To most people, car's aren't a good investment. They're a depreciating asset that lose money the moment you drive it out of the showroom. And while this has certainly been true in our age of mass produced vehicles, there are always exceptions to the rule. There are cars that become so desirable, so valuable, that they fetch staggering figures at auction. Speedhunters decided to whip out the crystal ball and have a discussion on which of today's cars we thought would become the collectables and classics of tomorrow.
Speedhunters: Looking back at history, what makes a car a 'classic' and desirable?
Mike: With a few exceptions I think most of today's "classic" cars were desirable even when they were new. Add years and the car's rarity and desiriability can only go up. That said, even mass-produced, affordable cars can still be classics. The Ford Mustang for example was never "rare", but the early models are still considered classics due to their impact and popularity.
Dino: Aside the obvious exotics and bespoke creations that were instant classics the moment they rolled out of the factory, it's what a car can do for the people that can turn it into a timeless creation. An affordable sports car, a car that offered excellent driving driving dynamics, a breakthrough design, a car that had success in motorsport. All of this can contribute the desirability of a car, and in many cases a person's personal experience or memory of a car can have the same effect.
Charles: I think cars that are out of the financial reach of today's young enthusiasts will be the ones in demand in the future. Obviously nostalgia can drive up a car's value, so in a few decades these guys and girls may be able to afford the car they dreamed of when they were younger.
Ross: I think the obscurity factor has a lot to do with what makes a car 'classic'. Even if the car in question was not a particularly good car to begin with, the rarity and 'freak value' make it desirable. For instance the Lancia Y10 Turbo was a pretty awful car but now has a little following making the surviving cars (and there are very few) desirable.
Speedhunters: What key features do you think future classics will have?
Dino: We are already seeing how modern classics from the mid to late eighties have become cars that enthusiasts just don't want to let go of, and in the future, as manufacturers pursue the unavoidable path to the zero emission "transportation appliance" these are the cars we will be reluctant to give up. I think tunability will be part of it too as people stick to the platforms and engines they know well, especially in the JDM scene.
Charles: I'm intrigued to see what the shift to hybrid – and subsequently completely 'green' – cars will do. Perhaps the innovative cars that started bringing EFI to the masses will become the classics, or maybe it'll be the last of the dominating V8s that will personify this generation of automobiles. Historical significance is always a good indicator of something's future value, but desirability is also key. The classics will be exclusive, rare and hard to come by. In today's day and age where everything is mass produced, it makes it difficult to pinpoint. Maybe the classics will be cars like a stock S13, which are getting quite rare already!
Mike: Like current classics, I think tomorrow's classics will have be cars that are well looked upon today. The fewer that were made, the faster it will reach "classic" status. There are plenty of brand new cars that are guaranteed to become classics due to their low production and desirability – the Lexus LFA for example. It's a little more difficult to determine which of the more common cars will become classics.
Ross: As more and more modern cars are featuring very complicated electronic systems, I can see cars with top line super trick systems becoming very desirable. Like the top of the line Mercs and Lexus models.
Speedhunters: What will tomorrow's collectors be looking for? [Condition, stock vs modified, will restoration be a big thing?, etc]
Charles: A lot of the prerequisites that dictate a car's value will be important to future collectors. Mileage and rust would obviously influence price. Although modified cars tend to currently have lower resale value, I think in the future this could be different, particularly if the car is modified in keeping with a certain period. Who knows, maybe LJ Garcia's show-winning Civic will be super desirable!
Dino: Low mileage and an unmolested car will always be the two top priorities for buyers, especially those looking for a collectable. A stock car will always be more desirable, it implies the car hasn't been thrashed, or pushed beyond the limit. In fact depending on the case modifications, if done incorrectly or with the wrong parts, can have a negative impact on the value of the car.
Mike: With all things equal, I think a stock car will always be worth more than a modified one. With that said though, I can't see a tasteful, quality modifications harming a car's value much, especially if the they don't alter the car's original character. As for restoration, I'd say that once a car becomes "restorable" that it's on its way to classic status. We are starting to see this now with cars like the early Golf GTI, the AE86, and even the IROC-Z Camaro. There are more and more people tracking down original parts and preserving these cars instead of simply modifying them or driving the wheels off them.
Ross: Stock I think will always valued above modified.
Speedhunters: What country do you think tomorrow's classics will originate from?
Dino: The Europeans will continue to lead the way when it comes to creating the highest number of potential future classics, but I think Japan will be right behind them with the cars we all love the most.
Mike: Like today's classics I'm sure they will come from all over the world. European and American cars be most likely be at the top, but I can see Japanese cars gaining populairty, especially those from the "glory days" of the 80s and 90s.
Charles: I definitely think each country will have its own set of desirable cars. Australia has seen a huge value increase for 70s cars like the Falcon GTHO Phase III. Short run, super exclusive performance variants are usually limited to one region and these can be strong collector's items. I think the Mitsubishi Evo FQ400 will become quite desirable in Europe, for example.
Ross: Speaking from a UK point of view I can see a lot of current Italian cars becoming tomorrow's classics.
Speedhunters: Let's run through a bunch of manufacturers. Which model do you think will become that make's desirable classic?
Speedhunters: Mazda
Dino: The RX7, in all its guises and generations not to mention anything else that was rotary powered. Mazda never abandoned the Wankel engine, well until now that is, so anything with this unique motor is already a classic. That includes one of my favorite, the Cosmo, and of course the RX8, officially a modern classic now that its no longer in production.
Ross: RX8 for sure!
Mike: The RX-7 and RX-8. They were never all that common and the fact that Mazda is stopping production of the RX-8 will only improve its chances of becoming a classic. Early MX-5s in good, original condition are already going up in value and as the supply of clean cars gets lower, values will only go up.
Charles: Speaking of clean MX-5s, I did spot a mint NA MX-5 in a Sydney car collection last year. It had 40,000km on the odometer, white and everything on it was perfect. It was priced at $16,000. My pick would be a manual RX-7 Spirit R. They're so desirable already. There's one floating around in Australia that still has the plastic wrapped seats with less than 100km on the clock. I believe it's asking price was $60k, and it's yet to become a 'classic'!
Speedhunters: Honda
Mike: Without a doubt the NSX. It's pretty clear that Honda will never build another car like the NSX so that will only make the originals become more desirable. Any car with a Type R badge should be a lock as well, due to their low production and high desirability – even among thieves.
Dino: Anything with a Type-R badge on it. Especially the EK9 and DC2. The NSX-R will be the ultimate Honda classic, well it already is! The FD1 and S2000 can't be forgotten too. Well cared for CRXs are going up in value in Japan proving just how cars that were innovative and special in their day are set to become future classics, however I very much doubt anyone will even remember cars like the CR-Z. It means well but it just doesn't deliver…unless the rumored Type-R version can change this.
Charles: I think the models that came with the B-series stock will obviously hold their value. An Electron Blue Pearl Civic Si coupe will be a popular car in North America because many will see it as being iconic of the sport compact movement. As Mike said, the Type Rs will be worth some coin. I'd go with the EF9 being the most valuable though.
Ross: NSX is a no brainer, its was a classic as it hit the showroom floor. I'd add the DC5 Type R.
Speedhunters: BMW
Dino: Anything with an M badge!
Ross: I agree with Dino. I'd add the Z4 models.
Mike: I'll skip no-brainers like the E30 M3 and move on to more modern cars. The low production numbers of the 1M should guarantee it status as a future classic. Also, any M3 that has been well-maintained and unmolested.
Charles: Ha! I was just about to say E30 M3. The M3 CSL will also be a good bet.
Speedhunters: Mercedes-Benz
Mike: Any of the low production, in-demand models really. The SLS just has future classic written all over it.
Charles: I've never been head over heels for reinterpretations like the SLS. The SL65 Black Series would be my pick.
Dino: Mike mentions the E30 M3 above for the BMW, well how can we forget the 190E 2.5-16 Evolution. Plus selected cars sporting the AMG badge.
Ross: Again the flagship AMG models are guaranteed classics, but I can see the big S class Models becoming very sought after as future classics.
Speedhunters: Nissan
Mike: I think we will soon see R32 GT-Rs inching towards classic status. S13s as well given how hard it is to find clean ones. I don't think the S13 will ever hit Hemi Cuda or Jaguar E-Type status, but I can easily see them becoming the 240Z of tomorrow.
Ross: Nissan Cube. Funky little car that I could see aging like a fine wine.
Charles: With the Mazda category I went with the FD Spirit R because it signified the end of the lineage. I'd go with the R34 GT-R NUR Spec and Z-Tune as the ones that will fetch big dollars. A more affordable investment would be a stock S15 Silvia. You can still find clean examples if you look around, but I'm sure that will change in the near future.
Dino: The BNR32 helped put Nissan on the map as a true manufacturer of capable, supercar-slaying, performance cars. The R32 worked wonders in motorsport for Nissan, as did the R33 (think Le Mans) and of course the R34. The R35 won't have the same status of the "second gen" of the GT-R primarily because it wasn't a domestic model only, something that helped the Skyline GT-R obtain that legendary status. As for true collectables? As Charles mentions the Nismo Z-tune, or the 400R or the in some cases complete tuner-built Rs may become sought after models for those in the know.
Speedhunters: Subaru
Mike: Low-dollar, high-performance cars is tend to get beaten hard and put away wet and sometimes destroyed all together. For this reason I can easily see STIs become popular among tomorrow's collectors.
Charles: The 22B, without doubt.
Dino: Those STI complete cars will be the most sought after for sure. Impreza yes, but we can't forget the Legacy!
Ross: For obscure value the SVX.
Speedhunters: Mitsubishi
Mike: As with the Impreza, I can easily see the Evo become a future classics. Even more-so if the rumors of the Evos demise are true.
Charles: The EVO 6.5 Makinnen Edition.
Dino: The Evo 6 TME edition would be my choice but from the I to the IX they will all become classics, especially now that MMC seems to have taken the very bad decision of stopping future development of the "Evolution." Every manufacturer needs a halo car and for a company with a very unclear corporate identity dropping a car like the Evo would be a very bad move.
Ross: Some of the rarer dealer edition Evos are guaranteed future classics.
Speedhunters: Toyota / Lexus
Mike: Toyota has ceased production of nearly all of its enthusiast models. JZA80 Supras already fetch big bucks and the demand isn't likely to go down. Rear-drive Corollas, MR2s, and Celicas will likely follow down the same path. How about the first generation Prius as wild card?
Dino: The LFA was developed and built to be an instant classic, and followed by the Supra, Celica GT4, MR2, MRS, AE86, heck even JZX90-100-110 as wel as the V300 versions of the Aristo.
Charles: I think one car that will surprise is the AW11 MR2.
Ross: The top line electronics-packed luxo barges.
Speedhunters: Volkswagen
Mike: First and second generation GTIs for sure.
Dino: The Golf GTI and VR6. The Scirocco too, that was a cool car and one I fell for back in highschool
Ross: I can see the W12 Phaeton becoming a future classic for sure, along with some of the fuel saving Blue motion range, in particular the Lupo.
Speedhunters: Peugeot
Charles: The 205 GTI. The 205 Turbo 16 is already too rare find, but I think the 205 GTI is a car many people will think fondly of in future decades. I remember it used to be nicknamed the 'rollerskate' because of its enormous 15-inch wheels.
Dino: The 205 GTI in both 1.6 & the more desirable 1.9 guise. The spirit of these cars followed in the 106 GTI which was a superb car to throw around tight corners.
Ross: We're already seeing prices of decent 205 GTIs sky rocketing in the UK. I'd also consider the 306 GTI 6.
Speedhunters: Suzuki
Mike: The Cappucino. I can't see Suzuki building another micro-sized FR sports car.
Dino: The Cappuccino, what else!
Charles: In Australia, the Swift GTI (known as the Cultus in Japan) was a major influence in establishing the sport compact movement.
Speedhunters: Ford
Mike: The Fox Body 5.0 Mustang is already hard enough to find in nice original condition. A future classic for sure. Also, any of the recent low production special edition Mustangs.
Dino: From a more European perspective the Sierra and Escort Cosworth not to mention the Focus RS.
Charles: The Focus RS is a current car that I think will become desirable in the future.
Ross: The original Focus RS!
Speedhunters: Chevrolet
Mike: Z06 and ZR1 Corvettes are sure to be future classics, just as the hot 'Vettes of the past have been. I would add the fourth generation Camaro SS to the list as well, but it will be interesting to see how the reintroduction of the Camaro affects the desirability of the 93-02 models.
Charles: I'm with Mike. The ZR1.
Dino: Nothing to add here, Z06 & ZR1 for sure.
Speedhunters: Other GM Brands
Mike: With GM closing the Pontiac brand I can see cars like the G8 and newer GTOs be favorites of future collectors. Same with Trans Ams.
Charles: Coming from Australia, it will be interesting to see which Holden will be the future classic. I'd think the VP Maloo Ute would be a good bet because of their extremely limited numbers.
Speedhunters: Porsche
Mike: Any 911 model. The faster and rarer, the better.
Dino: Those RSs will be the ones to go for in the future, anything with limited production numbers. The 928, 944 and the 968 too, but with less interest than the 991s.
Ross: I can see the 968 CS becoming very sought after.
Speedhunters: What is the one car that you would put in bubble wrap (figuratively speaking of course) to keep for the future?
Mike: The Lexus LFA as the dream choice. A new Boss 302 Mustang as a more realistic choice.
Charles: A mint, stock R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II.
Ross: I would squirrel away a Fiat 500 Abarth or anything from Alfa with a GTA badge. Instant future classics.
Dino: I can't choose only one car. It will have to be a few, so will need a lot more bubble wrap: BNR34 V-Spec II Nur (not in that weird green color please!), BNR32 V-spec (white), 400R, FD3S Spirit R, Evo VI TME RS, Carrera GT, Zonda R, 458 Italia Scuderia (whenever they make it), Aston Martin V12 Zagato. Think that's about it.
Of course, there's no exact science to knowing which cars will become future collectables, but perhaps Jay Leno summed it up best in a column for Popular Mechanics: "You want what you used to have."
Our question to you is, which car do you feel will be highly prized in the future?
- Discussion by Charles Kha, Mike Garrett, Dino Dalle Carbonare, Ross Ianson
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
i think the 240sx will be prized in the future. why?
its like the deuce coupe of this generation.
everyone has them now, but in 10 it will be nearly impossible to find one that hasnt been beaten to near death.
therre are so many mor variations of cars or models from each brand that its going to be hard to have a valuable collector post 1976 but honestly you can almost gaurantee any of the japanese super cars are all going to be collectible.. just my oppinion as a collector my self.
I would say that any of the eariler 350Z or Infiniti G35 coupe would be a future classic. Great performance, beautiful stock exhaust note, and timeless/unique looks and lines!
know lots of people that are restoring civics and integras
You've forgotten Audis - Quattro Coupe. TT, RS4.. Etc
THE DACIA SANDERO OF COURSE
You list completely brand new and near new, high production cars as future classics, and then some, like the MK1 Golf as s future classic, when it IS already a classic. Cars that are modern and mass produced will never be a classic in the way today's classics are classics, nothing made with plastic ever will be IMHO. Having said that, in my garage of 60's and 70's chrome bumper classics, I'd definately like to have a very clean, low mile E36 M3, as they were my dream in school.....I'll buy one when I feel they are at the lowest they will hit in value just before they might start to get bought up by young ones and trashed, seeing the values start to go up slightly.
The Nissan Sentra SE-R 1991-1994. It made Car and Driver's top 10 all 4 years. It is one of those cars that is more than the sum of its parts. Like the 240sx, they are difficult to find in good condition, hell, I have trashed a couple. It seems like the more disposeable the car was, the more rare it will be to see a nice one in the future. Granted, the econoboxes won't fetch supercar money, but not all collectables are supercars. I just picked up a 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX SE (EXA to those down under) with the sportback option. Is it rare? yes. Is it desireable? Probabaly not, not to too many people anyway. Only time will tell.......
Great job on this list, guys. I cannot dispute anything you say here. I find it hard for me to come up with answers to the question you posed. Lupo economy models? Maybe since they are the leaders in what is becoming our new fuel-sipping reality. What about today's gas guzzlers, the last of the breed? 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood with the Corvette LT1 from the factory? MY 2005 or so Pontiac GTO? Pontiac G8? Now think of this: Crown Victoria's are everywhere today and being beat up as taxis, police cars or basic transportation. Imagine a day where your low mileage, 4.6 L V8 RWD American sedan with body-on-frame is the only one at the car show or the only one in your town! Crazy.
+1 for truhidden. I am seeing integras less and less. I cant remember the last time I saw a nice one parked on the street. I went to Another Level car show in Chicagoland and noticed an Integra with a "boot" on the wheel. Kicker was that the owner had installed it to prevent it from being stolen while at the show!
Sweet write up guys, 1st picture desktop?
One of the best write ups in Speedhunters history...agreed in many categories especially Toyota's!
I could see the Volkswagen R32 being a future classic. All wheel drive, VR6, low production numbers and that exhaust note. I've always wanted one. Big fan of the first generation, but I'd be happy with an '08
Lotus Elise & Exige
They just dont make simple raw fun cars anymore.
Of 'Today' carsI think the Impreza Cosworth, the Honda CRX, Nissan GTR R35 and definitely the Honda NSX..
I would choose the toyota mr2. its a very rare sight in the northeast
bmw325_num99 said: "Imagine a day where your low mileage, 4.6 L V8 RWD American sedan with body-on-frame is the only one at the car show or the only one in your town! Crazy."
It probably won't happen in reality because we are living in a throw away society these days, where things are used and over used and then thrown away. Ok, so cars aren't really thrown away, but they aren't a prized possession that people work very hard for and save for like they were 30/40+ years ago, get a loan, get the car these days. Can you imagine someone these days buying a brand new car and only driving it a few miles on Sunday and keeping it for 30 years and leaving the dealer plastic on the interior, I can't, especially not the commonly seen 4 door garden variety family saloon. It's a nice thought, but I can't see it happening.
Don't get me wrong, of course certian cars will be very desirable in years to come, but not too many, not like the classics now that are fetching silly money or even just simply more than what they were worth brand new in the 50's/60's/70's.
Bubble wrap me a Subaru WRX STi Spec C Type RA-R... In Yellow... To go...
yeah.. I think 240sx too.. Look, is hard to see one of this cars here in venezuela.!! Really really hard, imagine in the future, will be impossible..
So sad, i really those cars, one of my favorites T_T
Cars you forgot:
Peugeot 309 GTI
VW Golf R32 (Mark IV)
the first Audis with an S or RS on it (S3 RS4 RS6)
the king is back!! skyline ftw
I think the E61 M5 Touring will be a future classic
It isn´t produced that much
the E61 was the only M5 Touring build in bigger Numbers
It got a V10 wich is always a good point
and last but not least Its just a wicked piece of car
R32 GTR N1 Version are quite rare to find too, only 228 of them were made. R31's, R30's, Celica GT-FOUR, Starion, Mitsubishi GTO, RA28 Celica, KE70 - too many cars to list.
Nice article... For Australia I see the new gen Monaro going up in price fast, as one variant, the last one made (I think?) was sold 900+ thousand. Others would be the obvious that have been pointed out. R31s seem to be worth close to nothing at the moment, but I think they will soon raise in price and rarity.
S2000 should certainly be included!
Im going with Dino on this... im gonna need a lot of bubble wrap!
R34 Vspec II Nur (red or black)
R32 VSpec (hell yea on the white)
FD3S Spirit R
AE86 Kouki
LFA
Impreza 22B
Carrera GT3 RS
458 Italia
M3 CSL
BMW E24, most certainly. It will follow in the footsteps of the E9's... Can't find a clean one for under $15k US right now. The E24's are only going to go up in price, especially those with sub-100k odometers (assuming that they weren't broken).
Would also mention JZZ30 Toyota Soarer and Mazda Cosmo w/ 20BREW for nomination for modern classics.
The olive green NUR is awesome!
man this was a great article.... loved it!
1991 CRX-SI Bone Stock, Straight out the factory garage
I'm surprised the Ford GT didn't make it on the list - examples are already fetching well over the original msrp
For sure the AE86, just finding one in decent condition is a pain.
anything with BBS wheels
I'll agree with every car you mention but the Fox-body Mustang. Seems a whole lot of people forgot what a giant pile of cheap plastic it was. Yes the engine is good and it had the diff, but not one other single positive characteristic. Maybe because it was the first true joke Mustang?
Great discussion! Anything with a Lotus or Caterham badge, up to the current Exige.
I think it will be the NSX.. if they don't make a new one
This is a great discussion! With that said, all of the aforementioned cars are great examples. If I had a whole lot of bubble wrap and money, it would have to be BNR34 V Spec II Nur, 993 GT2 twin turbo, e39 M5, e46 M3 CSL, CLK63 AMG Black Series. As for a daily in mint condition, Z32 300zx twin turbo, and as Mike put it: "unmolested". Definitely.
I think the new Boss 302 Mustang has a good chance of joining it'd older brothers in becoming a classic (provided the owners don't crash them in races
)
funny no one mentioned the VW Corrado SLC
as with all classic car movements its all down the cars that influenced the people who now have the disposable income to indulge in the car they could never afford when they were young. For me that would be from the 80's era so Porsche 928/968's, Pug 205 GTI, Escort RS Turbo series 1, Pug 306 GTI-6, Vauxhall Nova GTE, Astra GTE, MK1 MR2 etc usually the cars that 10 years ago were going to the scrap heap as no one wanted them as they were outdated.
those cars that were just out of reach due to insurance (well here in the UK anyway) so you made did with the lesser model and added the body kit to make it at least look like its big brother.
i think the first gen Nissan Sentra SE-R and the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 , especially the limited production US versions will be future classics
R32 gtr
No Mopar love?
Some excellent choices guys. I've owned an R32 GT-R for 18 months now and I've heard a number of times how these cars will be classics one day ... in fact the batch of 100 dealer-delivered cars sold in Australia already are, arguably. These cars are in some cases commanding a $30,000 premium over imported models.
I love the Peugeot 205 GTI too. I nearly bought one once - I'm glad I didn't because that particular car was a lemon, but I still look lustfully at them when I see them.
As far as modifications go ... with my car I think keeping it stock just for the sake of it is pointless. It's already been modified, and I couldn't imagine "downgrading" to stock parts. Technology has evolved a lot since 1992. However I want to keep the modifications in the spirit of the original car, so I will never, ever go single turbo, for example, and I won't modify the capacity (no stroker kits). I'm torn on the idea of HICAS - I don't like it, but it's one of the things that makes this car unique. My intention is to improve the car, not change it.
Fro Holden (Australia), think the W427. They are already fetching $150K plus.
What abour the Renault Clio Williams...!!!!! You cannot forget this little monster!
bmw z3 m coupe
Nissan Pulsar GTi-R. Total sleeper
From Australia you missed; VR GTS-R, W427, and the VE HDT Group A, All will be future classics sooner rather than later
From an American point of view, the 2nd gen CRX SI and HF, and EF civic Si will be colloctor cars. Also the first-gen Miata. I don't think rareness (as in # of cars originally produced) is as important because even though these cars were very mass-produced, very few of them survive today in even decent stock condition, making them in fact rare. Also the two-tone s13 coupes are very rare and of course even rarer unmodified. I have personally seen them valued higher than single-color s13's already. The last RWD Impala SS will be a classic, and the Pontiac/Holdens, and the Solstice and Sky because they were the best cars GM has sold here in decades and got the axe too quickly. (Because the average American values "cheap" and "disposable" and "convenient" i.e. the Cobalt - above all else.)
what bout dodge the srt cars will be desirable
Can you put the 1st image on this topic on the desktops? Would like to have it in a larger side. Thanks in advance
A lot of those cars will definitely be classics. However I don't think very many of them will actually make it to the age where they can be considered as such. Plus it's worth considering that classic cars are only actually worth something if they're in original, unmolested condition. Alternatively they can be worth a lot if they have true, cast-iron race provenance. And we're talking famous racing drivers of famous and rare cars in famous race series. So count out all of those ruined drifters...
1998-2002 PONTIAC TRANS AM WS6. LS1/T56. BLACK AND ONLY BLACK. NO CETAS AND NO BULLSH*T RED VERTS. AND ANYBODY EVEN MENTIONS THE WORDS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND THE TERRORISTS WIN.
Lotus Elise surely. As new hybrid crap sucks the soul out of autodom, the more "pure" and raw a car is, the more nostalgic and valuable.
i think the e30 is the ultimate classic car!
Ross was taking the mikie on most of these aye..he's gotta be kidding
This was a great read. But yeah, it is a 50-50 thing when determining which cars will become future classics. I was relieved to see my favorite car, the Integra DC5 Type R up in the Honda list. Whew. M3's are sure classics in my opinion specially the E30 and E46. I agree that Skylines are future classics particularly the BNR32 and BNR34. As long as the DC5R is up there, I'm happy.
seriously you have pictures of s-chassis all over your feed and they wont get classic status?? pfahashaaaa
While this article was cool, I kind of wished you had limited to cars that had been on sale recently and/or will be on sale in the next year or so. Listing cars like the E30 M3 and the Escort Cosworth are no brainers and are already collectibles.
These are my top five future collectibles on sale right now.
1. Mustang Boss 302
2. Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari
3. BMW 1-series M Coupe
4. Bugatti Veyron SS
5. Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition
c33 laurels and ae86 cefiros and jzx80s, all the big 4 door rear wheel drive cares from that era, they are already getting hard to find in original nick and very very rare here in aussie!!
Quite surprised that 90's Japanese supercars like the RX7 and the Supra are here but the 300ZX doesn't make the list...
Granted they may be a lot of them around but here in Zimbabwe it's very rare and i plan to keep mine as stock/tastefully modified for as long as i have it
What about the bugatti veyron?
some of these cars shown and put into the discussion are already being cossteted even as we speak.. try and find a MK1 Golf 'swallow-tail' not even a GTi in decent condition (and i mean decent condition) and you need some good money! - plus i think rarity plays a part in desirability too.
It will vary massively from country to country, some cars are beyond common in some countries, yet rare in others, and some makes and models of current classics can fetch big dollars in certain countries, yet be worth very very little elsewhere.
Yes, please desktop of the first pic, is it a Challenger?
The EG6 is a modern classic, becoming quite rare now the SiR model.
And what about Aston Martin? I think the One-77 wil be an classic, and the V12 Vantage...
I completely agree with everything in this. One of the best I have read. Really, any sports car that you see kids driving, i.e. Honda Civic Si's, Miata's, Celica Supra's..., those will all be classics because kids will rack up the miles and chuck them when the engine goes. That's why I am going to grab a few I believe will be classics and hang on to them for dear life. It will be interesting to see this dicussion play out in reality.
BMW 1M as it is the true successor to the E30 M3
WHY NO S14 KOUKI'S ?
in the U.S. they only made roughly 5500 for the 97, 98 models combined,compared to the 68,000 s13's that were made in 89 alone. Just sayin
Nissan 300ZX and Supra mk3 in mint condition will surely be worth some coins
What about the Pontiac Solstice Coupe?
Surprised that the Toyota FT86 / Scion FR-S /Subaru BRZ as not been mentioned for future classics.
I think u nailed it with a lot of the list but you missed a few and put a few in that don't belong. No BMW will ever be a classic from this generation except the M cars. The only usdm Honda that will be classics are the si's and the s2000. Its all about desireability. Nobody desires a civic ex or 330i... and they never will both are mundane cars... not bad but not exciting.
BMW E34 M5
The last hand made M5...
Fiat X19, 323 GTX, Toyota Celica All-Trac, Porsche 914 & 968, Galant VR4, MR2, 1st Gen Prelude, SVX, GTO.....
I think that youre wrong. Moddified cars will be classics. What, do you think that in the future, it would not be cool to have a real JDM drift car instead of a stock R32? A real drit car, whit wins, drived by real legends, legends that are now into making? Kumakubo car will be a hit in 20 years or so. Keiichi Tsetsuya AE86 will cost as much as 10 stock Levin's. Please believe that we are living memorable times
Ford Focus RS500
Subaru 22B
Mitsi Evo TME
Honda Integra DC5
Peugeot 106 Rallye
Renault Clio V6
Stoodousand will be a classic fosho
why isnt the buick grand national on this list????????
EF8 over EF9 anyday
I second the lack of ALFA and LOTUS. Discussing what will be future desires before the "reinvention" of nearly ALL makes and the arrival of the electric era today is like speculating under the influence of grass: pointless, branching, and all over the place.
Colin Chapman basically fathered the "modified car" as Lotus always took cars and made them better in the exact way tuners improve our daily drivers.
Alfa comes back to the US with a generation accidently (like champagne) started by Porsche's Cayman: check out the now old news 4C. Soon, we can all get our discount Gallardos with space to stash our stuff.
Ford - Mustang Cobra R and 03-04 Cobra's with IRS
Mercedes - Any of the Black Series AMG's
BMW - Euro-spec E36 M3's
I love speedhunters, but the grammar in so many articles, can be improved. I'd be embarrassed to write for such an esteemed site and to re-read an article I'd written only to notice multiple grammar mistakes throughout, and often some spelling mistakes. I can't work out if it is a lack of proofreading or just a plain lack of education. You guys are car journalists, are you not? Making a low number of mistakes is acceptable, but I read a lot of your articles and across writers, there are just so many errors. Yes I may sound like a snob, but when I read these articles, poor grammar does detract from my experience, so do take it as constructive criticism; simply a means to improve on the quality of the site further. As I said, I love reading this stuff, I really do, and the content that you guys go to such great, painstaking lengths to bring us, is truly worthy of massive merit, so let me show my sincere appreciation for that. The content is so incredibly strong, I get a real buzz when I read some of the pieces here. And so this is in no way some sort of stupid attack from someone who has nothing better to do. I genuinely would prefer for there to be fewer errors, it just makes the experience....smother, and more enjoyable. We all like beer, but who doesn't prefer an ice cold beer? I love the content, but I'd prefer it to be delivered with better grammar because that raises the quality of my experience. You almost have it all down with this site, and this thing is a small detail but one that I believe would make a relative amount of difference - certainly the cost of debasing regular grammar mistakes is lower than the benefit that it will bring to readers. Again, there's no malice in this, I just want to help by flagging up an area where there is room for improvement. For example, I also like the coverage over at StanceWorks, and they make fewer mistakes by comparison. Ultimately, this means that I read more articles by them than I would if they had as many mistakes as you guys dotted throughout their articles. We all prefer our beer cold, and, I hope, we all prefer our writing smooth. I personally believe that it would raise the caliber of this site just a little; Speedhunters would become even more respectable than it already is.
Every car produced today will be a classic one day, to somebody. Remember, Pintos, Vegas, Pacers, Gremlins, etc. etc. were all crap cars that no one wanted when they were new, but today, these cars are easily recognizable. To everybody. That means that Chevy Aveos, Kia Cee'ds, and Scion xAs are going to be classics someday...
@Hille 426: It's an E46. But yeah, desktop of the first photo please.
Don't forget GM classics like GMC Syclone, GMC Typhoon, Buick GN, Buick GNX, Pontiac Turbo TA, C4 ZR1, C4 Callaway Corvette?
You seem to have mentioned just about every 80s/90s/00s performance car made. How about narrowing it down a bit?
Sure some cars will be classics. But that doesn't mean they'll be worth any decent coin. Just look at MGBs or normal 60s Mustangs for example. They made heaps but they're not really worth anything serious. Most of the cars on your list will be the same. As an example, they made ~50,000 R32 GTRs. How can that make them rare or unique? Unless 49,000 are wrecked! Seriously appreciating cars are measured in the single, double or triple digits made. Anything more and they will just be "nice" classics.
I guess being able to photograph cars well doesn't mean that one is necessarily going to be able to talk about them well.
CRX EE8 and EF8 should be listed... Just like the EF9 they are B-series, and more iconic than the regular civic...
that first bmw picture is amazing! you really should make it a desktop.
BMW E28, a true classic
aussie ford fpv f6 definitely there and an r32 gtr vpec in bubble wrap with a r34 gtr z tune next to it
I'm really disappointed that the Lexus SC300/400 never popped up into conversation. What a remarkable car it is. The Toyota Soarers were even more impressive. It's already a classic.
The 25th Anniversary Golf Gti will for sure be very desirable in years to come.!
To me classics are about rarity and the stories behind them. Cars have personalities. Like the split window 'Vettes, Shelby Cobras and the 57 Chevy Bel Airs.
S2000
There are so many 20-25 year olds wrapping them around telephone poles that they are going to run out of them.
3000 GT VR-4
How many have you seen lately???
BMW M3
Nuff said...
Mmmm wishlist:
Mint CR-X with a B series motor
Mint Condition 180SX type X (that has no rust or drifted to hell lol)
R32 GTR
300ZX
S2000's
Any stock and mint Civic Si's
S14's
Good condition Supra
A bunch of newer Ferrari's, 360M hmmm....
E36,E46,E92 BMW's
Lamborghini Countach
Any Cobras
Ford GT
Corvette ZR-1's
First gen Corvette convertible
First gen Camaro
Umm , im no car historian, but I own a stock 94 Ford Probe GT, and have taken on alot of the newer more powerful cars on the streets and back roads... so i truly believe the Ford Probe GT/ Mazda MX6 deserve to be classics aswell in my honest opinion.
Umm , im no car historian, but I own a stock 94 Ford Probe GT, and have taken on alot of the newer more powerful cars on the streets and back roads... so i truly believe the Ford Probe GT/ Mazda MX6 deserve to be classics aswell in my honest opinion.
I believe the underground hero would be a MR2
DaveYamato I think you are right and the Eclipse is a close one too, now that they are history.
2nd Gen American Honda CRX Sis in decent shape are going for 10 grand a pop.
02-05 Honda Si models are going for 7 grand a pop.
The 06-08 Civic Si was an awesome race/street car that last forever and look beautiful. I believe a low mileage 06-07 Civic Si Coupe will blow.by the CRX in a few years as Honda gets away from clean good looks.
I have a 99 Nissan NV In Thailand that has doubled in value since bought it for $3500 in 2011
Both generations of the MR2 are well deserving of being on this list as are Dodge/Mitsubishi Starion/Conquest Esi/Tsi
I had a 90 Eclipse GSX AWD. The 90-91 Eclipse and Talon were great as was the very rare Colt Turbo. Conquests and Starions are rarer and have a great racing pedigree. The starquests dominated rallying at the perceived height of the Audi Quattro