It’s happened inside all of our heads. You see a car at an auction and watch as a rally breaks out. Bid after frenzied bid shoots the price to what you consider an outlandish number, and you can’t help but wonder, “Why on earth would someone pay that much for a car like that?” Well, we have a little not-so-secret secret to share regarding collector cars: Almost all of them are just cars that would-be owners wanted as kids and couldn’t afford. Nothing more, nothing less.
For 2024, Hagerty has released the top ten cars for collectors according to their annual Bull Market list. Some may not be surprising, and some may be very surprising. Some may even remind you of your childhood and make you start looking into just how much equity you have in your house.
1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $345,000-$770,000
Perhaps the quintessential one-seed fantasy car, the Lamborghini Countach has been on the hearts and minds of children since it debuted decades ago. The impossibly angled wedge shape, huge functional rear wing, and trademark scissor doors have made the Countach the benchmark against which all other supercars have been judged (at least in terms of visual drama).
2008–2013 BMW M3
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $29,200-$65,800
The E90/E92 BMW M3 represents the last production M3 to use a naturally-aspirated, high-revving engine as a power source. The S65 engine is a 4.0-liter V-8, unbridled by forced induction or hybrid nonsense, allowing it to rev to well over 8,000 rpm, and is unquestionably one of the best and most loved engines in all of the Bimmer kingdom. If you haven’t ever heard what a small-block German V-8 sounds like at full throat, we suggest you make some time today to seek it out. If you are a car fan, you won’t regret it.
2000–2005 Jaguar XKR
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $8,300-$38,900
While the 2000-2005 Jaguar XKR may look somewhat dated in photos, up close and in person, this luxury hot rod still has plenty of charisma. Thanks in no small part to its 4.2-liter supercharged V-8 producing 390 hp and 399 lb-ft of torque, this drop-top terror feels like a muscle car wearing a three-piece suit. And now, this car can be had for, at most, less than half of what it cost brand new, the XKR brings a combination of luxury and power that is hard to beat.
2011–2016 Ferrari FF
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $106,400-$177,000
Unquestionably, one of the most controversial and polarizing Ferraris ever made, the shooting brake design of this two-door sports coupe is reminiscent of the early 2000s BMW M Coupe, among others. What was not controversial, however, was the FF’s 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V-12 that produced 650 hp and 504 lb-ft of torque. However, the polarization returned when purists heard that the FF utilized an intelligent all-wheel drive system. Whatever way you feel about the increased rear space in the FF, it’s hard to say anything designed by Pininfarina is unattractive.
1997–2002 Plymouth Prowler
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $15,700-$45,500
If you want to be noticed everywhere you go, then the Plymouth Prowler is the car you’ve been waiting for. Though the big knock on the Prowler was that its hot rod looks made promises that its lackluster drivetrain couldn’t quite live up to. The Prowler’s 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 made (at best) 253 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque funneled through a four-speed auto transmission. Though those numbers were not great, the Prowler’s svelte 2,850 lb curb weight allowed it to move quicker than the LH sedans its drivetrain was borrowed from.
1981–1986 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $16,100-$52,600
Considered the grandfather of today’s Jeep Gladiator, the CJ-8 Scrambler offered the same Jeep fun combined with pickup truck utility that we see in today’s version. With less than 28,000 models produced in its five-year run, the Scrambler isn’t anything like a Ferrari F50 in terms of limited production scarcity. But, with many of these trucks falling victim to age, rust, weather, excessive mileage, or a combination of all of those factors, there are far fewer quality examples of this unusual Jeep than there were forty years ago.
1964–1966 Ford Thunderbird
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $17,300-$56,400
While the first-gen 55,’56, and ’57 Thunderbirds will perpetually snag the spotlight, the fourth generation of Ford’s ‘Personal Luxury Car’ is gaining more traction in the collectors’ eyes. Big, wide, and low to the ground, the 1964-1966 T-Bird looks like it was built for parades and long-distance, warm-weather driving. Most of these cars will be equipped with a 390 cubic-inch V-8 engine, while some will have the optional 428 cubic-inch big block V-8. About 120 models were made with an even more rare 427 CID V-8, of which only six are still known to exist today.
1965–1970 Chevrolet Impala SS
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $14,600-$44,5000
Having reached something of an iconic status, with enough TV and movie appearances to warrant its own IMDB page, the fourth-generation Impala SS only had minor exterior updates versus the base car. However, the big change for the SS models always came under the hood. While a handful of Super Sports were made with the less-than-thrilling six-cylinder motor, most got a version of Chevy’s big block V-8. Due to its popularity among auto enthusiasts over the years, as well as casual car people who just wanted a fun ride to cruise around in, these cars can be in varying states of restoration. Caution, and a good mechanic, are two important tools to utilize when searching for one of these boulevard bruisers.
1946–1950 Chrysler Town & Country
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $28,400-$144,000
No, this is not the same Town & Country as the minivan you may have remembered from 1989-2016. This post-war nameplate was offered as either a two-door hardtop or convertible or four-door sedan. Sporting wood panel veneer bonded to steel body panels, the T&C could be had with either an inline-6 or inline-8 (yes, eight) cylinder engine. Built in relatively low production amounts, this white-walled cruiser gives off old-school cool vibes anywhere it goes.
1997–1999 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution
- Hagerty’s Estimated Price Range: $17,900-$70,000
While most people who see “Mitsubishi Evolution” think about the WRX-fighting EVO XIII from the mid-2000s, the Pajero Evolution is an entirely different kind of beast. This street-legal variant was built as a homologation model to allow the off-road race version to participate in various rally races that needed to be based on a production model. It was powered by a stout 6G74 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 that, like most Japanese engines back then, produced less than 280 hp. This unspoken handshake agreement within the automaker realm seemed to come with a wink. We’re sure that the 276 hp and 257 lb-ft of torque the Pajero made is accurate, like most Japanese sports cars of its day, it just may have been able to produce a bit more after that quoted power level.
