Today’s cars that could be tomorrow’s collectibles
Get in on the ground floor with any of these new-for-2018 vehicular investments
Though values in the collector car market have softened a bit in recent years, some ultra-rare rides from past model years — especially the most coveted Porsches and Ferraris — still command million-dollar price tags, with even what were originally affordable American muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s selling at auction for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
That may be too rich for your blood, but you don’t have to be especially affluent to get some skin in the collectible car game, provided you get in on the ground floor, that is.
To that end, the experts at vintage car insurer Hagerty in Traverse City, Michigan, recently issued their annual list of current cars that are the most likely to become tomorrow’s collectibles. All of them are new for 2018, with prices starting at around $27,000.
“Every year, we look to identify vehicles that push boundaries and beg to be driven,” says Hagerty’s CEO McKeel Hagerty. “This list is proof that people still love sitting in the driver’s seat, putting their hands on the wheel and enjoying the experience of driving.”
How far into the future one may have to hold onto any of these vehicles before their depreciation curves begin to swing upward is, of course, the big question. In the meantime, unlike fussy old vintage rides that spend most of their time cooped up in garages, these are all aggressively cast models that beg to be driven — and driven hard — for maximum pleasure today, and a possible financial reward tomorrow.
1. Jeep Wrangler; $26,995.
The original SUV gets a full redesign for 2018 that features welcome improvements in virtually every department, while retaining its iconic upright look.
2. Honda Civic Type-R; $34,100.
No mere economy car, this is the ultimate factory “tuner,” packing a 2.0-liter 306-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine among other upgrades.
3. Kia Stinger GT; $38,350.
This midsize sports sedan is designed to take on the Europeans for less money. Choose the top GT version with its beefier 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 engine.
4. Subaru WRX STI Type RA; $48,995.
The “RA” is the latest variant in Subaru’s hot hatchback line stands for Record Attempt, and celebrates the car’s 2017 run at Germany’s famed Nürburgring racing circuit. Production is limited to just 500 units.
5. Audi RS3; $54,900.
The new RS3 is the sportiest take on Audi’s subcompact luxury sedan, and it comes powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine with a whopping 400 horsepower.
6. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE; $69,000.
The higherperformance Camaro ZL1 gets one-upped for 2018 with a new 1LE “Extreme Track Package” that adds uncanny cornering abilities to the car’s adrenaline-pumping 650-horsepower supercharged V8 engine.
7. Porsche 718 Cayman/Boxster GTS; $79,800/$81,900. These are the new top-performing versions of Porsche’s standout mid-engine Cayman coupe and Boxster roadster models; they’re costly, but remain more affordable than a base 911.
8. Dodge Challenger SRT Demon; $84,995.
This is a no-brainer. The devilish Demon is a street-legal drag racer with as much as
840-horsepower under the hood, and only 3,300 expected to be built. 9. Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk; $86,000. Here’s a family friendly SUV with all-wheel drive that can light up the pavement with
the 707-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 from the Dodge Challenger Hellcat under its hood.
10. Lexus LC 500; $92,000. No passive luxury coupe, the new LC 500 packs a punch with either a 5.0-liter 471 horsepower V8 gas engine or a hybrid gas/electric powertrain that nets the equivalent of 354 horses.