Hagerty says its fourth annual “Bull Market” list isn’t intended for those looking to flip vehicles, instead, “it’s aimed at people who want to find, buy and drive a cool vehicle they love.”
And while they’re loving those vehicles, they’ll be increasing in value during the new year, Hagerty adds.
“When that love intersects with cars that are growing in value, so much the better,” explained Brian Rabold, Hagerty vice president of valuation services and head of the 18-person team that selects the Bull Market cars each December.
“The joy you’ll receive in owning and driving one of these models is an automatic hedge against the financial risk inherent with any major expenditure,” Rabold added.
The new Bull Market list spans three main groupings, Hagerty said:
- Niche vehicles ready for wider recognition, including the Honda S600 and S800, the Volkswagen Vanagon, the FJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser and the early sandcast Honda CB750 motorcycles.
- Almost forgotten favorites ready for their comeback tours, including the Jaguar XK 120, 1980s Ferrari Testarossa and the 2005-06 Ford GT.
- Newer cars that are accelerating out of their depreciation curves, namely the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Lexus LFA, Audi TT and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.
“Owning and enjoying a classic is cheaper than many think,” said Larry Webster, senior vice president of media and editorial at Hagerty. “These are the cars that you can buy, enjoy, and if the time comes to sell, you can likely do so without a depreciation hit.”
Hagerty, founded as a family owned insurance agency but expanded into a major collector vehicle insurer, valuation tracker and driver’s club and automotive events organizer, offers what it called “quick takes” on each of its Bull Market nominees:
2011–12 Lexus LFA- Hagerty Media
2011–12 Lexus LFA: Toyota makes its fans wait a long time between supercars, Hagerty said in its news release, but the 2011-12 Lexus LFA made it worthwhile. A wholly unique front-engine exotic propelled by a whooping V10, the LFA wasn’t like anything from Italy or Germany. If Godzilla and a PlayStation got together to make a car, this would be it.
2006–10 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
2006–10 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8:The squarish lines of this generation of the Grand Cherokee date to Chrysler’s unhappy marriage with Germany’s Daimler, but the 6.1 liters of Hemi muscle under the hood are all American. All-weather acceleration is the appeal, Hagerty says, though the gas station will become that place where everybody knows your name.
1984–91 Ferrari Testarossa- Hagerty Media
1984–91 Ferrari Testarossa: Debuting at the 1984 Paris show, the Testarossa was a sensation. Intended to fix the flaws of its predecessor, the 512 BBi, the new TR featured a larger cockpit, a useable trunk, and a cooler interior thanks to moving the radiators from the nose to the flanks. One of the most memorable cars of the 1980s.
2005-17 Aston Martin Vantage- Hagerty Media
2005-17 Aston Martin Vantage: Aston Martin’s least-expensive car was also its best car in 2005. The gorgeous front-engine GT featured an aluminum frame and an emotional, Italianesque V8, plus deft handling. It was aimed at the still-working rich with an aggressive base price just above that of a Porsche 911. Models with the 4.7-liter engine will see the strongest growth.
1964–70 Honda S600 - Hagerty Media
1964–70 Honda S600: Since it was never imported to the U.S., the S600/800 is rare in left-hand drive, but worth seeking out. The dual-cam engine leans left at 45 degrees and wears four Keihin carburetors. That and chain-drive are perhaps to be expected from a bike maestro trying its hand at cars.
1980–91 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfali- Hagerty Media
1980–91 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia: The Instagram darling and center of the Van Life movement, the old Vanagon remains desirable partly because of the romance associated with carrying your house on your back, and partly because of VW’s steadfast refusal to replace it with anything comparable.
2005–06 Ford GT - Hagerty Media
2005–06 Ford GT: When Ford set out to re-create its history with a reborn GT40, the resulting car was several things other exotics notably weren’t, including comfortable, user-friendly and serviceable at any Ford dealer. Hagerty says they are valuable partly because they are so enjoyable.
2000–06 Audi TT Quattro coupe - Hagerty Media
2000–06 Audi TT Quattro coupe: A design icon from the get-go, the Audi TT sent every other automaker scurrying for tracing paper. Few new cars in the years to follow didn’t steal at least one design element, from the wrap-around lamps to low roofline to the browed wheel arches to the metal-accented interior.
1948–54 Jaguar XK120- Hagerty Media
1948–54 Jaguar XK120: Grace and pace, even if it doesn’t have much space. The 120 may have been a squeeze even for the people of 1949, but it did set the record for fastest production car that year. That performance was paired with refinement and resulted in a whole lot of elegant fun. Prices cooled for a time, which put it into reach of many younger collectors who are driving renewed interest.
1969 Honda CB750 - Hagerty Media
1969 Honda CB750: Like a storm rising from the East, Hagerty says Honda smashed to pieces the leaky fleet of Europe’s motorcycle industry in the 1960s, in part with the smooth and reliable CB750 Four. The earliest sandcast examples are worth twice as much as the other 400,000 made.
1993–97 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80- Hagerty Media
1993–97 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80: Toyota’s lumbering UN fleet truck was never built to be collectible, but time is an unpredictable force when it comes to picking winners. The Land Cruiser name has never been stronger and the 80 Series is just starting to get broad attention for its capability and comfort. Affection for these runs deep.
A full report on the Bull Market project will be presented in the January/February edition of the Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. For more information, visit the Hagerty website.
This article, written by Larry Edsall, was originally published on ClassicCars.com, an editorial partner of Motor Authority.