QOTD: Future Classics?

All hands seemed to enjoy the voting-style poll of last Monday’s QOTD, so let’s try it again. And, yes, if you flake on your choice you can change your selection.

Trying to determine The Next Big Thing in the collector car world is akin to fortune-telling tomorrow’s lottery numbers. Still, it doesn’t stop gearheads from pontificating on which vehicle will be the next to skyrocket in value. We have four choices for you today.

Without doubt, cars like the Fox-body Mustang and A80 Supra have already taken off into the stratosphere, so we won’t mention those. That ship has already sailed.

The fourth-gen Mercedes SL has always held a place with your author, thanks to a combination of teutonic styling and a general sense of gravitas. Known by M-B nerds as the R129, production of this SL technically spanned three decades — 1989 to 2002. Gonzo AMG versions are extremely rare, as are stickshift V6 versions which admittedly reside on the other end of the performance spectrum. After years of being able to pick one up for a (relative) song, I think these convertibles are poised to significantly go up in value. After all, when the valet asks “Which car is yours?” no one has ever regretted saying “Why, my dear man, it’s that big grey Mercedes.”

That’s my pick, but I’ll advance three more. Fox Mustangs are now trading for stupid money, so I believe the halo effect will cause the fabulous Lincoln Mark VII to experience a bump in value as well. Your author deeply regrets selling his 1989 during an ill-advised fleet reduction program.

For the same “halo” reason, Si versions of the fifth-gen Civic are likely to become more valuable, thanks to the money its distant ITR cousin is pulling. Rarity of examples in good nick plays a factor here, since most were either hacked up, hooned to death, or consumed by rust. Weirdo high-mpg VX models might have some appeal, too.

In keeping with the thought that buzz of a new model creates demand for old ones (*ahem Supra ahem*), I think the OJ-style Ford Bronco will soon start commanding as much or more money as the original version from the early ’70s. Check out that “Nite” trim in the hero image up top and tell me that’s not a tasty vehicle.

And, it goes without saying, buying a car solely to make money on it is a terrible idea. We should buy them to drive, not to hermetically seal. Which of these four is your pick for future Barrett-Jackson stardom?