The reborn SRT Viper, (shown with the old Dodge version), is the most expensive model on the 2013 Hagerty Hot List.
It’s been a good year for classic car collectors – and even better for those who have put their cars up for auction. All sorts of records fell during the annual gathering of collectors in Scottsdale, Arizona last month and observers expect to see even more tumble in the months to come.
There are some vehicles, like early-model Ferraris and rare ‘60s muscle cars, that always seem to command a high price when the gavel comes down. But there are plenty of other collectible models that also do well for owners.
So, if you’re looking to buy a new car not just to drive it today but perhaps to have a collectible 20 years from now, how do you know what to pick? That’s where the Hagerty Hot List comes in. It’s the work of Hagerty Insurance, one of the industry leaders in providing coverage for classic cars. And the list is designed to provide a tip sheet on reasonably affordable vehicles from the 2013 model-year that are likely to be in high demand 20 years from now.
The Ford Focus ST is the lowest-priced model on the Hagerty Hot List this year.
The list is limited to vehicles under $100,000, ruling out Ferraris, Lamborghini, Bentleys and some of the other ultra-exotics that typically dominate classic car auctions. While there are a few obvious entries, such as the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 427, the Hot List also offers up some surprise selections, notably the $23,700 Ford Focus ST.
“This year’s Hot List is comprised of vehicles from a wide variety of market segments and manufacturers, but they all share one thing in common – a certain ‘cool’ factor that will be remembered by car enthusiasts for many years to come,” says McKeel Hagerty, President and CEO of Hagerty. “Well-preserved examples will be sought-after well beyond their contemporary peers have been used up and recycled.”
The 2013 Hot List presents a wide mix of domestic and European products – with one Asian offering, the Subaru BRZ, rolled in.
The most expensive model is the newly redesigned SRT Viper, which just squeaks in at $97,395. It marks the rebirth of the “snake,” as aficionados like to call it, and the 2013 model’s 8.4-liter V-10 engine makes an inspiring 640 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated engine on the road, Chrysler claims. Hagerty’s team chimes in that “there is no replacement for displacement.”
The Tesla Model S is the Hot List's first-ever battery-electric vehicle.
The Focus marks the other end of the price spectrum but delivers quite a bang for its buck, Hagerty stresses. The 2013 Focus ST is the latest step in the globalization of Ford’s product line – until recently, ST models were limited to the European market.
Other surprisingly affordable models on the Hagerty Hot List include the $23,995 Volkswagen GTi, the world’s most popular compact sports car, and the $25,495 Subaru BRZ. The latter model was the result of a first-ever collaboration between little Subaru and Japanese giant Toyota. The bigger maker sells an essentially identical version, the Scion FR-S, that didn’t make the cut, apparently, though it has been selling fast, nonetheless.
While sports and muscle cars often dominate the classic car market, there’s also strong demand for rare and unique offerings and this year, Hagerty is including a battery-electric model for the first time. The $58,570 Tesla Model S actually does qualify as a performance car considering it can launch from 0 to 60 in just five seconds – near silently, which Hagerty suggests gives the battery-electric model “a new definition of a ‘sleeper’ car.”
The 911's "little brother, the 2013 Porsche Cayman.
At last month’s Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, the first production model of the all-new Chevrolet “C7” Corvette commanded a winning $1.1 billion bid. But as a 2014 model, we’ll have to wait until next year to see if the new Stingray makes it onto the Hagerty Hot List. For now, the insurance firm is focusing on the 2013 Chevy Corvette Convertible 427, at $75,295, which marks the 60th anniversary of what many call “America’s sports car.” With a 0 to 60 time of just 3.8 seconds, “Nothing screams ‘American Muscle’” quite so effectively, the folks at Hagerty suggest.
Other models on the Hot List include:
- Audi RS5, ($68.900), “which oozes good taste,” while also pumping out a “potent” 414 horsepower;
- Porsche Cayman, ($63,800), lighter, more powerful and more efficient, the new version seems to truly deserve the designation of being “the 911’s little brother”;
- Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible, ($59,545), which Chevy bills, at 580 horsepower, “the most powerful production convertible ever”; and
- Mini John Cooper Works GP, the fastest Mini ever built. It seems destined to become a collectible considering only 500 will be sold in the U.S.
If Hagerty’s prognosticators are right, the 10 models on the 2013 Hot List should gain significant value over the next 20 years. We’ll plan to report back to see if they were right.