2025 Bull Market List: 11 Hot Rides on the Rise Right Now

Welcome back to the Hagerty Bull Market List, our annual deep dive into the collector vehicles most poised to increase in value in the year to come. This year, 2025, marks the eighth installment of our expert insights.

Click to read past Bull Market Lists from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

At some point during the multiday photoshoot for this story at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park, conversation in the paddock turned to costs of living. Eric Kaufman, octogenarian owner of the lovingly preserved Jaguar E-Type seen on these pages, elegiacally shared that when he went to Harvard Law School decades ago, a semester cost about what a student today could expect to spend on books and course materials. Monthly nut for the NYC penthouse he had in the late 1950s? You’ll now shell out more on dinner for two at any decent New York restaurant.

Things get more expensive over time. It’s a fact of life that hardly seems worth celebrating. Yet it is, counterintuitively, one of the reasons we put together Bull Market, our annual list of cars most likely to go up in value. Whereas most of the things we need and want simply cost more with each passing day, many classic cars also tend to be worth more, meaning that when it comes time to sell, you stand a solid chance of recouping your investment and then some. That rising tide is one of the things that makes classic car ownership attainable to people from all walks of life.

Our Bull Market List this year is more diverse than ever. Our cars represent every decade between the 1960s to the 2010s and hail from six countries (seven, if you’re inclined to consider Northern Ireland—origin of the DeLorean—and England separately). A few crack six figures, but others can still be found in decent shape for less than 10 grand. Owners on hand ranged from Kaufman, the retired lawyer, to a 27-year-old car restorer and a klatch of other smooth-faced 20-somethings. Everyone got along well, bonded by something deeper than age or background—the simple joy that comes from owning an interesting automobile.

Meet the Bulls: 2025 Lineup

• 1961–1964 Jaguar E-Type SI 3.8 Coupe
• 2003–2013 Lamborghini Gallardo Six-Speed
• 1984–1990 Ford Bronco II
• 1978–1983 Datsun 280ZX
• 1961–1972 Volvo P1800
• 2006–2008 Dodge Magnum SRT-8
• 1976–1989 Ferrari 400/412
• 2002–2006 Mini Cooper S
• 1997–2001 Honda Prelude
• 2002–2008 Mercedes-Benz G500
• 1981–1983 DeLorean DMC-12

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1961–1964 Jaguar E-Type

If there’s one thing most car people can agree on, it’s that they would own an E-Type if one came along at the right price. A born seductress, the E-Type had them swooning in the aisles at the 1961 Geneva auto show from the moment Jag pulled off the wraps, and it rode into New York soon after with a clamor presaging the arrival of the Beatles. Britain’s greatest export since the Mayflower, it was, in the words of Road & Track’s Henry N. Manney III, the “greatest crumpet catcher known to man.”

Those looking for beauty in nature, even perhaps the presence of the divine, are reassured by the fact that it was a mathematician, not a designer, who sculpted the E-Type’s voluptuous form. Malcolm Sayer crunched numbers, first at the de Havilland and Bristol aircraft companies, then for Jaguar starting in 1951. He applied his aerodynamic algorithms and knowledge of lightweight structures first to the C-Type racer, then the fabulous shark-finned D-Type. He was one of the patron saints of the old axiom that if it looks fast, it probably is fast. You can see why there was restless anticipation at the time for Jaguar to produce its next letter car, and the E did not disappoint.

Strap into this time machine that smells of aging leather and wool.

Within that gorgeous bod, Jaguar had packed in a lot of learning from the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans, from the free-revving twin-cam, twin-carb 3.8-liter straight-six to the all-independent suspension to the Dunlop disc brakes. And it priced the car at roughly half that of a Ferrari or Aston Martin, setting the sports car world on its ear (if not exactly guaranteeing the company a healthy, sustainable profit).

One day around 1962, Eric Kaufman was walking past the Jaguar dealer in his hometown of New York City when he spied a British Racing Green E-Type coupe in the showroom. It was love at first sight, but it was more than 30 years before Kaufman could consummate the affair by accidentally spotting a one-line ad in Hemmings for a ’63 coupe in British Racing Green. The original owner, an ophthalmologist from Mishawaka, Indiana, had grown too old to enjoy the 25,000-mile car he had bought new and picked up at the factory in Coventry on a tourist delivery. To become only the car’s second owner, Kaufman paid nearly twice the then-going rate for an E-Type coupe, and except for new whitewall radials, an extra radiator fan, a replacement exhaust, and a five-speed conversion, the car hasn’t changed at all. Even the carpets are original.

Strapping into this time machine that smells of aging leather and wool, wrapping your fingers around the spaghetti-thin rim of the wood steering wheel, and taking in the view over the long, bulging hood is exactly why people still pine for E-Types. The 3.8 doesn’t have the torque of the later, faster 4.2 but it spins more eagerly and snarls more aggressively. Even so, the E-Type presents as a long-legged and gently loping touring machine, relatively relaxed by the standards of today and even against the Italian machinery it once called its rivals. But alas, the E-Type really has no rivals. —Aaron Robinson

1961–1964 Jaguar E-Type SI 3.8

Highs: Just look at it; a genuine delight to drive; still causing hearts to throb wherever it goes.

Lows: Cramped for taller folk; coupes get warm inside; lots of old British machinery stuffed into a small space—what could possibly go wrong?

*Value Range: #1 – $260,000  #2 – $182,800 #3 – $81,000 #4 – $60,300

*The biggest variable in figuring out how much a car is worth is its condition. A trailer queen is obviously worth more than a rusted-out version of the same model. Hagerty analysts account for this with a 1–4 condition rating system. All factors of aesthetic appeal and mechanical condition are taken into account. Unless otherwise stated, values in this story are for condition #2. Read more about our rating system here.

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2003–2013 Lamborghini Gallardo

The first whack at an entry-level car by the house of the pissed-off bull was the 1973 Urraco, and it tanked so badly that it nearly took down the whole company with it. Several changes of ownership later, Lamborghini was ready to try again in 2003. This time, new owner Audi AG, which had purchased the Sant’Agata boutique in 1998, took no chances. Project L140, as the new “baby” Lamborghini was known internally, would benefit from all of Audi’s technical know-how and global supply base.

Audi’s advanced aluminum center in Neckarsulm, Germany, assembled the Gallardo’s welded and riveted spaceframe, which was a test bed for the later Audi R8 that used an evolved version. The four-cam, 40-valve, 493-hp, 5.0-liter V-10 also came from Audi’s assembly line in Győr, Hungary, and the electronics and cockpit displays and controls were familiar to any owner of a contemporary Audi. All-wheel drive, long an Audi trademark, was standard on the original Gallardo.

A fully modern and stylistically geometric evolution of the Murciélago, the Gallardo coupe and subsequent Spyder were hot sellers, enjoying a stellar 10-year production run in which just over 14,000 units were built. Later versions upped the displacement to 5.2 liters, and special models such as the 2009 LP550-2 Balboni Edition, named for longtime Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni, even offered rear-drive only.

Buying the entry-level Lambo didn’t get you the scissor doors, much less a V-12, but it got you a thoroughly modern machine with usable controls, comfortable seats, and cab-forward proportions that supplied great visibility as well as decent head- and legroom, not traits commonly associated with prior Lamborghinis.

It’s hard to believe now, but opting for the six-speed Graziano manual gearbox saved the buyer 10 grand over the e-Gear automatic (the same gearbox but with automated shifting and clutch). Yet few buyers checked that box—stick-shift Gallardos are rare nowadays and carry a 50 percent price premium.

We had forgotten what a good car the Gallardo is, with lubricated controls, a planted stance, a delightfully slick gated shifter, and an 8000-rpm naturally aspirated V-10 answering to the go pedal. Lamborghini has always stead-fastly resisted turbocharging (though a whole hot-rodding subculture devoted to stuffing turbos under Gallardo engine covers has sprung up), and it’s wonderful to be reminded that owning a supercar wasn’t always just about 0–60 times and skidpad g’s, it was about the experience.

Purveyors of today’s robotic warp machines will argue rightly that turbos, paddle shifters, and electronic aids produce lower lap times. But stack a whole pile of these silicon rockets on one side of the scale and a Gallardo with its bellowing V-10 winding out in one long and linear burst of thrust before the shift ball under your palm click-click-clicks in the next ratio, and it’s easy to predict how the scale tips. —Aaron Robinson

2003–2013 Lamborghini Gallardo

Highs: Fully modern yet all Lamborghini; that bawling V-10 in back; no turbos; incredible dynamics even by modern standards; the possibility of a manual.

Lows: Manuals are rare as hen’s teeth; maintenance is not cheap, and lord help you if something actually breaks; not for those wishing to fly under the radar.

Value Range: #1 – $206,400  #2 – $157,700 #3 – $119,000 #4 – $94,200

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1984–1990 Ford Bronco II

When I turned the key to start the Bronco’s two-hour drive to Lime Rock, the first sound I heard was Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” blaring through the radio. Before Neil Peart finished his final drum solo, a guy driving past in a modern American pickup honked and gave me a thumbs-up. This felt like a sign from the ’80s car gods that we made the right choice in adding the Bronco II to this year’s list—punctuated by the radio immediately losing reception as the highway curved toward the autumn colors.

Although the design is understated, this Wimbledon White Bronco II stands out in modern traffic. When every other vehicle on the road is a gray-scale, blobby crossover, the Baby Bronco’s small, rugged proportions and radical arcade-era graphics turn more heads than expected. It’s a truck Kurt Russell would drive in a John Carpenter movie. Built on a shortened version of the already compact Ranger pickup platform, the Bronco II is only a few inches larger than the original Bronco and much smaller than its competition. Though it was 5 inches taller than the Chevrolet S10 Blazer, the Bronco II’s wheelbase was a full 13 inches shorter.

These stubby proportions contributed to the Bronco II’s controversial history. The wrongful death lawsuits that Ford settled due to rollovers were front of mind while I tried to keep up with traffic in the Bronco II. I initially kept reminding myself to take corners slowly, having previously read that Ford canceled the J-turn test during development “out of fear of killing or injuring one of its own drivers.” But once the miles fell away, my mind eased into the pleasant drive through hilly East Coast villages where the Bronco’s 94-inch wheelbase showed its true charm. (It must also be remembered that few SUVs in what one might loosely term the pre–Porsche Cayenne era were engineered with aggressive on-road driving in mind.)

When we were told our Bronco II for the week was a 1985 model, we expected to find a 115-hp, 2.8-liter Cologne V-6 under the hood. Instead, we were pleasantly surprised by a 4.0-liter Cologne V-6 from a 1991 Ranger paired with a five-speed manual from a decades-newer Ranger. The powertrain swap was a good move, as the original 2.8-liter is wildly underpowered. Ford agreed and upped the output to 140 horsepower with a 2.9-liter Cologne in 1986. That same year, Ford introduced a rear-wheel-drive version that kept the transfer case but sealed where the front drive shaft would exit—a unique bit of engineering.

Our owner, Patrick Precourt, traded a BMW Z3 for this Bronco II on a whim. “I’ve had a lot of cars,” he said. “Whenever there’s something cool that has some character, I’m in.” This wasn’t his first Bronco II. In high school, he bought one for $350 simply to mess around with. “I took it into the woods a bunch with my friends,” Precourt said, “and one day, it just never made it out.” You’ll hear similar stories when you ask people about Bronco IIs they owned when they were dirt-cheap used trucks. The attrition rate was high, which pushes up the value of clean examples. That said, they are still affordable compared with most other vintage trucks.

Precourt was born well after Ford discontinued the Bronco II, which is quickly becoming the norm for its fan base. Millennials are the fastest-growing ownership group, followed by Gen Z, although the cult is still headed by baby boomers, who currently own 46 percent of them. The average age of a Bronco II owner is continuing to drop, which is not the case for most vintage trucks of the era. These young collectors might be on to something. —Adam Wilcox

1984–1990 Ford Bronco II

Highs: Rugged good looks; simple and easy-to-find componentry; those decals!

Lows: Driving dynamics are, ahem, rustic; finding a clean one can be challenging.

Value Range: #1 – $26,300  #2 – $15,500 #3 – $8000 #4 – $2600

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1978–1983 Datsun 280ZX

The first-generation Datsun 240Z, introduced in 1969, redefined what a sports car could and should be with its compelling combination of looks, performance, and outstanding value. Those were considerable shoes to fill for its first all-new replacement, the 280ZX.

When the 280ZX arrived in 1978, it didn’t really follow the same formula as its predecessor. It swapped the Z’s sporting nature for that of a grand tourer, with a suspension tuned for comfort and an interior made more civilized with cushy seats and extra sound insulation. Options included T-tops (“skyroof” in Datsun’s sales-brochure speak), cruise control, leather interior, and power windows.

The shape of the 240Z was largely retained but made more aerodynamic. A badge on the rear read “Datsun 280ZX by Nissan,” hinting at the transition to come.

The biggest knock on early 280ZXs was their performance—or lack thereof. The ZX was noticeably heavier than the Zs that had preceded it, and its 2.8-liter inline-six put out a paltry 135 horsepower. Performance suffered compared with the 280Z due to the ZX’s increased weight and the engine’s newly added, power-sapping emissions controls. Car and Driver clocked the ZX at a leisurely 9.1 seconds to 60 mph and 17.1 seconds through the quarter-mile with a speed of 83 mph. To remedy this, in 1981, Datsun fitted a turbocharger to the 2.8-liter, increasing output to 180 horsepower.

Problem solved. The 1982 ZX Turbo we sourced for Bull Market quickly established itself as one of the most popular cars in our group for spirited runs on and around Lime Rock Park. In these modern days of seamless turbo power, it’s easy to forget the binary off/on nature of turbos from this era. You hit the throttle, wait 1-2-3-4, and whoosh comes the boost. It’s a hoot. This ZX is fitted with a five-speed manual, allowing the driver to wring maximum performance from the six-cylinder. (A three-speed auto was also offered.) Handling is sharp and steering accurate, a credit to the ZX’s sophisticated independent rear suspension as well as owner Rob Wehmhoff’s recent freshening of many chassis components.

The interior is comfortable and very much of the period, right down to the silver-faced stereo controls. Despite having only owned the car since April 2024, Wehmhoff has racked up plenty of miles. “I love it when people stop and tell me that they used to have one of these or their dad used to have one,” he says.

Hit the throttle, wait… And whoosh comes the boost.

The dads of the world have, in recent years, been heavily focused on the 240Z, in the process driving up their prices to the point that early Zs are all but unobtainable to younger enthusiasts. A nice example can easily go for more than $50K. We can’t argue with that—they’re all-time great cars. But for the next generation of enthusiasts, it is now the 280ZX that best fulfills Datsun/Nissan’s original mission of providing performance and surprising sophistication at an attainable price. —Kirk Seaman

1978–1983 Datsun 280ZX

Highs: Amusing turbo sounds; ready for a Radwood event near you.

Lows: Rust can run rampant; lackluster performance for non-turbo cars.

Value Range: #1 – $70,400  #2 – $32,800 #3 – $12,500 #4 – $5500

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1961–1972 Volvo P1800 Coupe

In 1953, Volvo co-founder Assar Gabrielsson visited Flint, Michigan, and witnessed the first Chevrolet Corvettes rolling off the production line. Volvo, at this juncture, wasn’t even officially importing cars to the United States and certainly had little expertise in the realm of sports cars. But Gabrielsson was smitten. He decided that a Volvo in the same vein would be a boon for the brand’s presence in the lucrative U.S. market, and after a false start, Volvo fulfilled Gabrielsson’s desire.

When the Volvo P1800 was revealed at the 1960 Brussels motor show, its slinky sheet metal was compared favorably to Maseratis and Ferraris. This wasn’t a coincidence. The Italians, specifically the Ghia subsidiary Frua, took on the styling, but ironically it was a young Swede working for Frua, Pelle Petterson, who penned the final design. Volvo didn’t have the manufacturing capacity for its new sports car, so it punted to British sports car firm Jensen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, British craftsmanship was not up to Volvo’s high standards, and production moved to Sweden in 1963.

An autostrade ripper the P1800 was not, though Volvo never claimed it was. “This car won’t do 150. It just looks like it will,” went the ad copy. Underneath the gran turismo good looks were mechanicals from Volvo’s 122S family car. The 1.8-liter overhead-valve four-cylinder initially made only 100 horsepower. (Later cars were good for 130 ponies, thanks to larger displacement and Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection.) A period Road & Track review described the engine as “distinguished more by smoothness than vigor,” and “the most under-stressed unit we have seen in many years.”

Understressed might be an understatement; the drivetrain is famously robust. Irv Gordon purchased a new P1800 in 1966 and clocked 3.25 million miles on the odometer—a world record for the most driven in a single, non-commercial car. Other than rebuilding the original engine twice, Gordon simply followed the maintenance schedule outlined in the owner’s manual. If you want a non-fussy classic, look no further.

Our photo car, an immaculately restored 1968 P1800S lent to us by Hagerty Drivers Club member Eric Shapiro, had not traveled the equivalent distance of seven times to the moon and back. But we thoroughly enjoyed piloting it back and forth on the scenic, two-lane roads outside of Lime Rock Park. The P1800 is easy to drive and feels more modern than it is. Unlike other cars of the era, it has fully synchronized gears, standard front disc brakes, and manageable steering. The engine has enough torque that you don’t need to downshift at the sight of every incline.

The P1800 has long been a cult classic—popular with the quirky coastal types who were traditionally Volvo’s core market. Recently, however, we note more people are cluing in to the Volvo’s merits. Millennials in particular are showing interest in the P1800 and tend to be willing to pay more for them than older collectors, according to our insurance data. According to the Hagerty Price Guide, values for the average condition #2 car have already gone up 47.8 percent to $44,200 in the past five years. We’re betting that trend will continue. In fact, we’re surprised the Swedish sports coupe took this long to catch on. —Chris Stark

1961–1972 Volvo P1800

Highs: Gorgeous sheetmetal; surprisingly modern driving experience; indestructible drivetrain.

Lows: Pokey engine; expensive restoration parts.

Value Range: #1 – $77,000  #2 – $44,200 #3 – $26,800 #4 – $4600

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2006–2008 Dodge Magnum SRT-8

Unless you’re talking about Subaru or Volvo, the history of the modern station wagon is short and tragic. The minivan and SUV teamed up decades ago to smite nearly the entire race, but a few new ones did squeak out of fists clenched tight by customer clinics and sales charts. Actually, the tank-like Dodge Magnum wasn’t called a wagon; its creators preferred “sports tourer.” Sure. Whatever you called it, the Magnum was cool, a turret-topped street bomb derived from the 2004 Chrysler 300C, a mobster in a pinstripe that was itself derived from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. So some good things did come out of the otherwise disastrous DaimlerChrysler merger.

Back then, the company’s Street and Racing Technology department nurtured DC’s domestic flame of performance and, as with its German cousin AMG, infused selected products with real protein. For the SRT-8, the Magnum’s optional 340-horse Hemi 5.7 was bored by 3.5 millimeters to 6.1 liters and received new heads with larger, hollow-stem valves, a reinforced block carrying a forged crank and a billet cam, and a redline raised to 6400 rpm.

No doubt done intentionally, the SRT-8’s 425-rated horsepower matched that of the 426 Hemi Road Runner of 1969, as did the car’s acceleration figures: 0–60 in 5.1 seconds and 13.6 seconds in the quarter-mile at 106 mph. Dodge didn’t just do a wagon, it produced one of the hottest wagons—er, sports tourers—ever made. And priced new at around $40,000, it undercut anything from Germany while offering a distinctly Detroit experience.

The Magnum is a one-of-one for its era. Not only a wagon but an affordable rear-drive one.

Pin the throttle and the roar is uniquely American, but throw it into a corner and the big Magnum complies with responsive steering and composed body control. It helps that owner Eric LaBrecque, a professional car restorer and legit Mopar nut, has fitted coilovers and upgraded brakes to his babied 49,000-mile survivor. But even in stock form, the Magnum SRT-8 was an excellent driver for its huge 120.0-inch wheelbase and 4400-pound curb weight. Basically, NASCAR on the Nordschleife. No doubt that’s why this wildly successful platform, which lived on in the Dodge Charger and Challenger, only just went out of production nearly 20 years later.

Shades of Bauhaus design infuse a stark interior of simple shapes, white-faced gauges, and an almost industrial vibe. It was a time and a place, the results of then-design chief Trevor Creed trying to reconcile his staff’s urge to produce timeless cool with Daimler-Chrysler’s drive for relentless cost cutting. You can argue that the money was spent where it counts, beneath the skin, where the Magnum SRT-8 has legit credibility. And the Magnum is a one-of-one for its era, not only a wagon but an affordable rear-drive one at that.

At the Magnum’s debut, Creed said the design brief was, “What happens after the SUV?”

Well, we’re still waiting for an answer, as SUV sales have only accelerated since then. But we can at least thank the stars that the Magnum came along when it did to delight those hankering for something else. —Aaron Robinson

2006–2008 Dodge Magnum SRT-8

Highs: Unique and always will be; serious old-school performance in a very new-school package; daily driver or cherished classic, it can go either way.

Lows: Fuel suckage in the mid-teens; outward visibility hampered by the design; modern electronics means modern problems as they age.

Value Range: #1 – $47,600  #2 – $32,600 #3 – $21,600 #4 – $15,600

***

1976–1989 Ferrari 400/412

For decades, the Ferrari 400 and its successor, the 412, have been disparaged and maligned. This discrimination likely can be traced to the reception of the cars’ predecessor, the 365 GT4 2+2—Road & Track referred to the four-seat GT4 as the “Queen Mother” due to its size, weight, and luxury. “Queen Mary” is another pejorative often used, but the gist remains the same: The 365, 400, and 412 are big, boaty, and not “true” Ferraris despite having a V-12 engine up front. The purists really got revved up when the 400 replaced the 365 in 1976 and offered a three-speed automatic—the first Ferrari to be so equipped—in addition to a five-speed manual.

Many of these complaints seem quaint today, seeing as how all Ferraris currently in production have automatic transmissions and many have full-figured proportions. None have a V-12 with the provenance of the 4.8-liter under the hood of the 400. Its roots go back to the first V-12 designed by Gioacchino Colombo for Ferrari in 1947. As Enzo himself decreed, “The 12-cylinder will always be the original Ferrari… everything else is a derivation.” The 400’s engine was first fitted with Weber carburetors and made 340 horsepower; in 1979, the 400 became the 400i when fuel injection replaced the carbs. Output dropped to 310 horsepower yet was still sufficient to move the 400 from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds; top speed was 140 mph.

Time and perspective have also been kind to the 400’s styling. Some critics back in the day labeled the Pininfarina design dull and unexciting. Part of the 400’s appeal now is exactly that subtle, sleeper quality. When compared with the shouty, flashy exteriors of some of the car’s contemporaries, such as the Lamborghini Countach, the 400 still looks fresh and modern.

Those looks are exactly what attracted owner Travis Washay to this black 1984 400i. “I’ve always been into unusual stuff,” he confesses. “To me, the 400 is such an underappreciated car.” With the extra seats, he can bring his sons—Cooper, age 9, and Miller, 7—along for the drive. “I want them to experience the car with me.”

As Enzo himself decreed, “the 12-cylinder will always be the original Ferrari.”

The best way to experience the car is behind the wheel. The V-12 makes fantastic sounds, but our test car was fitted with the automatic transmission, making the car more of a highway cruiser. The syrupy glissando of its shifts leaves the driver wishing for the manual’s staccato shifts and the two extra gears to run through. The Hagerty Price Guide cites a premium of 50 percent for manual-equipped cars due to their rarity and desirability.

To give his 400i more of a Cannonball Run look, Washay swapped out the stock wheels for a set of Gotti/Etoiles and put Cibié covers on the fog lights. “People stare at it wherever I go, but they don’t know what they’re seeing. It throws them off because it looks like nothing else. That’s what I love about it.” —Kirk Seaman

1976–1989 Ferrari 400/412

Highs: It’s a Ferrari V-12, fer cryin’ out loud; sleeper looks; leather-lined interior’s heady aroma.

Lows: That Ferrari V-12 is hamstrung by an automatic transmission; sleeper looks; pricey parts.

Value Range: #1 – $82,800  #2 – $59,900 #3 – $44,400 #4 – $32,000

***

2002–2006 Mini Cooper S

BMW undoubtedly enjoyed a golden age around the turn of the century. Any German car snob can reel off the hits, often by chassis codes. There was the 2001–2006 (“E46”) M3, the well-rounded and perfectly balanced athlete; the 2000–2003 (E39) M5, the paragon of a sleeper sports sedan; and of course the 1998–2002 (E36/8) Z3 M Coupe, the wickedly cool shoe-shaped three-door.

Yet the Bavarians’ most ambitious effort in this period may have been its reinvention of the most beloved driving machine in the world: the Mini.

The original Mini was introduced in the late 1950s and remained in production until 2000, essentially unchanged. Sir Alec Issigonis’ band of original visionaries and their successors had attempted updates plenty of times before but lacked the necessary resources and corporate green lights to get it done. That fresh capital and direction arrived in 1994, when BMW bought out Rover Group.

After two years of engineering and design iteration, the concept, penned by Frank Stephenson, debuted at the 1997 Frankfurt motor show. It was instantly recognized as an aesthetic success—clearly retro and linked to the past but with a touch of Teutonic chill that made the bubbly-looking bulldog sleek and steely, too. The new car was still friendly and practical but more confident; the Mini’s optional contrasting hat-like roof was retained among other styling throwbacks, but the car visually and figuratively wore its brim backward this time around.

As BMW prepared for production to begin in 2000, it stripped and sold every Rover Group asset except for the Mini brand and a factory in Oxford to build the new models. The stakes were high: This was the first time BMW poured its know-how into an affordable front-drive platform, and it had to stack up to the famously fun-to-drive original.

The new Mini’s sporting cred rested on the Cooper S, which was powered by a Brazilian-built supercharged 1.6-liter inline-four that BMW and Rover developed with Chrysler. That wonderfully whiny mill is good for 163 horsepower, 155 lb-ft of torque, and a sub-7-second shove to 60 if you’re quick with the six-speed manual. The sounds alone make the original $20,000 sticker seem worth it, and the responsive and huck-friendly handling makes the Cooper S feel alive even at legal speeds. The trade-off is that the ride can be stiff, but who’s buying a car like this in search of numb comfort, anyway?

Between the roof wing, hood scoop, central-exit twin-tip exhaust, rollcage-style inner door panel design, and fat tach sitting above the steering wheel—not to mention the optional racing stripes and rally lights—there’s always been a bit of boy-racer fun from the factory, so it’s no surprise that over 70 percent of Cooper S owners for whom Hagerty offers insurance are Gen Xers or younger. Many grew up around these cars in real life or on various screens, and tapping into that nostalgia doesn’t cost all that much, either; according to the Hagerty Price Guide, even the best (condition #1) examples sell for just about $16,000. (Special-edition John Cooper Works models, which have more power and even stiffer suspension, bring more money.)

This car isn’t a consolation prize for price-conscious youths. It’s a blast to drive just about anywhere, says owner Ben Chester. It’s up there with the Ford GT as one of the most gracefully aging retro designs of all time. And besides, don’t you want a fun hatch that doesn’t say GTI on the back? —Alex Sobran

2002–2006 Mini Cooper S

Highs: Addictive supercharger noises abound even around town; the chassis is eager for backroads; can daily drive a stock one or go wild with modifications; excellent design inside and out.

Lows: Can look a bit dingy if not taken care of; repairs and maintenance can be a hit; buzzkilling interior rattles are often hard to trace.

Value Range: #1 – $16,200  #2 – $12,000 #3 – $8900 #4 – $6200

***

1997–2001 Honda Prelude

To the uninitiated, the Honda Prelude was never more than a sexy Accord, but those who knew better appreciated it as a sharp handler that punched way above its price point. The latter view is, increasingly, holding sway today.

The fifth- and final-generation Prelude, which debuted in 1997, had chiseled exterior lines, a refined interior, and, for the range-topping Type SH trim, Honda’s new Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS), a bit of chassis magic that used a hydraulically controlled arrangement of planetary gears and wet clutches to reduce understeer by sending more torque to the outside front wheel. The Type SH bested a BMW 3 Series and a Mazda Miata in a period Car and Driver handling test. “The Prelude holds a Ph.D. in precision,” gushed the editors.

Even without those chassis tricks, the Prelude charms. Hagerty Drivers Club member David Laventure graciously lent us his 2001 example finished in the one-year-only Electron Blue Pearl. While it isn’t the top-dog Type SH (figure a 43 percent increase in value over a base car in similar condition), his Prelude is factory-fresh with only 64,000 miles on the odometer. The big draw is its 200-hp, 2.2-liter Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) engine, which switches between two camshaft profiles: one for low-end response and the other for top-end power. The fun starts when the cam profiles change over at around 5000 rpm. The engine goes Mr. Hyde as it gobbles up air and races toward the 7400-rpm redline. The Prelude is not fast compared with a modern car—it takes about 7 seconds to hit 60 mph—but when the VTEC kicks in, you’ll be hooked.

Laventure, a younger millennial, fondly remembers the automatic Prelude he had in high school. As soon as he had enough disposable income, he wanted another to relive his youth, and this time with a manual. “I set off down the path of getting the lowest mileage, best Prelude in existence,” he explained. Surprisingly, the blue photo car isn’t his nicest one. His 16,000-mile white 1999 Type SH takes that honor.

Obtaining a garage full of minty Preludes is no easy feat. A high MSRP ($23,600 in 1997, or around $46,400 in today’s money) kept them safe from the import tuners for a while, but once depreciation set in, it was open season. Honda made only 58,000 fifth-generation cars, and today you’ll be hard-pressed to find one without a questionable body kit, sound system, or engine modifications. Rust issues in northern climates added to the attrition rate, and many a Prelude’s VTEC heart was harvested to swap into Civics and Acura Integras. As good examples of Honda’s sporty coupe become rarer, and millennials become more established in the market, expect prices to rise. Honda’s recently announced hybrid Prelude revival will, if nothing else, increase awareness for the older models. The time to snatch up a fifth-gen Prelude—with or without the SH tech—is now. Just be prepared to get into a bidding war with Laventure over a nice one. —Chris Stark

1997–2001 Honda Prelude

Highs: Golden-age Honda build quality and ergonomics; VTEC, yo; sharp responses and styling.

Lows: Clean ones are rare and command a hefty premium; not fast by modern standards.

Value Range: #1 – $25,400  #2 – $17,400 #3 – $8800 #4 – $6100

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2002–2008 Mercedes-Benz G500

Long before the Mercedes G-Class began assaulting the mean streets of Beverly Hills and Brooklyn, it was a tool of the military. Introduced in 1979 as the “Gelände-wagen”—German for “off-road vehicle”—the G-wagen was a no-frills, go-anywhere vehicle with sturdy body-on-frame construction. A part-time four-wheel-drive setup offered locking front, center, and rear differentials for maximum traction. In 1980, the Vatican famously took delivery of a custom-made G-wagen to serve as the Popemobile, outfitted with a clear bulletproof top.

When the second-generation G-wagen was introduced in 1990, the civilian version—referred to by its internal code, W463—was split off from the military version, the W461. The W463 still had the rock-climbing talents of a bionic billy goat but was fluffed and buffed with a wood-trimmed leather interior, plusher seats, and a sunroof. Anti-lock brakes were added, and the all-wheel-drive system was revised from part-time to full-time. In 1994, the Geländewagen was renamed the G-Class to align with Benz’s model-naming convention, but it was not officially imported to the States until the 2002 model year. A hot-rod version by AMG, the G55, was also offered and boasted a 5.4-liter V-8 that cranked out 354 horsepower.

Safety regulations finally caught up with the original G-wagen in 2018. Its all-new replacement still looks every bit the part and is, in the way of most modern cars, better in most practical respects. Yet it lacks the authenticity that comes from being a true military tool and, it must be said, is stunningly expensive, with a starting price around $150,000. That helps explain why the early 2000s models, which can be had in tip-top condition for well under a hundred grand, are rapidly gaining the attention of classic SUV enthusiasts.

The 2004 G500 pictured here, which belongs to Mercedes-Benz collectors Scott Mawhinney and Johnny MacGowan, has 28,000 miles on the odometer but still looks and drives—and yes, even smells—like new. It’s a testament to the outstanding build quality of this generation of Mercedes, when the brand was built to a standard, not a price point.

The G-Class has become a luxury staple and in some places a bit of a celebrity cliché. Yet to drive one is to understand instantly what makes it so appealing. The doors unlock with an authoritative kah-chunk. Narrow sills and a short dashboard afford an unobstructed, commanding view of traffic below. Despite the boxy dimensions and a curb weight of more than 5400 pounds, its 292-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 has plenty of power to hustle the big ute right along. It was a hoot to put the G-wagen through its paces at Lime Rock, although we couldn’t help but think it’d be much more at home crawling up the surrounding hills—or, for that matter, gadding about in nearby Greenwich. —Kirk Seaman

2002–2008 Mercedes-Benz G500

Highs: Angular Germanic looks; unmatched off-road chops.

Lows: You’ll likely never use those off-road chops; tight interior; thirsty V-8.

Value Range: #1 – $74,500  #2 – $53,200 #3 – $38,000 #4 – $24,700

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HDC Members’ Choice: 1981–1983 DeLorean DMC-12

Yes, the DeLorean is a time machine. Most of us remember it as the on-screen vehicle that propels Marty McFly and Doc Brown back to the future in the 1985 flick of that name. In the decades since, the DeLorean has become a time machine of a different sort, as few other cars capture a moment in time as well as this gullwinged silver wedge does the 1980s.

The DeLorean, sometimes referred to by its internal preproduction designation of DMC-12, was one of the most highly anticipated sports cars of the decade and the ultimate ambition of John Z. DeLorean. DeLorean had risen to fame as a dynamic executive at General Motors but had been frustrated by its bureaucratic culture. Although the car was made for the U.S. market, it was very much European. It was built in Dunmurry, just south of Belfast, in Northern Ireland. The 2.9-liter (174-cubic-inch) fuel-injected  V-6 engine came from Peugeot- Renault-Volvo (PRV). The futuristic design was drawn by Giorgetto Giugiaro, of Italdesign.

Beware that when you open those doors, there will likely be a crowd gathered.

Initial buyers, excited to buy the first cars, were put on waitlists and paid well over MSRP. But by the end of 1981, only 3000 of 7500 produced were sold, forcing the company to deeply discount leftover models the subsequent year, which was its last. DMC filed for bankruptcy in late 1982, having produced about 9600 cars. By the time Back to the Future hit movie screens, there was no DeLorean Motor Company to take advantage of its success.

The car itself, however, lives on and, with some help from that enduringly popular film (and its two sequels), is gradually transitioning from 1980s oddity to full-on classic. More than 40 years on, the brushed stainless-steel body and gullwing doors still look like a futuristic spaceship that made its way to Earth.

Red and orange exterior door lights and small cutout windows help to complete the starship cosplay. Inside, the cabin is a usable sports car layout of the era, complete with a standard cassette deck. If you like a low, reclined driving position in supple leather seats, the DeLorean is your kind of ride. Just beware that when it’s time to open those doors and tumble out, there will likely be a crowd gathered to gape and ask questions.

The DeLorean looks a whole lot faster than it really is. The rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive powertrain produces a modest 130 horsepower and 153  lb-ft of torque by way of a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. There was speculation DMC was going to offer a turbocharged model for 1984. Or perhaps the original plans for a Wankel rotary engine or higher-powered Ford V-6 would have saved the DeLorean.

That being said, our car, lent to us by owner Matthew Lendroth, was plenty fun to drive around Lime Rock Park, with nimble handling and a surprisingly comfortable ride. On the scenic two-lane roads that circle the raceway, it brought us even more enjoyment, perhaps as we hummed along to the Alan Silvestri score or some Huey Lewis and the News. Just keep it under 88 mph. —Todd Kraemer

1981–1983 DeLorean DMC-12

Highs: “Are you telling me that you built a time machine… out of a DeLorean?”; gullwing doors are a ton of fun; supple leather seats; enjoyable real-world handling; stainless-steel body is better than the Tesla Cybertruck’s.

Lows: Limited power makes it feel like something less than a sports car; way-back reclined driving position; build-quality woes, like a sticky throttle; some parts just aren’t available anymore; no flux capacitor.

Value Range: #1 – $101,000  #2 – $75,100 #3 – $52,300 #4 – $34,500

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Editor’s Note: As always, the 11 cars that make up the 2025 Bull Market List are those we believe are poised for growth. To arrive at these predictions, the Hagerty Automotive Intelligence team uses some of the most exhaustive data in the industry—price guide research, owner demographics, private sales, public auctions both online and in person, and import/export numbers. Our goal is to help you benefit from up-to-date research in order to make an informed purchase now and a profitable sale later.