By Hagerty
February 09, 2012
Buick Regal GS (© GM Company)
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition (Ford Motor Company)
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (Chrysler Group LLC)
Fiat 500 Abarth (Chrysler Group LLC)
Volkswagen Golf R (Volkswagen)
Porsche 911 (Porsche)
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (© GM Company)
Nissan GT-R Black Edition (Nissan)
Dodge Charger SRT8 (Chrysler Group LLC)
Audi TT RS (Audi of America)
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A collectible Buick from 2012? Our annual “Hagerty Hot List” highlights those new vehicles that stand above their mass-produced peers. Our team of valuation experts has selected the new vehicles with a MSRP of less than $100,000 that we predict will one day become collectible.
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Buick Regal GS ($32,535): It’s been a long time since we could say, “This isn’t your Grandpa’s Buick.” Surprisingly, at a time when so-called sportier makes don’t offer real three-pedal manual transmissions, Buick is doing it with the Regal GS.
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Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition ($48,100): Ford is calling this a “race car with a license plate,” and it pays homage to the original and very collectible Boss 302. It’s a beast on the race track, yet tame enough to drive on the street — and all for less than $50,000.
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Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 ($61,785): Let’s face it: Americans love SUVs. The problem is most SUVs don’t handle as impressively as they look. The SRT8 version of the Grand Cherokee takes the rugged, go-anywhere look of an SUV and combines it with performance characteristics that would earn respect on a race track.
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Fiat 500 Abarth ($22,000): With a 160 horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, Abarth-tuned suspension, brakes and dual exhaust, the latest in-house-tuned Fiat recalls the “small but wicked” models from the past. Fiat’s performance division also includes complimentary admission to the Abarth Driving Experience with each purchase. The cognoscenti line has formed.
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Volkswagen Golf R ($36,000): The Golf’s ancestor, the MK I GTI from the early 1980s, is now a legitimate collectible, and the rare 2004 Golf R32 is headed in that direction. The new, all-wheel-drive Golf R is geared towards someone who enjoys driving, and it evokes the same “pocket-rocket” characteristics of its forbearers.
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Porsche 911 ($82,100): The Porsche legacy is built around the 911. Each generation features fun, accessible used cars that eventually swell in value. If you are most concerned about a car holding its value over the long term, then this is the car on this list to buy now and lovingly keep.
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Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 ($54,095): Since 2005, the current generation of Shelby Mustangs has owned the king-of-the-hill position in the pony car segment. The new ZL1 Camaro with 580 horsepower brings Chevy back into the hunt and demonstrates that old school muscle is alive and well.
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Nissan GT-R Black Edition ($95,100): Until this year, this is the car that young people in the U.S. have only been able to experience in video games. It manages to squeeze 530 horsepower out of a six-cylinder engine. While the invoice price is out of reach for most in the younger generation, we predict they will remember these cars years down the road after their student loans are paid off.
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Dodge Charger SRT8 ($46,795): What won us over is the giant touchscreen in the center of the dash. And not for the reasons you are thinking. It has “performance pages” that kepe the driver up to speed on performance statistics such as available horsepower and torque.
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Audi TT RS ($56,850): For people who won’t buy a Porsche because they haven’t won Le Mans in quite a while, the Audi TT RS is the answer. This is a car with global appeal, which means it will have global demand several decades down the road.