Pricey sports cars and ’50s American classics continue to cool off

If you’ve been paying attention to the regular updates to the Hagerty Vehicle Rating bottom 25 list, this newest update shouldn’t bring any real surprises. The same trends are playing out yet again. Classic trucks and two-door SUVs are still hot, and not a single one made its way onto our list, while the bottom 25 is dominated with collectible models that are favored by older collectors.

[Note: The Hagerty Vehicle Rating is based on a 0–100 scale. A 50-point rating indicates that a vehicle is keeping pace with the market overall. Ratings above 50 indicate above-average appreciation, while vehicles below a 50-point rating are lagging behind the market. The rating is data driven and takes into account the number of vehicles insured and quoted through Hagerty, along with auction activity and private sales results. The HVR is not an indicator of future collectibility, but it certainly says something about what’s trending hot and what’s not.]

1953 Chrysler New Yorker Newport
1953 Chrysler New Yorker Newport Mecum

 

Just like two months ago, when we last updated this list, the single largest segment of the list is mainstream post-war American sedans from the likes of Chevrolet, Ford, Buick, Plymouth, Dodge, and Pontiac. The late ’40s and early ’50s models are beautiful, no doubt, but they’re more difficult to restore and maintain than their later, more popular V-8 successors.

Many of the cars on the list are falling in the ranking due to younger enthusiasts choosing newer cars that are more relatable to their age bracket. That leaves post-war cars in the lurch, as its becoming harder for them to find buyers.

Similarly, several highly desirable cars find their way onto the list because demand has driven the cost sky-high and a cooling-off period follows. Porsche’s seminal 930 is in a similar position in the Bottom 25.

2006 Ford GT Heritage
2006 Ford GT Heritage Barrett-Jackson
1979 Ferrari 308 GTS Mecum rear 3/4
1979 Ferrari 308 GTS Mecum

1987 Porsche 924 S front 3/4
1987 Porsche 924 S RM Sotheby’s

The Sunbeam Tiger again appears near the bottom of our list. Buoyed by the Cobra’s success and similar Ford-small-block-powered-British-roadster formula, prices had soared for a while. Perhaps buyers are now realizing that it doesn’t have quite the same curves or that Shelby magic that makes the leaf-spring Cobras so special. Either way, interest has tanked and values are dropping.

There’s no guarantee, but if these trends hold out, some of the values of the remaining cars at the bottom of the list could follow the Tiger’s lead and become more affordable. As always, don’t let a car’s appearance on the Bottom 25 dissuade you from hunting for your dream car.

Vehicle
1946-1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster 12
1953-1954 Chevrolet Bel Air 14
1953-1954 Chevrolet 210 15
1987-1993 Cadillac Allante 16
1949-1953 Oldsmobile 88 17
1946-1948 Chevrolet Fleetline 18
1946-1951 Mercury 18
1968-1982 Chevrolet Corvette 18
2005-2006 Ford GT 18
1949-1952 Chevrolet Fleetline 19
1949-1954 Chrysler New Yorker 19
1952-1956 Ford Customline 19
1964-1967 Sunbeam Tiger 19
1977-1988 Porsche 924 19
1963-1971 Mercedes-Benz 230SL 20
1965-1970 Buick LeSabre 20
1971-1976 Cadillac DeVille 20
1975-1985 Ferrari 308 20
1946-1948 Ford Deluxe 21
1948-1953 Oldsmobile Series 98 21
1953-1954 Chevrolet 150 21
1971-1975 Volkswagen Type 181 Thing 21
1952-1956 Mercury Custom 22
1959-1972 Mercedes-Benz W108, W109 & W111 22
1965-1968 Plymouth Fury lll 22
1970-1982 Alfa Romeo Spider SPICA 22
1976-1989 Porsche 911 Carrera (Turbo 930) 22
1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro 22
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