KEY POINTS:
The world might be lurching from one monetary crisis to another - but not everyone is feeling the pinch.
Certainly not those in the market for the fastest, most desirable supercars, judging by demand in the past couple of months for nameplates like Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini and Aston Martin.
But it isn't just the prestigious marques attracting attention - a special model offering astonishing power-to-weight performance from British-based Caterham is also high on the must-have list.
The world's wealthiest car fans are lining up to get hold of some exclusive metal and demand is such that they are being forced to wait up to two years for models costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
At the very top of the list is the $1 million-plus Aston Martin Project One-77, so named because production will be limited to 77 examples.
Those 77 have already been sold, within weeks of Aston Martin announcing it was building such a model.
The two-seater sports coupe will be based on a new carbon-fibre monocoque body structure and powered by a 7-litre V12 engine delivering 520kW (700bhp) and a top speed of more than 320km/h.
Closer to home, the appearance of the $400,000 coupe/convertible Ferrari California at the Sydney motor show resulted in more than 200 orders from Australian and New Zealand buyers - and in many cases they will be waiting more than a year for their cars.
The first production run of 2500 California cars runs until 2011 - and it was sold out before Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo unveiled it at the Paris Motor Show.
Buyer reaction to the California exceeded Ferrari expectations says expat Kiwi Neville Crichton, governing director of Australian and New Zealand Ferrari importer, EAI.
"We were already in a strong position prior to the show but the launch of the new California has enabled us to lift our sales beyond our hopes even before the economic crisis.
"Ferrari's ability to ignore market sentiment is in no doubt."
Another Ferrari luring the world's wealthy is the 599 GTB Fiorano, which commands a wait of 24 months despite its $500,000-plus price tag.
Porsche buyers worldwide are having to be equally patient. Add your name to the list for the twin-turbo 911 GT2, priced upwards of $400,000, and it will be 12-18 months before it's on your driveway.
Other models in high demand include the Bugatti Veyron and Koenigsegg CCX, both of which take up to a year to arrive.
The Caterham-based Levante is based on the chassis of the RS and is perhaps the world's most exclusive supercar.
Caterham has been producing lightweight performance models inspired by the Lotus Seven for many years.
This time it teamed with British go-fast house RS Performance to build only eight Levantes - each one costing more than $300,000. They all sold within hours.
The lightweight two-seater boasts a supercharged 2.4-litre V8 engine producing around 375kW (500bhp) - or around 1000bhp per tonne, nearly double that of Bugatti Veyron.
Caterham is claiming a top speed of 280km/h and a zero to 100km/h sprint time of around three seconds. That's Formula One acceleration.
Caterham marketing director Andy Noble says: "The fact that all eight Levantes have been sold so quickly comes as no surprise. For drivers looking for the ultimate, the Levante facilitates that by taking (Lotus founder) Colin Chapman's original design to a staggering new level."
