FUTURE Classics

Welcome to the section of the magazine that focuses on cars from the 1990s and 2000s, the ones that are destined to become classics in the near future.

Like people, some cars age more gracefully than others. That’s why this issue we’ve put the timeless Mercedes-benz R129 SL under the spotlight on pages 116-117. The car was a game changer in many respects with its innovative safety features – not least the fact it was the first Merc to boast a rollover bar which would pop up automatically in roof-down mode in less than half a second to protect the occupants if the car was about to flip over. But more than that, park up outside a swish coffee bar or high street restaurant and it still looks as fresh as it did 35 years ago. It’s one of those ‘forever’ cars – elegant, easy to keep and stacked with lovely little features which will make you reluctant to ever part with it. And the best bit? A reasonably tidy one could be yours for as little as £6000. Yes, really. Okay, you’d probably be wise to spend more like £10,000-£15,000 on one with history and the benefit of a warranty, but you get the idea. A quick word of warning, though. We honestly don’t think they will remain this inexpensive for much longer, so if you think there’s room in your fleet for one, now’s the time to buy.

Elsewhere in this issue we’ve a guide to help you buy the best TVR Chimaera as well as some suggestions on how to make the excellent Jaguar XK8 (X100) a tiny bit better. Not only that, we’ve got a selection of modern classics that have recently gone through at auction and the cars we think you need to keep an eye on as prospective future classics.

Meanwhile, tell us about your own future classic or give us a nod regarding the modern cars you think will become collectable. We’d love your input.