These Cars Will Become Tomorrow’s Most Valuable Classics

While some cars fade into obscurity, others quietly become icons over time. A handful of modern and late-model vehicles are poised to become future classics, blending performance, rarity, and design in a way that collectors and enthusiasts will crave. Here’s a look at the cars likely to climb in value and become tomorrow’s automotive legends.

Toyota GR86

okay listen, this one’s weirdly honest. it’s not even super powerful, right? just this small, giggly, rear-wheel thing that makes every drive feel like a cheap joyride. around $30K give or take, and I swear it’s already got that “future classic energy.” like the kind of car someone in 2045 will brag about owning “before the EV era ruined fun.” smells like hot brakes and gas station pizza. that’s a compliment, kinda.

Mazda RX-8

yeah yeah I know, rotary engine and all that headache. but that’s why it’ll be valuable. unreliable stuff always becomes cool later because everyone forgets the pain. have you heard one rev? it’s like an angry beehive trapped in a metal barrel. you could snag one for like ten grand now, and I bet in ten years, people will call it “raw.” (they’ll forget about the flooding and oil leaks though, naturally.)

BMW M2 (manual)

ugh this one hits a soft spot. every time I see one, my brain just goes, “keep it, keep it forever.” it’s compact, loud, no nonsense. not cheap though around $60K if you can find one clean. but future collectors? oh, they’re gonna slobber over the last real M cars before everything turned digital. you can just tell. also the interior still smells like “actual car,” not that weird vegan-leather air freshener scent new cars have now.

Honda S2000

everyone already knows this one’s a legend, but I still gotta say it. it’s like the perfect reminder of a time when Honda engineers were just having fun instead of chasing emissions charts. that 9,000 rpm scream? chef’s kiss. I sat in one once, red seats, top down, wind smelled like someone’s barbecue smoke. $35K maybe now. double that soon. maybe triple. wouldn’t shock me.

Audi TT Quattro (first gen)

bro… people sleep on this thing. it looks like a jellybean but, like, a sexy jellybean. early 2000s, clean design, simple gauges — the car version of your college crush who aged freakishly well. some of them go for around $8K right now. you’ll be telling stories about how “back then nobody cared” while flipping it for three times the price later.

Nissan 370Z

okay hear me out. people clown on it because it overstayed its welcome. like, it was here forever doing the same thing. but that’s the point. it’s stubborn. last of a dying breed. V6 growl that feels like late-night video game nostalgia. find a manual one under $30K and just wait. give it time. Z cars always find a way to rise again.

Porsche Cayman (987)

I don’t trust people who say this car isn’t worth keeping. it’s Porsche feel without the snobby energy. I drove one with a sticky shift knob once, smelled faintly like leather and 10-year-old cologne. guess it was somebody’s dream car back then. $40K-ish now, maybe more if clean. give it a few years, and suddenly everyone wants the “analog Porsche.” they’ll act like they discovered it first too.

Ford Mustang Boss 302 (2012-2013)

honestly, this is the one that gives me goosebumps still. muscle car, yeah, but like tuned in a way that didn’t feel dumb. raw, angry but disciplined. the kind of car you start up in your garage just to hear it. like $45K now if you’re lucky, maybe too loud for the neighborhood but perfect for your garage hero days. people will remember this one. they’ll regret selling it. I already regret not buying one.

Alfa Romeo 4C

what a tiny chaos machine. I love it. it’s loud, impractical, and looks like some kind of expensive insect. that carbon tub? nuts. $50K maybe if you’re shopping right. it drives like it hates you but in that Italian way that still feels flirty. someday, folks will call it a “purist’s car” and throw six figures at it. right now, it’s still that weird exotic cousin nobody invites to family dinners.