What do HSV GTSR, Land Rover Defender, Mazda RX-7 and Toyota Supra have in common? Some Big Investments You Probably Should Have Made

At launch, this latest Commodore-based HSV was expected to be a future classic.

Predicting the future with complete accuracy has proven difficult so far, so it can be difficult to accurately predict which cars will be great investments and which ones will cost you money.

We recently tried to compile a short list of possible good investments for the future and also looked at the current trend of cars being more expensive than retail due to the global supply chain crisis.

This time we decided to take a look at some cars that would be good investments when they were new, based on their current posted prices.

As usual, we must emphasize that the advertised price is not a guaranteed value, but it usually gives a good indication of what the market is willing to pay.

Land Rover Defender

While the new model has had a successful launch and is vastly outselling the old model, it seems that the original Land Rover still has an enthusiastic audience.

Before it was discontinued in 2016, it looks like some astute people decided to be careful with what they have and keep prices low, because there are several examples of Defenders with less than 50,000 km on them and an asking price of up to north of $90,000XNUMX.

That's a good result considering many of these models would cost less than $70 in new condition, so every time your car's value goes up, you can count it as a big win.

Toyota Supra

Call it 'Gran Turismo effect" or perhaps Fast and furious movies are responsible, but whatever the reason, demand for the previous "MkIV" or "JZA80" Supra is high. As a result, a low mileage could cost you more than a brand new 2021 Supra.

Such is the demand for these 1990s sports cars, even those with a relatively high price tag can still demand more than when they are new, around or above $100,000.

This is because the Supra is a key part of the current JDM boom we reported on earlier. Kids growing up in the 1990s and 2000s played PlayStation. Gran Turismo playing or watching Fast and furious movies are now looking to buy real versions of the cars they've seen on screen, leading to the current high demand.

Mazda RX-7

Not surprisingly, the Supra's main competitor from the 90s is also in demand today. Mazda's rotary-powered sports car has always had a unique appeal, but the latest generation of the "FD" series is currently in high demand.

While a new edition costs roughly $70,000 in 2021, a well-maintained or special edition can cost more than double that. 

Of particular value is the special edition Spirit R, which can be found advertised for over $175,000 for a 2022 year model. A return of $100 over two decades is a good result for an investment in the automotive industry.

VPG GCR

It's kind of a rule-breaker because even at launch, this latest Commodore-based HSV was expected to be a future classic.

In fact, the decision to buy the GTSR as an investment may have driven prices down due to the sheer amount of choice available. There are currently over 35 GTSRs for sale online, with the cheapest one costing $182,000 – over $70 on top of the original price of $109,490.

So even with the potential to be collectible, these last-of-its-kind HSVs are still a great investment. In particular, given that experts predict that the market will remain strong in the coming years, even after the current price spike caused by the pandemic.

Porsche RS 911 GT3

As with the HSV when it arrived, this was a pretty safe bet, but even so, the current prices being asked for these cars have likely exceeded the expectations of most original buyers.

While not all instances of the 991rd generation GT3 RS are priced above the original asking price, as of press time, several instances are advertised claiming a premium on the original $416,500 price.

But the best example of a 911 worth buying is the 2011 GT 3 4.0, and there is currently only one available for purchase with an asking price of $1.09 million. That's well above the $409,100 the original owner paid, and given the declining sales of naturally aspirated sports cars, it's likely to remain a strong buy.

But that's arguably true of any recent, well-maintained GT3 RS, as enthusiasts who love the gas engine are becoming more willing to pay for it in the face of more electric vehicles.