Our top picks for cars we think are set to be future classics and rise in value...
When it comes to modern classic cars there are some 'lesser known' options out there that we feel are on their way to rise in value. We've tried to cover cars from every body-style, from hatchbacks to supercars and everything in between...
We've said it before, there are many factors that we look for when selecting an appreciating asset you can check out this post for a more detailed look at how we choose our cars, but here's some of our top-picks for cars we feel haven't reached their peak yet in terms of appreciation. There's no guarantee these cars will skyrocket in value of course, but using the same logic we use in selecting cars for the CarCrowd platform we think these have the best chance, some can even be had right now for quite the bargain!
An Italian love affair... The Alfa Brera
Our hatchback pick for us was an easy one, it had to be the beautiful Alfa Romeo Brera.
We have a real soft sport for the Brera round the office, the drop-dead gorgeous styling is one of Alfas best looking cars in our opinion, pair that with a lovely sounding 3.2 litre V6 and you've got the making of a real head-turner. Good examples are on the rise with prices touching nearly 10k, not too long ago they could be had for almost half that. That iconic silhouette and V6 soundtrack alone make it a desirable car and you can't be a true petrolhead until you've owned an Alfa...
Topless in Tokyo - Honda S2000
Everyone loves a convertible, there's just a sense of drama with the roof down, especially in a high-revving sports car like our next choice, the legendary Honda s2000...
Honda's 50th birthday present to itself and named in respect to the S500, S600 and S800 sports cars of the Sixties the S2000 has aged beautifully and wouldn't look out of place in a line-up of modern cars given it was concocted in the late Nineties.
This plucky Honda has all the makings of a great sports car, a high-revving engine that rewards spirited driving, eye-catching good looks and agile handling, not to mention 50:50 weight distribution.
Prices have already started to rise with good examples fetching over 10k and stretching all the way to around 20k for really great, low-mileage examples, but nevertheless, we think that prices will keep climbing towards £30,000 over the next 5 years...
A Bavarian Beast - E92 M3
The Greatest Modern M3? We think so...
With values of the E30 and E46 M3s both now being worth more now then what they were new, the E92 M3 is surely to follow suit. With it being the only M3 to be fitted with a V8 and the last of the naturally aspirated engines before they moved to forced induction due to emissions regulations.
Not to mention BMW's motorsport heritage and German prestige that comes with these super saloons and we think the E92 generation is arguably the greatest. The frozen editions are rare with only 500 of each being made but nabbing any low-mileage M3 at this point will surely net you a tidy profit in the years to come, provided its been well looked after.
Swedish Superstar - Volvo 850R
Volvo have been turbo-charging their cars for many years, but they weren't known for their blistering speed and tyre-shredding capabilities. Introducing the 850R; the practical, family estate car with Porsche-like performance.
Fitted with a 2.3 litre 5-cylinder engine with a whopping great Garret turbocharger the 850R went from 0-62 in around 6.7 seconds. That might not sound like much today but in the 90's that sort of performance was relatively unheard of in estate cars, not to mention one with a Volvo badge.
You got everything you wanted and more from the 850R, the safety and practicality we've come to expect from the Swedish manufacturer, comfortable seats and a very square dashboard.
Nowadays the Volvo is a rare sight on the road, with the DVLA reporting less than 70 on the UK roads last year. Pair that with its motorsport ties to the touring car championships and we think the 850R has a strong case for future appreciation...
Back To Basics Driving - Lotus Elise S1
In a world of electronic driver aids, a raw driving experience can be hard to come by nowadays. The Lotus Elise was exactly that. A bare-bones, mid-engined sports car that had razor sharp handling, but forgiving enough to enjoy a good B-road. The MX-5 which was released a few years earlier proved that you didn't
need ludicrous amounts of power and aggressive styling to have fun. The Elise took that ideology to the next level,
utilising a light and rigid aluminium
body, skinny tyres and small wheels meant the Lotus could shave off even more kilos by removing the need for power assisted steering.
When looking at these mid-engined sports cars the 'Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious' stereotype, which has plagued any Lotus is perhaps unfair when it comes to the Elise, but it is not totally trouble free.
The biggest factors to watch out for are body damage and engine issues, the aluminium tubs can be easily damaged and the scarcity of parts doesn't help with repair costs, so it's important to make sure the body is in tip-top condition. The K-series engine which is used in the S1 Elise has issues no matter its application, the common one is head gasket failure, it's quite easy to spot by the 'milky' residue left in the filler cap and its best to address these issues as soon as possible, but find one that's been kept by an enthusiast and most of the headaches might have already been dealt with, giving you some worry-free motoring for a little while at least!
The German Lamborghini - Audi R8 V10
The first generation Audi R8 was a huge hit when it was announced in 2006, based on the Lamborghini Gallardo it was a more affordable, subtler version of the Italian supercar but still had the performance and good looks to match.
The R8 was initially launched with a 4.2 litre V8, an adapted version of the engine found in the B7 RS4, it didn't take Audi long to replace the engine with a 600hp V10 however. Giving the Audi even more performance to match its gorgeous styling.
Our pick would be that V10 with a manual gearbox, the one that was at the time, being used in the Lamborghini Gallardo, whilst the V8 versions are considerably more common and are actually quite good value right now. The V10 just has that character about it that is getting harder to find in modern supercars.
With the V10 being phased out of modern production cars as emissions laws get tighter and tighter each year the V10 will soon be a thing of the past. Which is why we think the V10 first gen R8 the one with the best potential appreciation.
A Greener Alternative - Tesla Roadster
With electric cars being an ever increasing sight on the road, its only fair that we put an electric pick on our list. now bare with us on this one, whilst the model S was Tesla's first production car, most have forgotten its low-production predecessor the Tesla Roadster.
Only 2,500 units were ever built and we think the Roadster was an early example that all-electric production cars could still look great and have the performance to match. They had around 230 miles of range which is great even by todays standards not to mention back in 2008!
0-62 is dealt with in 3.7 seconds so its fast. With the rate of growth the company has seen in recent years it's no surprise values of these cars have also climbed quite dramatically, but given their low-production numbers and the future looking towards electric cars we think this is a great pick.
A Forgotten Gem? - Z4 Coupe
Early BMW's have really come into their own in recent years with anything wearing the coveted 'M' badge commanding a well-deserved premium nowadays, hark back to BMW's original roadster, the Z3 even more so the coupe version dubbed the 'clown shoe'. It was a fixed head version of the Z3 roadster it was considered an oddity of the time, but is now heralded as a modern classic incarnate, and prices are have sky-rocketed.
It's only logical then that the perhaps forgotten Z4 Coupe will follow in its predecessors footsteps, right?
The one everyone wants is the M version of the Coupe, of course. It shared the same engine found in the E46 M3. Numbers were limited too just 600 units in the UK back in 2006 making it very rare now indeed.
If the Z3 Coupe is anything to go by we think the Z4 M Coupe is exceptional value and an incredible two-seater sports car overall...
Do you agree with our list? Let us know some gems we may have missed in the comments and we may do a readers choice list in the future!