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The Most Collectible Cars of the Future

Constance Parten
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The Future's Most Collectible Cars

For most people, automobiles are used for practical purposes. A lucky few drive expensive status symbols. But then there's the rare breed: the collector with one or even a stable full of rare, collectible cars. For these buyers, automobiles are a treasure. And an investment. For example, in May 2010, an unnamed buyer paid a record $30-plus million for a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. The previous owner had purchased the car in 1971 for $59,000 — a hefty price at the time, no doubt — but a pret
Photo: Car Culture | Getty Images

For most people, automobiles are used for practical purposes. A lucky few drive expensive status symbols.

But then there's the rare breed: the collector with one or even a stable full of rare, collectible cars. For these buyers, automobiles are a treasure. And an investment. For example, in May 2010, an unnamed buyer paid a record $30-plus million for a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. The previous owner had purchased the car in 1971 for $59,000 — a hefty price at the time, no doubt — but a pretty nice rate of return at almost 17 percent annually.

But what cars made today, or more specifically in the last 20 years, will become the 1936 Bugatti of the future? We asked McKeel Hagerty, a car afficionado and CEO of Hagerty Insurance, the leading insurer of rare and collectible automobiles and boats, which cars he thinks will lead the field when it comes to investing.

Click ahead for Hagerty's picks. The top 10 most collectible cars of the future.

By Constance Parten, Senior Producer
Posted 27 December 2010

10. Dodge Viper

Production: 1992 - 2010Transmission: 6-speed ManualHorsepower: 600 bhp @ 6,000 rpmTop Speed: 202 mphPurchase Price: $90,000 - $100,000Today’s Value Range: $35,000 - $100,000"During his stint at Chrysler, 'Maximum' Bob Lutz decreed that Dodge needed an AC Cobra for the new millennium," Hagerty says. "And while the V-10 engine sounded a bit rough at idle, nobody seemed to much care. The American car scene is far richer for having the Viper."
Photo: Courtesy of Chrysler Corporation

Production: 1992 - 2010
Transmission: 6-speed Manual
Horsepower: 600 bhp @ 6,000 rpm
Top Speed: 202 mph
Purchase Price: $90,000 - $100,000
Today’s Value Range: $35,000 - $100,000

"During his stint at Chrysler, 'Maximum' Bob Lutz decreed that Dodge needed an AC Cobra for the new millennium," Hagerty says. "And while the V-10 engine sounded a bit rough at idle, nobody seemed to much care. The American car scene is far richer for having the Viper."

Source: Hagerty Insurance

9. Corvette ZR1

Production: 2009-PresentTransmission: 6-speed ManualHorsepower: 638 bhp @ 6,500 rpmTop Speed: 205 mphPurchase Price: $100,000Today’s Value Range: $80,000 - $100,000"This is the Corvette that elevated the model into a new class of world class sports cars," Hagerty says. "Nowhere has this news been more prominently displayed than on the recent ZR1, the most powerful Corvette to date. And unlike the big block screamers of the1960s, like the L88, the ZR1 is totally trackable and downright docile."
Photo: Courtesy of General Motors

Production: 2009-Present
Transmission: 6-speed Manual
Horsepower: 638 bhp @ 6,500 rpm
Top Speed: 205 mph
Purchase Price: $100,000
Today’s Value Range: $80,000 - $100,000

"This is the Corvette that elevated the model into a new class of world class sports cars," Hagerty says. "Nowhere has this news been more prominently displayed than on the recent ZR1, the most powerful Corvette to date. And unlike the big block screamers of the1960s, like the L88, the ZR1 is totally trackable and downright docile."

Source: Hagerty Insurance

8. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Production: 2003-2010Transmission: 5-speed automaticHorsepower: 617 bhp @ 6,500 rpmTop Speed: 208 mphPurchase Price: $450,000Today’s Value Range: $300,000 - $350,000"A rather porky super car with a two ton curb weight, the modified gullwing doors, 600-plus hp and McLaren association ensured that the car would be anything but mundane," Hagerty says.
Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz USA

Production: 2003-2010
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Horsepower: 617 bhp @ 6,500 rpm
Top Speed: 208 mph
Purchase Price: $450,000
Today’s Value Range: $300,000 - $350,000

"A rather porky super car with a two ton curb weight, the modified gullwing doors, 600-plus hp and McLaren association ensured that the car would be anything but mundane," Hagerty says.

Source: Hagerty Insurance

7. Ford GT

Production: 2005-2006 (4,038 total)Transmission: 6-speed ManualHorsepower: 550 bhp @ 6,500 rpmTop Speed: 205 mphPurchase Price: $150,000Today’s Value Range: $125,000 - $175,000"Now this was a gutsy move for Ford," Hagerty says. "Build a near copy of the company’s famous endurance race car from the 1960s, give it enough creature comforts to be semi-practical and offer it in colors that evoke the car’s greatest racing victories. Voila, instant sure-fire collectible that did wonders for the brand a
Photo: Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Production: 2005-2006 (4,038 total)
Transmission: 6-speed Manual
Horsepower: 550 bhp @ 6,500 rpm
Top Speed: 205 mph
Purchase Price: $150,000
Today’s Value Range: $125,000 - $175,000

"Now this was a gutsy move for Ford," Hagerty says. "Build a near copy of the company’s famous endurance race car from the 1960s, give it enough creature comforts to be semi-practical and offer it in colors that evoke the car’s greatest racing victories. Voila, instant sure-fire collectible that did wonders for the brand and spoke to the hearts of many enthusiasts."

Source: Hagerty Insurance

6. Porsche Carrera GT

Production: 2004-2006 (1,270 produced)Transmission: 6-speed ManualHorsepower: 605 bhp @ 8,000 rpmTop Speed: 205 mphPurchase Price: ~$400,000Today’s Value Range: $275,000 - $300,000"Porsche’s bid to gain the same sort of supremacy in the supercar world as the famous 917 had gained on the track a generation ago, the V-10 605 hp Carrera GT found the field rather crowded," Hagerty says. "However, the less than the planned 1,500 were built which bodes well for future collectability."
Photo: Courtesy of Hagerty insurance

Production: 2004-2006 (1,270 produced)
Transmission: 6-speed Manual
Horsepower: 605 bhp @ 8,000 rpm
Top Speed: 205 mph
Purchase Price: ~$400,000
Today’s Value Range: $275,000 - $300,000

"Porsche’s bid to gain the same sort of supremacy in the supercar world as the famous 917 had gained on the track a generation ago, the V-10 605 hp Carrera GT found the field rather crowded," Hagerty says. "However, the less than the planned 1,500 were built which bodes well for future collectability."

Source: Hagerty Insurance

5. Lamborghini Reventón

Production: 2008-2009 (20 produced/1 additional car marked 0/20 made for the Lamborghini museum)Transmission: 6-speed Manual or 6-speed Paddle ShiftHorsepower: 650 bhp @ 8,000 rpmTop Speed: 211 mphPurchase Price: ~$1.6 millionToday’s Value Range: $1.5 million - $1.7 million"The Reventón was named in Lamborghini tradition after a fighting bull—in this case, one who gored a famous Mexican matador to death…perhaps as a warning to the unqualified who may step behind the wheel of this beast," Hagerty
Photo: Courtesy of Automobili Lamborghini

Production: 2008-2009 (20 produced/1 additional car marked 0/20 made for the Lamborghini museum)
Transmission: 6-speed Manual or 6-speed Paddle Shift
Horsepower: 650 bhp @ 8,000 rpm
Top Speed: 211 mph
Purchase Price: ~$1.6 million
Today’s Value Range: $1.5 million - $1.7 million

"The Reventón was named in Lamborghini tradition after a fighting bull—in this case, one who gored a famous Mexican matador to death…perhaps as a warning to the unqualified who may step behind the wheel of this beast," Hagerty says. "Among the rarest of cars on this list, only 20 were produced."

Source: Hagerty Insurance

4. Bugatti Veyron

Production: 2005-PresentTransmission: 7-Speed Paddle ShiftHorsepower: 1001 bhp @ 6,000 rpmTop Speed: 253 mphPurchase Price: ~$1.7 millionToday’s Value Range: $1.5 million - $2 million"In a market segment where outrageous is the norm, the Veyron is simply the most outrageous super car of all time," Hagerty says. "Sporting 1001 hp (because 1000 hp simply wasn’t insane enough), the Veyron has a top speed of 253 mph. Zero-to-100 kph (0-62 mph) comes up in a mind-bending 2.4 seconds." 
Photo: Courtesy of Bugatti

Production: 2005-Present
Transmission: 7-Speed Paddle Shift
Horsepower: 1001 bhp @ 6,000 rpm
Top Speed: 253 mph
Purchase Price: ~$1.7 million
Today’s Value Range: $1.5 million - $2 million

"In a market segment where outrageous is the norm, the Veyron is simply the most outrageous super car of all time," Hagerty says. "Sporting 1001 hp (because 1000 hp simply wasn’t insane enough), the Veyron has a top speed of 253 mph. Zero-to-100 kph (0-62 mph) comes up in a mind-bending 2.4 seconds."

Source: Hagerty Insurance 

3. Ferrari Enzo

Production: 2002-2004 (399 total)Transmission: 6-speed Paddle ShiftHorsepower: 660 bhp @ 7,800 rpmTop Speed: 217 mphPurchase Price: ~$670,000Today’s Value Range: $1 million - $1.4 million"
Photo: Tom Wood © 2009, Courtesy RM Auctions

Production: 2002-2004 (399 total)
Transmission: 6-speed Paddle Shift
Horsepower: 660 bhp @ 7,800 rpm
Top Speed: 217 mph
Purchase Price: ~$670,000
Today’s Value Range: $1 million - $1.4 million

"The Enzo was a showcase of Formula One technology adapted for the road—a carbon fiber body, ceramic brakes and F1 style paddle shift transmission were among the hyper-expensive kit found on the car," Hagerty says. "651 hp seemed astonishing and in fact more than adequate at the time, until the next car on this list came out."

Source: Hagerty Insurance