Only at Pebble Beach do million-dollar classic Ferraris become common sights, but this 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider by Pinin Farina which could fetch several million dollars at RM Auctions stands out for its championship racing career and uniqueness — having the only body of its kind on the 12 copies of its chassis ever built.

The view from the cockpit, where owner/driver Jim Kimberly won the 1954 SCCA championship.

A few Corvettes have sold for more than $1 million, and this 1976 Chevrolet Corvette Widebody IMSA "Spirit of Le Mans" at RM Auctions could join them. The result of a unique partnership between GM and the French government, the 1,000-hp Vette ran at the '76 LeMans, and demonstrated that even the late '70s Vettes could be competitors if properly engined.

The '76 Vette was also a pioneer in aerodynamics.

With an estimate by the Mecum auction house of up to $600,000, this 1984 Lotus Formula 1 car raced by the great Nigel Mansell epitomizes what collectors of such machines seek — some connection with greatness, and a livery like the gold-on-black John Player Special that's a classic in its own right.

The late turbo F1 engines like the Renault unit in this Lotus could generate 1,200 hp or more — which Mansell and other drivers attempted to tame without electronic aids. A piece of history that will never be repeated.

With a sale estimate by RM Auctions that reaches nearly $3 million, this 1953 Maserati A6GCS/53 Spyder by Fantuzzi represents the path sports cars typically take to the Pebble Beach auctions — beaten to death on a track, then lovingly re-assembled down to the tiniest detail, such as the correct fuel pumps in the wheel well.

It doesn't hurt that this Maserati ranks among the most beautiful vehicles for sale.

Last year's Best of Show winner at Pebble Beach, this 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Torpedo Roadster by Carrosserie J. Saoutchik could sell for $10 million or more at RM Auctions. A piece of art in any era, the Roadster was stored by an oil baron's family for many years, preserving key pieces like the partial wood frame.

Here's why such cars cost so much money: Every piece looks fantastic.

RM Auctions expect the Lister-Jaguar with its Cunningham-tuned six-cylinder engine to fetch up to $3 million.

It didn't take decades for car buffs to realize the McLaren F1 was special, and every example that comes up for sale draws wide interest. This one from Gooding & Co. With just 13,900 miles and original, uncrashed condition, this F1 will sell for several hundred thousand dollars.

There are only a handful of winning, American-built Formula 1 cars in existance, and at current trends there may never be more. This 1966 AAR Gurney-Weslake Eagle Mk 1 offered by Gooding & Co. Driven by Dan Gurney, Bruce McLaren and Bob Bondurant, this Eagle also harkens back to the era when F1 cars looked good at rest.

Every auction at Pebble Beach this year seems to offer a Lancia Stratos, the '70s rally-conquering monster. Bonhams calls this 1972 Stratos Stradale a barn find, meaning its in near-stock condition, and estimates a final sale price of $300,000.

Shelby Cobras have been soaring in value since the passing of creator Carroll Shelby, and this example could reach more than $1 million at Bonhams. Much of that value comes from the dust on the hood — part of a storage scheme that's left the Cobra as close to stock as possible.

This Cobra was the car Car & Driver magazine used to test the brand in March 1963 — calling it the best-performing vehicle it had ever encountered.

One of the marquis cars at this year's Mecum Auctions, this 1955 Porsche 550/1500 RS Spyder could easily fetch more than $1 million.

Built from a cancelled LeMans project, the Porsche Carrera was the last supercar built by the German automaker before the upcoming 914 Spyder. This example, with less than 8,000 miles on the odometer, is expected to sell for up to $400,000 at Mecum.