer who wants Italian V8 character in a 2+2 GT format that no manufacturer currently produces.

   Typical listing range: $55K – $90K

3. 03

   2019 McLaren 720S (M840T)

   Supercar·McLaren brand page

   Curve position: Flat zone, past the steep drop

   The 720S launched in 2017 with the M840T 4.0L twin-turbo V8 — 710 horsepower, sub-3-second 0-60, segment-defining performance numbers at a $300K original MSRP. At year 7 in 2026, the 720S has been replaced by the 750S (same platform, revised internals, modest output gains). Listings $185-240K for clean coupes, $215-275K for Spider. Editorial reasoning: the 720S is functionally the same car as the 750S in driver's-seat character; the 2023 successor's gains are incremental on paper and barely separable at the wheel. Curve-supported entry for a McLaren buyer who values the carbon MonoCage II tub, the active-aero rear wing, and the dihedral-door supercar archetype without paying for a generation transition that mostly recalibrates the badge. Coupe and Spider track different curves; Spiders settle ten to fifteen percent above Coupes throughout the flat zone.

   Typical listing range: $185K – $275K

4. 04

   2019 Aston Martin Vantage (V8, pre-refresh)

   Supercar·Aston Martin brand page

   Curve position: Flat zone, before the 2024 refresh pulls pre-refresh values further

   The current-generation Vantage launched in 2018 on Aston Martin's bonded-aluminum platform with the AMG-sourced 4.0L M177 twin-turbo V8 — 503 horsepower, traditional rear-wheel drive, eight-speed automatic. At year 7 in 2026, the 2019 V8 cars sit in the flat zone. Listings $90-130K for clean coupes; manuals and Roadsters run higher. The 2024 refresh brought 656 horsepower, revised aero, and an interior pulled forward several generations — meaningful changes, but the M177 V8 architecture and the brand-defining hand-built character are constant on the pre-refresh car. Editorial reasoning: the residual exposure on 2018-2020 Vantages has largely absorbed, the AMG V8 sounds and pulls the way it did at MSRP, and the pre-refresh interior is a known-quantity service item rather than the early-cycle electronics of the 2024 redesign. Sweet spot for a buyer who wants Vantage character at sub-$130K acquisition cost.

   Typical listing range: $90K – $135K

5. 05

   2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S (first-gen)

   Electric·Porsche brand page

   Curve position: Steep-drop phase fully absorbed, flat zone — first-generation flagship EV

   The Taycan launched in 2019 as Porsche's first volume electric vehicle. The Turbo S trim was the platform's launch flagship — twin-motor AWD, 750 horsepower in launch-control overboost, sub-3-second 0-60, around $190K original MSRP. The 2024 facelift brought meaningful range and battery improvements; the original 2020 cars have absorbed the depreciation that comes with a one-generation-back EV battery. Listings $80-110K for clean 2020 Turbo S coupes. Editorial reasoning: EVs depreciate harder than ICE because battery generations move faster than engine generations, and the Taycan is no exception — but the chassis tuning, the air-suspension calibration, and the seat-of-the-pants character that distinguish a Porsche from an EQS or a Lucid Air remain intact on the 2020 car. Sweet spot for a buyer who values dynamic character over the latest charging spec, and is willing to pair the lower acquisition cost with an honest read on battery degradation at year 6.

   Typical listing range: $80K – $115K

Editorial only — not advisory. Pair the pick reasoning with the target-price calculator, the depreciation calculator, and a competent pre-purchase inspection before committing on any specific car. Listing ranges reflect the editorial team's read of representative transactions at time of publication.