which present day cars do you think will become classics?

[vshah]

40 or 50 years from now, which current day cars do you think will be fetching the $ 1 million plus auction bids?

i think limited run supercars like the carerra GT or ford GT have a pretty good shot.

 

[Howard]

Whatever is a nice car that isn't common.

 

[zerocool84]

1mill+ auction isn't a classic, that's super duper rare category. It'll take a lot longer than 50yrs and a much more limited run than even super cars have today to carry that kind of price tag even adjusting for inflation.

 

[exdeath]

Terminator!

After the Shelby name is worn out and people realize there are millions of them on the road (been in constant production since 2007), 50 years from now, people will look back at the one that started it all, the 03-04 Cobra, which had a production run of only 2 years.

Of course I bought mine to drive, so I don't really care if it happens or not. But of all the modern Mustang/Cobra cars, the Terminator is the one people will remember once all the hoopla over Shelby dies down. Might have been some cool unique stuff in the past, but now days it's nothing more than a sticker and a PR stunt.

8394 cars isn't exactly rare or low production, but again, it was only a 2 year run compared to the GT500 being carried on year after year after year, and I do honestly think 50 years from now that is going to be a big factor.

 

[Bl0cks]

Pontiac G8

 

[StageLeft]

Prius. In 2021 the sky will shock bright with dozens of mushroom clouds bringing civilization to its knees. When the dust settles the hordes will set upon the land with an insatiable hunger, the only respite from the horrors being those who can suck enough gas from the tanks of the scattered cars and make it as far as possible. A prius will be the best thing for that.

 

[angry hampster]

1mill+ auction isn't a classic, that's super duper rare category. It'll take a lot longer than 50yrs and a much more limited run than even super cars have today to carry that kind of price tag even adjusting for inflation.

The Hemi-powered MOPAR b-bodies did it in 40 years.


In all honesty though: First-gen Honda Insight, Ford Excursion,and Hummer H1.

 

[jaydee]

$1 mil? Nothing that you can buy for less than $200k right now...

Of the <$40k cars, I think the Pontiac Solstice GXP/Saturn Sky Red Line will be quite the collectors item. Chrysler Crossfire? Very low sales due to it being so odd-looking, maybe it will actually be in style in 50 years. Mazda RX8?

More expensive cars, maybe the CTS-V coupe, GM EV1 (ok, never for sale, but there are few kicking around still), original Tesla.

 

[amdhunter]

Mazda RX-8.

They don't last long, parts are hard to find already and it had less than a 10 year run. In 10 years, finding one that works will be impossible to find.

EDIT: - I didn't see "$millions"

The RX-8 will definitely be a classic car though.

 

[NAC]

Aside from the obvious candidates: rare sports cars like Ferraris, rare Porsches, ZR1, etc
Best bets: Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf – first production cars to run pure on batteries. Early hybrids like the gen 1, maybe gen 2 or even 3 Prius and gen 1 Insight.

There will be other valuable collectables. Many could reach 1 milllion in 2040 dollars, which after inflation might be only like $150k. Not sure if any will reach 1 million in 2010 dollars.
* Some of the first Ford Mustang 5.0s
* the monster V12 twin turbo AMG Mercedes
* next generation Volvo/Saab which are designed while under new mgmt have a shot, if the designs are interesting and the brands survive.
* I’m sure some SUVs have a shot – probably the most extreme of them like Hampster said – Hummer H1. Perhaps even the iconic early gen Explorer or Jeep Grand Cherokee, for having “started” the craze.

 

[Vette73]

Saturn Sky/Pontiac Soltice
Corvette ZR1
The last Ford Thunderbird (2door Conv)
Maybe Cadillac XLR


I am sure there are others but not as many as there use to be. Most car companies can;t afford to make small run special cars anymore. There is still over production of cars so not as much room for error today. Let alone all the tech that is required to get a car off the ground. GM use to have a pile of engine options just in the V8 range. Now they are down to about 3 REAL engine groups. All the V8s are based on the LS design, the V6s are moving toward the 3.6L and just updating it, and the 4 cyl is the eco-tec in differant sizs. Good for modders but hard to call a car that has the same thing as every other car a classic.

 

[zsdersw]

Perhaps the Plymouth (Chrysler) Prowler.

 

[alfa147x]

Honda / Acura NSX

 

[superccs]

The last modern classic is the Honda CRX IMO. After that the Nissan 240SX, Honda S2000 and NSX, and Supra IV. Everything else was just blah.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Perhaps the Plymouth (Chrysler) Prowler.

:thumbsup:

And also the Caddy XLR mentioned earlier


It's these types of low production, short run cars that will become collectors

First couple of model years of the Viper?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Prius. In 2021 the sky will shock bright with dozens of mushroom clouds bringing civilization to its knees. When the dust settles the hordes will set upon the land with an insatiable hunger, the only respite from the horrors being those who can suck enough gas from the tanks of the scattered cars and make it as far as possible. A prius will be the best thing for that.

This.

 

[StageLeft]

Perhaps the Plymouth (Chrysler) Prowler.

I read a book a few years ago and it was a classic in that, some fiction book I read.

Agree about volt/leaf, they could be if you could find one in great condition. Maybe not a high value collector's item but perhaps something in an automotive museum, as they were the first mainstream electrics.

The last modern classic is the Honda CRX IMO

WUT

A Hummer H2 could be, not the Humvee based hummer because the H2 kind of is symbolic of the profligacy of our gas guzzling society. Just a huge, gas guzzling monstrosity. I could see it being a desired item.

 

[zsdersw]

I suspect the Bugatti Veyron, too. It's $1M brand new, though.

 

[exar333]

Domestic: Corvette ZR-1
Exotic: Ferrari 599 GTB (just a beautiful car!)
Asian: stock Supra IV or RX-7 FD

 

[kornphlake]

I'd say the PT cruiser but there were so many of them made I don't think they'll ever be a valuable collectible, you never know, there were plenty of volkswagon beetles sold, yet they can hold their value today. The Chevy SSR, GM/Saturn EV1 and Plymouth Prowler are the vehicles that first come to mind. I wouldn't be surprised if some really crappy cars become valuable, like the Chrysler K car, simply because very few haven't been destroyed.

 

[PricklyPete]

I think the Viper that is leaving us will become a classic...especially if they don't end up replacing it with another V10 monster. The first generation was amusing...but not very well put together. The current generation is just ridiculous and visceral in every way...and wasn't made by rubbermaid. I'd love to own one. I'd probably die in a fireball, but what a way to go.

 

[CurseTheSky]

'03-04 Cobra
'98-02 Trans Am WS6
'96-98ish 3000GT VR4

Nearly any car that fetches nearly six figures (or more) is a guaranteed classic / collector car IMO, simply because the price is prohibitive for so many people, so when the price finally falls, there'll be people lining up to snatch it up (hence driving the price back up and making it a desirable collectors car). The ones I listed are just rare enough that you don't see them every day, and yet cheap enough that the price isn't prohibitive for a good number of people. I still think they'll be classics some day.

 

[Howard]

Honda / Acura NSX

This

 

[alfa147x]

The problem with any mustang starting in the 90's is that they have very few exterior differences between a "nice" mustang and a $15,000 v6 model

 

[fbrdphreak]

They don't last long, parts are hard to find already and it had less than a 10 year run. In 10 years, finding one that works will be impossible to find.

I think you confused "classic" with "failure."