Best Cars as Future Classics of 2013
In twenty years, the automotive landscape will be very different. Electric cars will become commonplace, hybrids will become versatile and the Australian V8 muscle car will become a page in history.
But a handful of 2013 cars survived the upheaval and achieved classic status, just as the 1960s Ford Falcon GTHO is considered even more desirable today than when it first hit the roads. Classic cars don't necessarily have power or price.
We know a collector who loves a humble, hulking Morris 1100 in his multi-space garage. The first Toyota Prius is a car to keep because it made history. The original 5 Mazda MX-1989 is as "classic" as some Porsche 911 models. The key to classic status is simple: emotion.
A car works just like a refrigerator, but it's much more than a car, from the shape of the body to the tactile elements in the cabin to how you feel behind the wheel. Attachment can be expressed in love for the first car, even a modest "Beetle" of the 50s, or in the satisfaction of finally parking a dream car - even a Leyland P76 - in the garage.
Classic cars don't have to be affordable from day one because depreciation affects everything. Perhaps not enough to make the LaFerrari more than a dream, but it could help with a Porsche 911 or Audi R8, which are definitely desirable despite the showroom sticker.
What modern cars will get classic status? If we really knew, the Carsguide team would have posted them today as an investment in the future. But here are some likely suspects:
Abarth 695 tribute
Cost: from $ 69,990
Engine: 1.4-liter 4-cylinder, 132 kW / 230 Nm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential automatic, FWD
Thirst: 6.5 l/100 km, CO2 151 g/km
The Italian brainchild is outrageously expensive, but this humble Fiat 500 is touched by a Ferrari wand that makes it special. It looks wicked and beep to drive. Just fun.
Holden Commodore SS-V
Cost: around $50,000
Engine: 6.0-liter 8-cylinder, 270 kW / 530 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel drive
Thirst: 12.2 l/100 km, CO2 288 g/km
The latest in a long line of authentic home grown Holdens will soon be one to enjoy with enhanced efficiency and an Audi-style luxurious interior. Future F-series SS-Vs and HSVs will be historic symbols of performance.
Range Rover Evoque
Cost: from $ 51,495
Engine: 2.2-liter 4-cylinder, 110 kW / 380 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual or automatic, FWD or 4WD
Thirst: 4.9 l/100 km, CO2 129 g/km
It's a fashion item, not an SUV. The Evoque has a very similar look to the Mini, but it's also a great drive, and we know the all-wheel drive examples will go just about anywhere.
Nissan GT-R
Cost: from $ 172,000
Engine: 3.8-liter 6-cylinder, 404 kW / 628 Nm
Transmission: 6 speed car, 4WD
Thirst: 11.7 l/100 km, CO2 278 g/km
Godzilla is already a collector's car, thanks to earlier models tied to the GT-R that won the Bathurst 1000. The new model is a better car and still has more value, but collectors will need to find one that hasn't been smashed and abused.
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Cost: from $ 40,490
Engine: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, 155 kW / 280 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual or automatic, FWD
Thirst: 7.7 l/100 km, CO2 180 g/km
A German top-drive pocket rocket, and the next Golf Mk7 bodied model promises to be even better. The GTI has been an iconic car since the 70s and truly great since the 2005 Mark 5.
Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86
Cost: from $37,150 / $29,990
Engine: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, 147 kW / 205 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel drive
Thirst: 7.8 l/100 km, CO2 181 g/km
People who love cars have fallen in love with Twins, the sports cars that won the 2012 Carsguide Car of the Year. There is a waiting list for both and those interested pay more than a showroom sticker because they deliver exactly what they promise at a great price. Under pressure, we opted for the BRZ in signature Subaru blue.
