Is This The Most Ridiculous Car You Can Now Buy In America?

It wasjust over a year agothat we told you all about the David Brown Speedback GT, a coach-built English sports car that is basically a Jaguar XKR wrapped in a beautiful retro-inspired body. In addition, it offers a beautifully hand-crafted interior. But as this car prepares to make its American debut at the Quail in Monterey this coming August, we have to ask: have people really run out of things to spend their money on? As it rolls into the United States, the David Brown Speedback will be given a starting price tag of no less than $795,000.

What warrants that outrageous price? The Speedback enjoys the underpinnings of a Jaguar XKR, including the 510 hp supercharged 5.0-liter AJ V8. Mated to a six-speed auto, it is said to reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. But for the price of eight XKRs, the Speedback also offers a unique exterior design, inspired by the Aston Martin DBs of old. Inside, the XKR cabin has been dressed with tons of wood, polished metal and a bespoke instrument panel. When it was launched in England last year, Brown said that it represents a "classic-looking sports car without compromising modern convenience and features." But will America's elite shoppers also be convinced?