How Do You Appraise an 18,000-Horsepower Jet Car?

Inside Axel’s Garage’s inspection of Ryan McQueen’s one-of-a-kind Insanity Jet Car

I have inspected and appraised a wide range of classic, collector and specialty vehicles, but nothing prepared me for the sight of two massive jet exhausts emerging from the rear of a Ferrari Enzo-inspired body.

On July 2, 2026, I travelled to Sherwood Park, Alberta, to inspect Insanity, a twin-engine jet-powered exhibition vehicle built by Ryan McQueen.

Ryan and I have known each other for approximately ten years, so this inspection was especially meaningful. Over the years, I had heard about Insanity and seen some of the attention it received online, but examining it as an appraiser was an entirely different experience.

Ryan did not begin the project as a professional jet-car builder. As he explained during our interview, “I learned everything I could on the Internet.”

Appraising a conventional collector vehicle usually involves reviewing condition, originality, provenance and comparable market sales.

Insanity presents a completely different challenge. There is no recognized price guide, no production history and no list of recent sales involving identical vehicles. Every major component, from the chassis and fuel system to the cockpit, engines and safety equipment, has to be considered individually and as part of the completed machine.

Insanity has already attracted international attention and has reportedly accumulated more than 100 million views through various online features and social-media channels.

The physical inspection included the exterior body, chassis, engine installation, cockpit, control systems, fuel system, braking equipment, safety systems and supporting documentation.

The goal was not simply to admire the engineering. It was to document the vehicle carefully enough to develop a reasoned and defensible opinion of value for its intended accounting use.

Most owners will never need an appraisal for a twin-engine jet car. But the underlying lesson applies to every unusual, modified or historically important vehicle: when the asset falls outside ordinary price guides, proper documentation becomes even more important.

The completed Insanity appraisal will require detailed research, careful analysis and a valuation approach designed specifically for this one-of-one vehicle.

Own a classic, collector, custom or specialty vehicle?

Axel’s Garage provides professional vehicle appraisal services throughout Alberta.