It’s easy to forget just how far away the 2000’s are now, but a car made in 2001 is now 22 years old, and are legitimate collector cars.
We here at Glass Fuses have recently had some discussions regarding collector cars from the past forty years. Some of the dream cars from our youth are now fetching extreme sums of money, like this 2001 Integra Type R which sold for over $88,000! With this in mind, we decided to take on the challenge of peering into our crystal ball and guess which cars will be next to ride the nostalgia-train into huge increases in value.
To take on this task, we split our search into three decades: Albert would take on boxy lines of the 80s, of which he is personally familiar with , while Patrick would take on the 90s, the source of many desirable dream cars like the GTR or Supra. That left me with the 2000s, where some automakers began to look to the future in design, whereas others looked back to the past with retro-inspired designs.
The turn of the century saw ho-hum designs cast aside for funky styling, vast improvement in driving dynamics, and the reemergence of the Horsepower Wars. What cars do you need to pick up now before the prices jump in value? Well let’s start with the car that reignited the Muscle Car in America, and the start of the Horsepower War.
2005-2009 Ford Mustang
The one to get: 2009 Ford Mustang Bullitt
Ford may not have been first automaker to tap into the designs of the past, but it certainly set the tone for the next few decades. Most of its rivals had left the market for years, while the Mustang continued to lumber on. All of that changed at the 2003 North American International Auto Show, where the concept that became the S197 was unveiled. Upon its commercial success, Chevrolet and Dodge began their counterpunch in the Camaro and Challenger, but we can thank the Mustang for the revival of the Muscle Car.
Of the many variants that came out over the four-year run, the one to get is the 2009 Bullitt. Named after the classic automotive film, the Bullitt was the ultimate non-Shelby version of the Mustang. The 4.6L motor received several revisions which bumped its horsepower total from 300 to 315, received a shorter rear gear ratio, and had several other revisions throughout the drivetrain, suspension, and style department. Only available in Highland Green or Black, this Mustang made for a clean yet menacing muscle car, and they can still be had for a bargain. Several examples with under 100,000 miles have been listed for under $15,000 and should only continue to climb from here.
2008-2010 Dodge Charger
The one to get: 2009 Dodge Charger SRT8
The S197 Mustang may have been the first to enter the market, but the rest of the Big Three weren’t going to be left to play catchup. While it was clearly demonstrated that a retro-inspired design was very marketable, Chevrolet and Dodge took different approaches to their own new entries to the playing field. Very controversially, Dodge decided to reintroduce one of its most historic nameplates with a drastic change. No longer the two door of Dukes of Hazard fame or opposition to Steve McQueen’s Mustang, the Charger would now be a four-door family sedan. Perhaps not quite as sacrilegious as turning the Mustang into an electric SUV, a four-door Charger ruffled many feathers when it came to market.
In the years since this change, buyers have come to warmly embrace the Charger as a muscle car of choice. While the 392 Scat Pack and raucous 700+ horsepower Hellcat are highly regarded, we would have never received these models if not for the original four-door SRT8. These older Chargers don’t have the interior refinement as a newer model, and may not have all the other amenities, but 425 horsepower is more than enough to scoot this sedan to 60 in under five seconds, and the exterior design has held up fairly well, especially compared to the model that came directly after it.
As a buyer, the 2008 to 2010 models have the current benefit of being overshadowed by their wilder descendants and can be had at a bargain price of around $15,000. But once the gasoline-powered Charger comes to the end of its run, more people will begin to turn back to where it all began. For comparison, check out its brother, the Magnum SRT8, which now fetches over $35,000 for a good example. This will be one you won’t want to miss out on.
2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice
The one to get: 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP
Oh Pontiac, one of several brands that became a casualty of poor management and an economic downturn. Of all the brands that GM gave the axe to, Pontiac was one of the ones that hurt the most. While SAAB has a strong cult following, Pontiac was a mainstay in American auto production, and a very influential player since its founding in 1926. Nevertheless, some had to go, and thankfully Pontiac left us with a few good models before its curtain call.
It was hard to determine which car from Pontiac I wanted to add to this list. The GTO was an odd design choice that became quickly overshadowed. The G8 was a fairly well received model, with proving a good foil to the Charger and predecessor to the Chevrolet SS. But of the cars Pontiac ended on, the one that has continued to age well is the Pontiac Solstice.
Several domestic automakers attempted to produce cheap, fun-to-drive, convertible sports cars, but none of them quite left an impression like the Solstice. While its interior is predominantly 2000’s GM Plastic, the exterior was an artistic expression. The contoured decklid brings to mind the Porsche 550 and other classic sports cars. If round, soft edges aren’t your preferred taste in design, its sister in the Saturn Sky brought a similar design with sharper creases and more angular features.
Of Pontiac’s curtain call, the Solstice Coupe may be the best design of the lot, but its rarity will make it a difficult process to find one, and certainly won’t be in the realm of affordability. However, the GXP model with its 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, pushing out 260 horsepower can still be had at a fantastic deal. While not as light as its rival in the Miata, the Solstice is by far and away a faster machine, and ironically, got better gas mileage than the non-turbo Solstice. These can still be had for a good price, where some can be had for under $10,000 with a bit of searching, or just over that with a little bit higher mileage.
1999-2006 Honda Insight
The one to get: Any manual with a good battery and in good condition.
We now turn away for a moment away from the world of high horsepower and ultimate handling, and instead turn our eyes across the sea to the Japanese automaker, Honda. Produced in the same factory as both the legendary NSX and S2000, the Honda Insight is an odd comparison. However, lightweight, made from aluminum, and can be had with a manual transmission, and we can begin to see where some of these influences may have rubbed off a little bit.
There are plenty of articles across the internet which sing of the praises of the Insight, with its ability to get 50-60+ mpg and long-lasting nature. But why is this a collectable? Simply, fuel prices. While they may be relatively stable currently, we are not far removed from a time where gas prices increased by 150% over the course of two years. For those of us who still want the experience of being connected to the car and don’t quite trust the range of an EV, the Insight will always be a great choice to help keep those fuel costs in check. Expect to pay around $10,000 for a good condition manual Insight.
2002-2012 Mazda RX-8
The one to get: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3
For the last car on our list, let us picture what a car enthusiast will miss most in an EV-filled landscape. The feeling of connectedness through the car through both the steering wheel and shifter. A lightweight, well-handling chassis that will hold tight to each corner. The unique sound of an internal combustion engine reverberating off the canyon walls. The feeling of power slowly beginning to build as you ring every last ounce of potential once the revs start to climb. Of all the cars built in the 2000s, the RX-8 serves as a complete anthesis to the EV, and will one-day be treasured because of it.
RX-8s receive a lot of flack for their finnicky nature and apex seal consumption habits. But there are few machines that are quite so well balanced, and the titillating sound of a rotary motor climbing freely through the rev range will be difficult, nigh impossible, to replicate in an electric vehicle. Especially if we are looking at a world where combustion engine vehicles are more of a hobby or weekend enthusiast vehicle, some will be willing to pay the price for admission and upkeep. Lastly, considering that it is becoming less and less likely that Mazda will ever release a rotary driven vehicle to the public, the RX-8 presents a last hurrah for those who want to enjoy one of the more unique combustion engine designs of the last 50 years.
RX-8s are quite easy to find for cheap currently, but many will require maintenance to make up for the lack thereof by some previous owners. Mazda made several versions the RX-8 through its model run, but the ultimate both in terms of design and in features is the R3 model. It didn’t provide any additional power to the Renesis rotary, but did come with a shorter rear end ratio, chassis stiffing, improved suspension, and some special design elements make this the RX-8 of choice and can be yours in the $10,000 range.
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Photos courtesy of OEMs