Tomorrow’s collector cars are parked in garages and sitting on showroom floors across America. To help consumers sort out the next generation of sweet wheels, McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty and a respected collector car valuation expert, has compiled his choices for Hagerty’s Top 10 Future Collector Cars.

With hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts flocking to the world-renowned Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction and six other auction houses in Scottsdale, Ariz., to ring in the collector car auction season – some may wonder: Who can afford a collector car? With Hagerty’s Hot List, you don’t need to break the bank to get a hot and value-appreciating ride. All you have to do is wait…

“Many consumers may be driving a future collector car right now!” says Hagerty. “Our goal was to find cars that drivers find appealing now, and that they may consider nostalgic in 15 to 20 years. Each car on Hagerty’s Hot List possesses a ‘buzz,’ a Wow Factor that resonates with consumers of all ages, many cars being daily drivers that turn heads already.”

In determining the Hagerty Hot List: Top 10 Future Collector Cars, Hagerty analyzed the reasons today’s collector cars are such hot commodities: pop-culture popularity, limited production numbers and the style of the next generation of collectors. The company included a wide range of models that span market segments and price ranges: cars that are more affordable, fun to drive and still enticing for future generations.

Hagerty’s Hot List:

• Toyota FJ Cruiser – When Hot Wheels™ grow up, but their owners don’t

• Mini Cooper – Proof that “small” doesn’t have to mean Spartan or soulless

• Lotus Elise – Going back to its roots, Lotus rediscovers the meaning “simply brilliant”

• Dodge Viper – Wrapped in a hot little body and powered with a V-10

• Acura NSX – A credible supercar, even with the V-6 engine and great gas mileage

• Toyota Scion – The hot ticket may be the xA, but the xB and tC will also be rare

• Audi TT – New design and style standards for the inside, and an exterior reintroduced from a storied past

• Jaguar XK – With the sexy curves that once defined Jaguar

• Chrysler 300 – A reinterpretation of the classic American rear-drive car

• Smart Car – Mercedes makes this city commuter desirable and fun

“Unlike the vagaries of the stock market, certain models not only retain their value but escalate in popularity and price far beyond expectations,” says Hagerty. “The trick is selecting vehicles with collector potential, maintaining them diligently and enjoying them as they appreciate.”

Hagerty is the leading insurance agency for collector vehicles and boats in the nation, and host to the largest network of collector car owners. Hagerty offers collector car insurance, financing and roadside assistance as well as a variety of useful information resources. The company works proactively on hobby legislation and supports the Collectors Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preservation of the hobby.