Inside Hagerty Magazine’s January/February 2020 Issue

This month’s cover story features the 3rd annual Hagerty Bull Market List, the 10 cars the Hagerty Valuation experts expect to rise in value. This year we added a motorcycle; check out the article to learn what country it’s from! Elsewhere in the issue, we are dodging elephants on a road rally from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket Island, and contributing writer John L. Stein is trying to rekindle the road trip of his 1977 youth in a 1961 Chrysler Newport hardtop. Read on for more.

Miata Turns 30 P. 14

The Mazda MX-5 Miata, the roadster that combined British charm with Japanese reliability, celebrated its 30th birthday in 2019. In the opening to the magazine’s Short Shifts section, we take the opportunity to once again point out what an affordable and fantastic enthusiast car the Miata is.

The McQueen Effect P. 22

The so-called Bullitt Mustang, the well-preserved 1966 Ford Mustang fastback driven in the movie Bullitt, is being sold at the Mecum auction in Kissimmee, Florida, this month. Most experts expect it to sell for several million dollars. That extraordinary price is due to its connection with Steve McQueen, who starred in the movie. Objects owned by famous celebrities sometimes add to an object’s value. But by how much? Colin Comer investigates.

Member Stories P. 28

We have a fantastic group of Member stories in this issue, including one from a serviceman who found a vintage military vehicle while deployed in Africa and another from a young man who restored a 1964 Ford Galaxie and, along the way, researched every previous owner of the car and has set out to meet all of them.

Bull Market List P. 40

Now in its third year, the Bull Market List is our pick of collector cars that the Hagerty Valuation Team expects will increase in value. We strive to populate this list with affordable cars that speak to the majority of our readers. We don’t want to present the cars as simple investments; instead, our goal is to reinforce how affordable the hobby can be. These are cars you can buy, enjoy, and then sell in the future for perhaps more than the purchase price. Check out the amazing photography we took of the 10 cars and one motorcycle at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

The Malaysia-Thailand Adventure P. 78

Car culture is alive and well in Southeast Asia, Hagerty Media Site Director Jack Baruth found out during his summer vacation last year. Driving a borrowed Mercedes-Benz CLS350 in the EvoEnduro road rally from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, to Thailand’s Phuket Island and back, Baruth encounters difficult border crossings, elephants, and two-wheeled motorized transport of every description on the roads linking the two countries. The rally, which included 81 vehicles, is the brainchild of motoring impresario Bobby Ang, who owns EVOLTN, an automotive enthusiast magazine in Malaysia. We titled Baruth’s story “Borderline Behavior” and hired illustrator Brett Affrunti to draw images that evoke the adventure.

Can You Go Back? P. 88

Contributing writer John L. Stein attempts to replicate the magic of a formative road trip, re-creating a journey he took with friends in a 1961 Chrysler Newport convertible back in the summer of 1977, when they were just starting their adult lives, a true coming-of-age moment. Their 2019 journey along the California coastline, in another 1961 Chrysler Newport, is a terrific example of the car as time machine.

Coventry Climax Engine P. 102

In the latest installment of our Epic Engines series, contributing writer Don Sherman explains the history of the Coventry Climax engine, which might also be called “the little engine that could,” given the various ingenious ways it was used and developed for decades. This four-cylinder originally was designed in Coventry, England, to power a water pump used by firefighters. The pump/engine unit had to be hand-carried, so it was lightweight, powerful, and reliable. Racers noticed, and the Coventry Climax soon became the preferred engine for many race car manufacturers, including Lotus.

Detailing Your Car On The Fly P. 112

We asked professional detailer and Hagerty ambassador Tim McNair, who makes a living prepping some of the finest cars in the world for concours d’elegance and road-rally events, how to assemble a portable kit stocked with detailing essentials. Hint: bamboo sticks are your friend.

The article first appeared in Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Click here to subscribe to our magazine and join the club.