The 6 Priciest 4×4 Collectibles Built Before 2000

While a 4×4 drivetrain used to be relegated to utilitarian workhorses, today it’s often seen as a luxury. It’s easy to configure a modern top-trim pickup or off-road-focused SUV and wind up with a price squarely in luxury car territory; several luxurious new 4x4s even start at six figures. Some of the collector market’s favorite vintage off-roaders have climbed into similar territory. We consulted the latest edition of the Hagerty Price Guide to find the most valuable collector vehicles from the 20th century that also happened to be four-wheel-drive. There are a couple of the usual suspects on our list below, although we were surprised by the variety of off-roaders that made it into the top six.

Lamborghini LM002

#2 (Excellent) Value: $356,000

The Lamborghini LM002 was developed from a military prototype with a mid-engine Chrysler V-8 and a composite body. That prototype, the XR311 Cheetah, was vying for the military contract to replace lighter-duty wheeled transport roles filled by later iterations of the venerable jeep and other, larger vehicles. The winner of that contract, though, was AM General with the now-famous High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, known as the Humvee. It may be hard to imagine Lamborghini designing a competitor to the Humvee. However, if you remember Lamborghini’s origin as a tractor manufacturer, which continues even today, it begins to make sense.  

Plenty of changes were made between the Cheetah prototype and the production version of the LM002: Much of the body was made from aluminum, the chassis was redesigned, and, importantly, the mid-engine, iron-block V-8 was replaced with an aluminum Lamborghini V-12 mounted up front. Despite all of the modifications and major changes in dynamics, the overall shape and faceted design remained. It looks precisely how you’d imagine an ‘80s Lamborghini off-roader to look, and the V-12 means that it sounds just like you’d expect it to sound as well.

Around 300 LM002s were built over their seven-year production run from 1986-1993, making them rare even among the raging bull brand. The V-12 powerplant, tough looks, and distinctly Lamborghini driving experience add up to make them a valued collectible.

Land Rover Defender 110

#2 (Excellent) Value: $131,000

The venerable Land Rover was built over three Series that offered four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and V-8 engine options, all with four-wheel-drive capability and the simple and sturdy combination of solid axles and parallel leaf spring suspension. The Defender, which initially launched as the Land Rover One Ten in 1983, ditched the leaf springs in favor of coil springs front and rear, offering improved ride and handling while also allowing more suspension articulation for flexing over obstacles and maintaining traction. A win-win in an off-roader’s book; just ask any Wrangler owner if they’d rather daily drive a CJ-7.

Both pickup and wagon configurations of the rugged, boxy Brit utility continue to have a solid following. Defenders from the ‘80s and ‘90s are still garnering plenty of attention when they go up for sale. There’s still so much demand that an entirely new brand has popped up to fill the void left when Defender ditched its traditional looks and moved to independent suspension.

Citroën 2CV Sahara

#2 (Excellent) Value: $99,600

The Sahara was launched when the standard 2CV was producing 12 hp. You might wonder how a small, two-cylinder engine would manage the added drag of a transfer case and splitting power to an additional axle. It doesn’t. Citroën added an additional engine and transmission at the back of the car to power the rear wheels of the Sahara. It had double the ignition switches, double the fuel tanks, and it was also double the price. What it didn’t have two of was shifting mechanisms: A single pedal operates both hydraulic clutches, and both transmissions are linked to a single shifter, with gear changes made in unison. The carburetors were also linked, operated by one pedal. The two drivetrains can be operated independently, as FWD or RWD, or in tandem as a 4×4.

Like the VW Beetle, the 2CV enjoyed a long production life with many evolutions along the way. Also like its German counterpart, the fact that it was made in abundance hasn’t kept rare variants from becoming quite sought after. More than 5,000,000 2CVs were built, but fewer than 700 of them were twin-engine models like the Sahara (it was also sold as a 2CV 4×4). A #2 (Excellent) condition 1960 2CV is valued at $28,100—its twin-engine brethren demands more than three times as much.

Hummer H1

#2 (Excellent) Value: $96,600

AM General beat Lamborghini for the U.S. military’s HMMWV contract and built more than a quarter of a million of them over the last 40 years. When it finally decided to offer a civilian model after some prodding by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, the H1 had more than 300 sales in its first year, virtually matching the LM002’s entire production run. Still, they were large, thirsty beasts, and demand was never that high. Just under 12,000 were produced for the civilian market. The majority of them were powered by GM’s 6.5-liter turbodiesel V-8, although a 5.7-liter gas V-8 was also available. The final year of production, which started in early 2005 and was marketed as 2006, saw the addition of the much more powerful Duramax V-8 turbodiesel paired with a five-speed Allison automatic transmission. While those H1 Alpha models are the most desirable, they fall outside of our 20^th-century window. Even the less powerful ‘90s models demand a hefty sum on their own.

1966–1977 Ford Bronco

#2 (Excellent) Value: $93,500

The International Harvester Scout got to the market first, but Ford perfected the formula to for a compact, fun SUV. Its off-road maneuverability and reliable inline-six and small-block V-8 powertrains made it relatively successful at the time, and its enduring design and race-winning pedigree helped make it one of the first classic SUVs to become a sought-after collectible. The rise of early Bronco prices has brought other vintage 4x4s along for the ride, making just about any two-door ‘60s 4×4 that has survived intact a coveted prize. While its design didn’t change much from the exterior, plenty of mechanical changes happened over that 12-year run. The most desirable first-gen Broncos are the later production versions that had disc brakes from the factory.

1969–1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer

#2 (Excellent) Value: $82,600

The Ford Bronco didn’t catch GM entirely by surprise. The company had been working on a similar-sized competitor, but decided that a short-wheelbase full-size was the way to go. Sharing many parts with the well-established full-size truck lineup made financial sense, but the off-road market appreciated the K5 Blazer as well. The recipe proved successful, so much so that Chrysler would offer the Dodge Ramcharger and Plymouth Trailduster starting in 1974 and Ford would move the Bronco to the F-series platform after its long first-generation run that ended in 1977. All four years of the first-gen K5 are desirable, with V-8 powered CST trims bringing the highest values.