The generational shift that’s redefining what a collector car is.
readers some collector-car market predictions. Here’s an excerpt: “Gen Xers are chasing cars from the Seventies, Eighties, and even the early Nineties. Leading the charge? Yep. Fox-body 5.0L Mustangs. . . . Which brings us to my pick: 1984 to 1993 Saleen Mustangs. . . . With a significantly improved suspension, brakes, and upgraded interior trim and exterior styling, they are indeed the 1965/1966 GT350s of the Eighties.
But today’s world is supercharged. Things happen quickly. It has been a perfect storm. Gen Xers and millennials now represent the lion’s share of car collectors in the acquisition phase, as boomers—and the silent generation more so—slow down or even dispense with their collections. And what have people always collected? The cars of their youth. A ’59 Caddy doesn’t tug at a millennial’s heartstrings and wallet like a ’94 Supra Twin Turbo.
So, now that you know the origins of the craze, how about a lightning round focusing on the cars in question? Here are some that I like, for either fun, profit, or perhaps both:Landmark performance cars in their time and a leap forward for America’s Sports Car, they’ve simply been too cheap for too long. The minty-fresh one you could have bought four years ago for $10K is now $20K or more.
If I bummed you out by suggesting delaying gratification for an F40, consider buying its Eighties co-star, the 959. A technological marvel even today, with its sophisticated all-wheel drive, adjustable ride height, legendary performance, and puppy-dog road manners, this car seems like a real value play next to the F40.