Car prices are getting intense right now, with new car prices increasing as a result of new tariffs and second-hand cars booming thanks to collectors with more money than sense. If you wanted to make the most of those millionaires spending increasingly large amounts of cash on old cars, what kind of model do you think would be a good investment? To put it simply, what new car do you think will become a future classic?
That’s exactly the question we put to you last week, and you came back with some great suggestions including a slick Toyota, a Toyota with a Subaru badge and a BMW with a Toyota badge.
So, if you want to buy a new car today to lock away in a barn for a few decades, read on to see what cars the Jalopnik readers think will become future classics. Is there a car you think we missed? let us know in the comments below.
Nissan Z
“When in doubt, go with the Holy Trinity
“1: Manual Transmission
“2: Low Volume/Unloved
“3: Sports Car
“So, and I’m kind of surprised I’m arriving here, but... Congrats to the Nissan Z, apparently?”
You don’t sound so sure?
Suggested by: ibelle42
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
“I’m thinking of a vehicle that’s a rare, high performance version of a more common car. That way, in the future, those more common versions can be cannibalized to keep the rare version going.
“Cadillac Blackwing.”
The sport sedan will stand the test of time, I’m sure of it.
Suggested by: stillnotatony
Nissan GT-R
“While I’d like to think it’s a simple, stick, sporty car like the Miata (because I have one), I have to ask: what car are the kids obsessed with nowadays? Because that seems to be what drives nostalgia and determines the classics. That said:
“GR86/BRZ
“Civic Si
“Nissan GT-R“Common, high volume cars like my Miata probably won’t go crazy as there are so many of them. Like MGBs of the 60s/70s — popular and fun, but today even the best of them struggle to bring any real money.
“As for Supras, Hellcats, V8 Wrangers... I suspect those are popular today with a fairly older, fairly affluent class of buyers and in 30 years a lot of them will have lost their interest in cars. But who really knows?”
Think of the children!
Suggested by: floridaman2020
Toyota Supra
“I think of all the attainable (non luxury and super) performance cars that have appreciated over the past decade and they were all sports cars and sedans from my youth. It makes sense that the kids of the 80's and early 90's who saw cool people driving Supras, RX-7s, NSXs, E30 and E36 3-ers, etc. finally had enough disposable income to buy weekend cars. Our parents lusted after muscle and pony cars because that is what cool, successful people drove back then.
“The same thing will happen with today’s attainable performance which will of course include the GR Yaris and Supra. They are two of only a few cars still available in the USA with a manual and a more direct driving experience. The Yaris is helped by the fact that it has relatively low production numbers. Supras with six-cylinders and manuals will hold their value much better than autos and 4-cylinder models.
“The Integra Type S and Civic Type R will be in that group along with the M2 and manual CT4/5 Blackwings. Just like with today’s cars, manual performance cars will always be worth much more than automatics. Just look at prices for 997.2 manuals versus automatics.”
When they’re classics will people still claim the Supra is just a well-dressed BMW?
Suggested by: oddseth
Toyobaru
“At a minimum, the Toyobarus are going to follow the same trajectory as the 240SX, and go from decent affordable sports car (good chassis, meh engine) for their first owners to disposable track rat for the 2nd-5th owners, and the shrinking pool of clean ones will drive prices up (especially once nostalgia for anyone who helped shrink the pool kicks in).”
I still want one, maybe getting one and keeping it clean is a good way to one day afford a house?
Suggested by: maymar
Volvo V90
“Obvious choices? CTR, M2, Blackwings, LC500, Supra
“Let’s take a chance? Acura TLX type S, Alfa Gulia Quad, Audi RS6 Avant, LR Defender, Volvo V90, GTI/Golf R.”
I dread to think what a mint V90 could one day command on Bring A Trailer.
Suggested by: gokstate10
Lexus LC 500
“As you can see, I’ve done this properly. The LC 500 will be a decent sell in the next 20 or so years. Its looks I feel will only get better with time, with Lexus reliability and a V8 all cobbled together in a nice ride quality, how could it not lose?”
Yes, alright, it’s a very pretty car.
Suggested by: darthspartan117
Toyota Corolla
“If we go with what cars have tended to become classics (or at least highly desirable) in the past, I’m gonna say it’ll be stuff that’s available cheap because they made a billion of them, easy to get parts for because they made a billion of them and was in no way shape or form cool before someone figured out you could drop a (easy, relatively inexpensive) performance mod in it and suddenly be doing giant smokey burnouts. Also, low end models of performance cars that are easy to swap engines on.
“So with that, the base model V6 Dodge Challenger will probably become a classic. As will the base model Corolla, the base civic hatchback are all gonna be the next generation of classics that the kids buy and turn into street racers.”
Which will be worth more, a GR Corolla or a base Corolla turned into a street racer? Who wants to buy both and find out for us?
Suggested by: buckfiddiousagain
Hyundai Ioniq 5N
“I’m going with the 5N because it’s one of the first EVs that went after the demographic of manual transmission track car toy, while also being a great daily driver. I can see in 25 years this being looked at like what an Integra or Supra is looked at today, but it’s also pulling at the likes of rally driving.
“We’re in an uncertain future of EVs now with the whole “drill baby drill” attitude. I hope we’re not already at the golden age of EVs before a decline in the automotive industry, but just in case, this is a pretty good one.”
An EV classic? That’ll be interesting to see.
Suggested by: stalephish
Porsche Cayman GT4 RS
“Not so much a future classic as an instant classic. That would be the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS and the Porsche Spyder RS.
“I would go with the Spyder myself. But also the 2016 Spyder with the manual will be a classic. These already are and are already appreciating.”
An instant classic? You heard it here first, people.
Suggested by: boneheadotto
Subaru WRX
“Depends on what comes next - but if Subaru makes the next generation WRX a hybrid with only the CVT (sorry: Subaru Performance Transmission), I can see the current VB generation being a future classic.
“I say that with a good degree of bias, since I own one - but if that happens - the current ICE / six-speed / AWD will be among the last (and possibly the last) sports sedan available like that.”
That’s a pretty good way to look at it.
Suggested by: z2221344
Mazda Miata
“Miata
“Is
“Always
“The
“Answer.
“That and the Integra S.”
What’s the most you’d pay for a mint Miata?
Suggested by: grasscatcher2
Toyota Rav4
“In 2050, a 2025 RAV4, garage kept with 18,000 miles, owned by a single owner old lady, will sell for $100,000.
“Doesn’t need to be an interesting car or low volume, as we’ve seen with some low-mileage ‘80s and ‘90s economy cars going for well over their original MSRP.”
Suggested by: green86
Nothing
“Everything is made in such massive volumes and there are so many speculators that there are no one-of-ones or limited/low production cars to collect.
“In 20 years there will be 50 2025 Corvette Z-06's or 911 GT3rs’ with >100 miles crossing the block at Barrett-Jackson / Mecum and 100 more less “prime” examples that they won’t be special or unique enough to be valuable.”
Alright, you big fun sponge.
Suggested by: wmgwizard