Interest in DeLoreans and Buick Grand Nationals continued to surge among those searching for cars on the ClassicCars.com Marketplace in October. Growing interest in such cars from the 1980s is a likely indicator of the continuing emergence of younger collectors.
Among searches for all years of a particular make or model, Chevrolet, Ford and the Mustang continue to claim the top-3 positions, though with Mustang edging ahead of its parent company in October.
But the DeLorean DMC-12, produced in the early 1980s, has continued its recent surge to move into fourth place with the Buick Grand National, a neo-Detroit muscle car of the late ’70s and into the ’80s, climbing to sixth place, just behind the venerable Chevy C-10 pickup truck.
The DeLorean cracked the top-10 list back in May and has climbed steadily since. The Grand National was part of the second-10 for several months before bumping up to the top-10 in August.
1987 Buick Grand National
“Both of these cars are icons of the 1980s, and this a decade for cars that is quite hot,” said Andy Reid, the Journal’s auction and market analyst. “The people who grew up with these cars are now in a position to buy them, and with the DeLoreans added stardom due to it being featured in the Back to the Future movie franchise adding to the popularity.
“The Grand National was a serious performer in the era, in fact it was one of the quickest cars in the world at the time, besting cars such as Ferraris and Porsches. Combine that with the black exterior paint and trim and the iconic Grand National moniker and you have a perfect storm for a nostalgic car that is the last of the old school muscle cars.”
DeLorean with doors closed
The rise of vehicles such as the DeLorean and Grand National has occurred as interest appears to decline for such vintage SUVs as Ford Broncos, Willys-Jeeps and International Scouts, all of which have dropped out of the top-10.
Meanwhile, among searches involving year, make and model, the 1969 Ford Mustang has reclaimed the No. 1 position with the ’67 Mustang back in second place. Mustangs from the 1960s continue to comprise four of the top-10 positions.
This article, written by Larry Edsall, was originally published on ClassicCars.com, an editorial partner of Motor Authority.