Through the years there have been many legendary vehicle brands, and within those brands, there have been iconic models that have attracted a fanatical following. Some models had eminent status in their time but have not been valued that highly in the marketplace. But for some, this is slowly changing, and many are now becoming expensive to buy.
Here are some beautiful cars that have risen in value for their fortunate owners. These magnificent vehicles have become some of the lost treasures of the automotive collecting world and are worth investing in before they become one of the Holy Grails of the classic car world.
10. Lamborghini Countach (1974-1990)
The Countach was one of the cars that graced the walls of most little boys’ bedrooms in the 1970s and 1980s. When it was launched, the bodywork, with all its sharp edges and angles, looked like something from an alien movie, but this V12 supercar laid the foundation for all future supercars; while body lines may have been smoothed, the distinctive shape remained the same.
This car enjoyed a long production run of 16 years, but around the turn of the century, it was considered a little kitschy – you could buy this icon with its huge boot wing for around $100,000. By the middle of the first decade, this price had risen only to $150,000. Today, though, lines and angles such as these have made a huge comeback and this Italian supercar is enjoying a renaissance. The 1980 models are now going across the block for $300,000, and if you are lucky enough to find one of the exceedingly rare LP400 models, it could bring you a payday of over $1 million.
9. Pontiac Trans Am (1977-1979)
Who does not remember Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in the Smokey and the Bandit series of films from the 1970s? The black and gold Trans Am, with its gold fender-to-fender screaming eagle logo, sold in the thousands as movie-goers identified with Bandit.
As time went by, the Trans Am, with its huge decal (the graphic on the bonnet), fell far out of fashion and, as we all know, fashion goes around in circles – now this vehicle has once again caught the eye of the collectors. Early in this century, a good, clean Trans-Am with a W72 Pontiac 400 CID (6.6-liter) V8 engine sold for around $10,000. Today, the same car, with high mileage, will set you back around $15,000, and a showroom quality, low mileage example will dig a $30,000 – $60,000 hole in your wallet.
8. 1988 BMW M5
This iconic German sports sedan was imported into America for only one year. It came in only one configuration, the M5 (E28), and only one color combination – black with tan interior. This magnificent car, with its 3.5-liter straight six, that was a close relation to the engine in BMW’s M1 supercar, propelled this 4 door sedan to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, making it the fastest 4 door on the continent.
This executive sedan that went like the wind could be had for a song for many years; a low mileage vehicle in reasonable condition would take around $20,000 out of the bank, but that is no longer the case. Now high mileage examples will cost you that kind of money, and a good, low mileage car will empty your bank account by around $100,000.
7. Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser 1960-1983
Toyota’s FJ40 was brought into the country in competition with the Jeep CJ. It had a bullet-proof chassis and drivetrain, coupled with an inline six-cylinder engine and a transfer case that easily managed the power from the big V8.
These were always popular 4WD vehicles, and their go-anywhere reputation was well deserved, but they never managed to scale the $20,000 barrier.
This has changed dramatically over the past five years. Though finding one for the home renovator at a reasonable price is still possible, good examples are now closer to $40,000 on internet auction sites, and new examples are going for up to $100,000 at the large car auctions.
6. Porsche 911 (1965-1998)
The Porsche 911 has been an iconic vehicle all of its life. Rare models with top-class engine specs have always been collector’s items, as evidenced by the recent sale of a 1973 2.7 RS that went over the block at a large car auction for the eye-popping sum of $891,000. There are showroom-condition 911’s that have been knocked down for close to, and sometimes over, the million-dollar mark.
In a 2008 edition of the Sports Car Market Pocket Price Guide, a mid-1970 911 was valued at around $8,000 to $13,000, but today they will go for $20,000 to $25,000, and one registered in the 80’s will now set you back around $30,000.
5. Ferrari 308 GTB/GTS (1975-1985)
The Ferrari 308 was turned out by the hundreds in the Ferrari factory, but with its exposure as Tom Selleck’s car in the wildly popular television series Magnum P.I., it rapidly rose to icon status and became a must-have for the playboy of the 1980s.
Nowadays, due to its age, this vehicle is becoming a collectible. A few years ago, you could pick up a V8-powered 308 in excellent condition for the knock-down price of $30,000. Sadly, those days are now gone; today, in the same excellent condition, early 1980s car will cost you at least $45,000. For one of the rare fiberglass-bodied models, you will need to cough up around $120,000. The late 70s (1975-1979) steel body vehicles are a little more affordable at around $80,000 today.
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