7 Cars That Lost the Most Coin This Summer
We updated the Hagerty Price Guide last month, and “soft” is a word that keeps coming up. Most of our collector car indexes are down year-over-year, and some vehicles shed as much as 18 percent of their value. We’ve already highlighted some of the cars that lost the most in percentage terms, but below are some of the high-dollar classics that dropped the most in pure dollar terms. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and all that.
As always, if you have questions about how we arrived at these changes, you can read more about the methodology behind the Hagerty Price Guide here.
1965–70 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage Coupe
Condition #2 decrease: -$58,900 (-11 percent)
Visually similar to the DB5 that came before it, the DB6 added four inches of wheelbase and a slightly higher roofline, resulting in a roomier Aston. The side profile also changed with the DB6’s Kammback tail and upward flourish at the very back. Mechanically the DB6 is largely the same, with the Tadek Marek-designed 4.0-liter six mated to either a ZF five-speed manual or Borg-Warner three-speed auto. In base form the triple SU-carbureted DB6 is rated at 282 horsepower, while the hot DB6 to have was the Vantage version, in which the triple Weber-fed engine makes 325 hp. British magazine Motor called the DB6 Vantage “a very Grand Tourer” that “makes the overall speed limit of 70 mph look ridiculous.”
In the DB6 value hierarchy, the ultra-rare Vantage convertibles and base model convertibles are worth the most, each coming in at over $1M in excellent condition. Coupes, even Vantages, are worth less than half as much, and while all DB6s got cheaper this past quarter, Vantage coupes sank the most. Weak sales, including a high number of cars in mediocre condition hitting the auction market over the past few years, have kept DB6 prices soft.
1973–75 BMW 3.0CSL Batmobile
Condition #2 decrease: -$86,700 (-18 percent)
Launched in 1972, the 3.0 CSL improved upon BMW’s already solid E9 platform with lighter weight and more power, and nearly 1300 were built to homologate it for European Touring Car Championship racing. A lighter body, less trim, and Perspex side windows dropped weight. In 1973, things improved further with a bump in displacement to 3.2 liters and an aero package with a massive air dam, an even bigger rear wing, a small roof spoiler, and fins along the front fenders. BMW didn’t call this version the “Batmobile,” but the nickname has stuck with the car ever since.
BMW also didn’t sell this car in the U.S., but American Bimmer-heads have lusted after it for long enough that a decent number of them have made it to this side of the Atlantic. And, as classic BMW prices in general have appreciated significantly during the 2010s and 2020s, so has the Batmobile. From 2013-23, the condition #2 value of this car essentially tripled. Last year, however, was the peak, and sale prices have been soft. Since then, #2 values have sunk by 27 percent.
1955–57 Mercedes-Benz 300Sc Cabriolet
Condition #2 decrease: -$87,000 (-11 percent)
Part of the W188 generation of Mercedes-Benz, the 300Sc is quite rare with 98 coupes, 49 Cabriolet As, and 53 roadsters built. They are magnificent hand-built cars that retain some of that prewar coach-built streamlined elegance, but combine it with advanced postwar features like independent suspension and a fuel-injected engine similar to the one found in Mercedes’ 300SL sports car. In fact, a 300Sc actually cost more than a 300SL when both cars were new.
Not so now. In fact, 300Sc prices have been consistently dropping for nearly a decade, and two recent sales for the rare cabriolet models don’t show that trend reversing. A solid example sold this summer for $582,500, which is under its condition #4 (“fair”) value, and another brought even less at £368,000 ($477,885).
1963–64 Alfa Romeo TZ-1
Condition #2 decrease: -$150,000 (-9 percent)
Alfa Romeo’s racing successor to the Giulietta Sprint Zagato (SZ), the Tubolare Zagato (TZ) features a lightweight tube (tubolare) frame and an aluminum body by, you guessed it, Zagato. These days, people refer to it as the TZ-1 to distinguish it from the much rarer fiberglass-bodied TZ-2 that replaced it. Its distinctive Kamm tail (the Italians call it a coda tronca, or “shortened tail”) and curvy shape make it gorgeous, and it truly is light, weighing in at under 1500 pounds. TZ-1s were highly competitive in their class in the great sports car races of the day, and Alfa Romeo built just 112 of them.
With cars this rare, individual sales can swing price guide numbers significantly. Although prices high-end 1960s sports cars in general were soft this past quarter, one auction result for a TZ-1 made the case for dropping this Italian favorite’s value by six figures. An aged but good car in #3+ condition sold in Monterey back in August for $819,000. While 819 grand is a lot of money, it’s well under the car’s $1M presale estimate, and less than the TZ-1’s condition #4 value in our Price Guide.
1960–63 Aston Martin DB4 GT
Condition #2 decrease: -$450,000 (-14 percent)
Introduced in late 1959, the same year Aston Martin won overall at Le Mans, the DB4 GT is shorter, lighter, and more powerful than the standard DB4. Its wheelbase is about five inches shorter, its body made of thinner-gauge aluminum, and its engine tweaked with higher compression, twin-plug ignition, and three Weber carburetors to bump power from 240 to 302 hp. Visually, the DB4 GT is most distinguishable by its handsome faired-in, covered headlights, a feature Aston Martin later adopted on the DB4 Vantage and the DB5. Other details include quick-release fuel fillers for the large fuel tank and Borrani wire wheels.
DB4 GTs mixed it up on track with Ferrari 250 TdFs and SWBs (more about those below) and had considerable success. Aston Martin built 75 of them, and 19 more received lighter, curvier bodywork from Zagato in Italy.
Like the Alfa TZ, this is another scarcely seen ’60s sports car, and sometimes just one sale can precede a big price swing. One such sale happened in Monterey back in August, where a DB4 GT in #2- condition sold for $2.1M, which was condition #3- money, or about half a million less, at the time.
1956–59 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France
Condition #2 decrease: -$700,000 (-11 percent)
Ferrari won the Tour de France automobile race eight times between 1951 and 1964, and the company even nicknamed the long wheelbase, competition version of its 250 GT the “Tour de France” (TdF) after it won the event in 1956.
TdFs are among the most valuable and sought after of all classic Ferraris, so when their prices drop, a lot of dollars (700K of them, in this case) are shed. Vintage Ferraris in general had a tough go of it this past quarter. A TdF posted a soft $5.2M in Monterey, and Hagerty’s Ferrari index saw its biggest drop in over four years.
1959–63 Ferrari 250 GT SWB
Condition #2 decrease: -$800,000 (-10 percent)
The 250 GT SWB (Short Wheelbase) is an evolution of the successful 250 GT TdF and the predecessor of the famous 250 GTO, as well as a highly successful racing car in its own right. It has long been one of the most valuable classic cars in the world, and alloy-bodied examples can sell for eight figures. Given the soft market for 1950s and 1960s Ferraris this past quarter, though, the most valuable ones were bound to drop along with the rest of them.
What you will find is the 60’s muscle cars will drop too. We all want to collect cars that we drove first, or to which we were connected. You can’t hardly give away a nice Model T, or Model A now because the guys that loved them are all gone. That will be the case with the 60’s cars in the future. Now you see the 80’s Camaros and Mustangs growing a little in value although they were terrible cars, but the guys that those were their first cars have an affinity for them. The rare 60s muscle cars sucj as L-88s, Hemis, and ZL-1s. Will hold their value, but the more common ones will not. These exotics are investments. They will rise and fall with the world economy, but they will always be beyond most of our price ranges. Held long enough they will be good investments.
The Model A and T are not valid comparisons to 60s-70s cars, in stock form an A and a T cannot be driven at modern speeds, 45 is pushing in a T. The 60s cars can run the expressway stock, and with the aftermarket 700R4, Tremec transmissions, and overdrives are even easier to run at speed.
I can’t believe some of the comments here, many of you sound like guys sitting’ at a bar decrying “forin” cars.
What makes these cars pretty much irrelevant to 99% of the readers here is their rarity and to a lesser extent price.
And with all due respect to the Hagerty staff, there are so few out there that a couple of so-so sales in a weak market…like we have…will skew the data.
Haha. I enjoyed reading the comments more than the article…
Don’t you just hate these First World problems?
My dad always said that something is only worth what someone will pay for it.
That’s never truer than in the collector car market.
These are all fantastic cars except for the BMW. For those who buy these car for the love of the vehicle I applaud them so when the value goes up or down they pay little attention as it is likely just a bit more than pocket change. For those who buy for the profit or loss it is just like buying stocks or real estate and it is their business. Hopefully most of them can ride the waves and don’t go bankrupt.
So interesting to read these comments by so many of you hating on these beautiful cars and seeing an irrelevance to the article because you simply can’t afford them. These are the cars we all dreamed about as children, and that as adults because you haven’t won the game and can’t afford them. You want to hate on them, very bizarre behavior. What happened to the appreciation for these cars and just the curiosity with what the numbers are and current market. Go back and wax your hood. Try and update your attitude and find that child like love and appreciation for these great cars. Never saw commentary like this 30 years ago from adults about fancy cars. What’s happening in 2024….
Who said they hate these cars?
Just as bad is your comment mocking the people who haven’t “won the game”. Big difference between winning the game and not being able to afford a 2 million dollar collector car. Some people buy these cars so they can show off how much money they have. The people who work on their own stuff and have been in the car hobby since before it became a trendy way to show off wealth rightly roll their eyes at this article. The scarcity and price of the vehicles on this list makes the story only relevant to the small group of people who own these particular vehicles.
Sad that so much mean spiritedness has entered a hobby. Collecting cars should be fun. Some one used the word “scamdemic” in discussion… There isn’t much reasoning to be accomplished.
Some people lose their childlike wonder of the world.
I Enjoy the beauty of these cars that are very much for others (not me) to buy, that being said I would love to own, drive hard, and turn the wrench on any of them myself.
Reading these 60’s rusting muscle car comments that are so filled with empty pride. Just like all the 1900’s thru 1950’s cars that are losing value as their generation ages out and dies, your preferred decades will cycle thru the same pattern, most likely your kids/grand kids will want nothing to do with them and probably won’t have the resources to keep them up anyway. All of your resources spent will in the end never make their lives any better.
Fundamentally if you buy something that wears out, decays or needs constant repair if it is used your an idiot to call it an investment. ITS A STATUS SYMBOL, and a mill stone around your neck if you show it off with Pride.
When I take my trucks/cars to car shows I let the kids crawl all over them, their delight is way more a blessing then any concourse award would ever be. I bought my vehicles rough and broken and made them what they are, it is a little sad when something wears or tears, but that just means it made a memory and I can fix it, which is part of the fun too.
But I aint so dumb as to tie up my whole life and wealth in them.
Thumbs up!
My mom bought my dad a packard coupe for a fathers day gift in 1962 for $250. My dad spent a lifetime spent a lifetime buying old cars to drive… cars he drove. Dodges, Peugeot, Mercury, Plymouth, Buick…
I recall when we drove our 1916 Buick to a car meet and a guy trailered a model T. My dad commented: why would somebody grind down a differential smooth… and then not drive it !
Anyway… yea, money separates our experiences.
Buy within your means. Buy to enjoy today.
Not that there haven’t been significant drops across a wde rande of vehicles but what a pile of bs. Not one of those cars are real world owners so realistically it’s totally irrelevant in the classic car market.
Occasionally I go on Craig’s List and search for pre-1975 (ie, pre-smog here in Kalifornia) cars just to see what is out there. I am always amazed at the enormous prices being asked for truly mundane old junkers. Things like rusty old 4 door junkers, plain-Jane vehicles with no distinction other than being old. Some are barely recognizable, they are so far gone. Its humorous, actually and I laugh out loud…..a sucker born every minute.
Every one of those cars are butt ass ugly and about as appealing as my ex wife. I will stick with my 1968 Chevelle SS 427, it is a drop dead gorgeous car and takes me back to my days of many speeding tickets, racing, reckless driving, etc. Upon my return from Vietnam I bought a new 67 SS 396 and I was indestructible, I thought, love those days.
I’ve done some miles in both the DB4 and the DB6. The 6 is my favorite. They are both beautiful works of automotive art. If you ever get to drive one for the first time with that thought of James Bond performance in your head, you’ll be terribly disappointed. They are big cars that feel heavy with heavy steering and even thought they make wonderful sounds the have mild performance. To put it in prospective, if the girl in the movie Goldfinger had been in a “289 High Proformance” Mustang Convertible, all James would have seen is taillights …….
I’ll stick with my Chevelle SMC. Easy to work on and fun to drive!
Really ? Who going to think anyone driving a BMW with a spoiler on it is cool? As men we drive nice cars because we hope some nice lookin gal will without thought jump in the empty passenger seat! Or at least they think they are impressive! We buy em because of woman! Damn the money! keith…06 Nissan 350z….297 hp! Did I say ZZZZZZZZ
No Aston Martin should ever lose value.