Adelaide’s rush hour went up a notch – and more than $15 million in motoring glamour – when a parade of rare and ultra-desirable cars thundered through the city.

Six Formula 1 beasts, a Ferrari dubbed the most valuable 21st century car ever sold at auction and an Adelaide-built hypercar carrying the famous Brabham name were among a field of 21 exclusive vehicles that brought the CBD to a standstill on Friday.

Motorsport legends including seven-time Bathurst 1000 champion Craig Lowndes, Jim Richards and John Bowe, as well as international rally veteran Alister McRae, retired Formula 1 driver Ivan Capelli and David Brabham, headlined the procession from Victoria Park and through the CBD before finishing in Gouger St.

The “Peak Hour of Power”, run under a rolling police escort, was part of this year’s Adelaide Motorsport Festival, which heats up this weekend at Victoria Park.

The purpose-built section in the eastern Parklands will stage two days of on-track demonstrations and off-track displays and activities.

One of the biggest drawcards will be the first public at-speed run by the Brabham BT62, manufactured in Adelaide, tested at Tailem Bend and tipped to carry a $2 million price tag.

The BT62 will feature in an unlikely air-versus-road race, when it takes on a plane flown by Red Bull Air Race pilot Matt Hall.

Victoria Park will also host the final stage of the Adelaide Rally on Saturday night.