Supercars to 4x4s: 5 Winners From the Hagerty Price Guide

We’re halfway through the year, so it’s time for another quarterly update to the Hagerty Price Guide. (You can read about all that goes into updating the Hagerty Price Guide here.) All in all, the market continues to stabilize, yet it remains nuanced as ever. While plenty of cars are settling in price (more on that in another article), some of the vehicles that increased in value truly astonished the team. From affordable classics to blue chip examples, our biggest movers represented every level of the hobby. The following are some of the more notable examples of cars that increased in value over the last three months.

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.

1966-72 Lamborghini Miura +22%

The rise of the Lamborghini Miura has to be one of the most surprising stories from this update. These are decidedly expensive and rare cars; however, compared to Ferrari, Lamborghini has lived for decades in the prancing horse’s shadow in the collector car world. Hagerty Price Guide founder and publisher, Dave Kinney says: “It has been exciting to see the increased recognition for what, to most—including me—is the original supercar.”

The recent spike in value may have been guided by the sale of a stunning P400 SV which went for a record-beating $4.9 million, but there is much more to the market than a single transaction. “The Lamborghini Miura is the automotive embodiment of flawed genius,” Kinney said. “It looks damn near perfect, but it could be difficult to drive or maintain. Most of the Miuras have been sorted by now, but few owners would consider using them for mere transportation.” Like it or not, Kinney said, “The Miura has achieved the status of automotive fine art.”

The idea of the automobile as fine art is a trend that has emerged within the past few years, with champions of the concept pointing to cars such as the Ferrari 250 GTO as an example. Indeed, Italian courts have ruled in favor of the GTO as a work of art. So what does this do for those of us who can’t afford a 250 GTO or a Miura? Well, when actions are taken to recognize automobiles in this fashion, it marks a significant shift in attitude toward classic cars, potentially moving them from polluting nuisances to cultural treasures. It just takes the expensive ones to garner the attention of policymakers, and viewed in that light, we all win. But what about the Miura today? Kinney said he expects “price fluctuations in the next few years, but with a continued upward trend in value for quite some time.” And with three Miuras already consigned to next month’s auctions in Monterey, we shall soon see how they fare.

1989-93 Dodge Diesel Pickups +19%

These days a diesel-powered pickup is about as novel as putting cheese on your hamburger, but in the 1980s, the American manufacturers were still finding their way as they added diesel power to their truck offerings. International was doing it back in the 1970s, and GM tried with the ill-fated 5.7-liter diesel, soon pivoting to the much better 6.2-liter motor. Ford was experimenting with diesels, but the legendary 7.3-liter Powerstroke wouldn’t hit the market until late 1994. Dodge, in partnership with Cummins, was the first to get the formula right by offering the 5.9-liter Cummins turbodiesel in their trucks starting in 1989.

The combination of the grunt of a big-block V-8 and improved fuel economy would redefine the market. Look around today and you’ll see that diesel beats out gas as the smart choice for truck owners who need an engine to do real work. The bigger surprise, though, is that a collector market is emerging for these Cummins-equipped Dodges.

It wasn’t many years ago that the real value of a 12-valve, Cummins-equipped Dodge was to pull the engine and transplant into something else. These days, though, clean examples have been emerging on a regular basis with prices starting in the $20,000 range, and exceptional specimens commanding prices upwards of $50,000 to $60,000. Believe it or not, these old work trucks have become legitimate collectors items, and your old “wood hauler,” or “beater with a heater,” or whatever you call them where you live, may now be worth restoring to show quality.

1980-93 Ferrari Mondial +17%

There are few relatively inexpensive entries to Ferrari ownership left, but the Mondial has reliably remained one way to put a prancing horse in your garage without breaking the bank. Now the price of entry just got a bit higher. Often overlooked by enthusiasts, the Mondial is finally getting some consideration.

Right now, “quirky” and “retro” are in, and the Mondial hits all those marks. It’s like a baby Testarossa at a bargain price. While they have risen in value, you can still stumble upon a sorted Mondial for $40,000 to $50,000, sometimes much less for cars with higher miles. As with any exotic, you need to keep service history in mind, and be willing to pay accordingly. Any perceived savings can be eaten up quickly by correcting deferred maintenance at your local dealer.

Most of the value uptick is in the top-of-the-market examples, which suggests strong interest in low-mileage, original cars. That said, aside from outliers, we’re still talking sub-$70,000. No matter how you slice it, the Mondial is showing some signs of upward movement, and now may be the time to take a hard look at one while they’re still relatively attainable.

1971-78 Cadillac Eldorado +16%

Nothing says peak 1970s personal luxury like an Eldorado. They’re big, they’re plush and they have that massive 500-cubic inch V-8, which completely ignored the crunch of rising gas prices of the era. What could be more American than that?

Well, hold on to your Uncle Sam top hat, they offered a Bicentennial edition!

It’s hard to believe now, but these were among the first instantly collectible cars. Or that’s what people thought, anyway: There was a real concern back then that due to revised federal safety regulations, the convertible would be done away with forever, and the Eldorado was supposed to be the last car with a drop top. So speculators flocked to the convertible Eldo, and stuffed them away when new. So there was an abundance of super low-mile, original cars floating around.

At one point the supply of good cars outstripped demand, driving prices down, but it seems that things are finally shifting back into the Eldorado’s favor. Generally, 1970s American cars are doing quite well in the market today, and it should come as no surprise that these Cadillacs are trading hands for better money than they have in a long time. It is still important to monitor whether or not this will be a long-lasting trend, but given the solid collectability of the Eldorado, the gain is likely to be more than a blip on the radar.

1949-71 Military Jeeps +12%

It’s a wonderful coincidence that the military Jeep would be one of our winners going into the month of July, and our Independence Day celebrations. The Jeep is the quintessential American vehicle, and has shaped transportation as much as the Ford Model T. This all-purpose, all-terrain vehicle mechanized the Allies in World War II in a way that the Axis couldn’t answer. From the beaches of Normandy to the battles in the Pacific, the little Jeep was there in support of the troops.

Following World War II, the M38 would be introduced in 1948 and serve as the primary utility vehicle through the Korean War, sharing many similarities with the civilian CJ-3 series. Further upgrades, most notably to the body, the addition of the Hurricane engine and the slightly longer wheelbase, would happen in 1952: The improved model, called the M38A1, would more closely resemble the CJ-5 that we are familiar with. This version would serve through the Vietnam War and cease production around 1971. Multiple companies would pitch in, including Willys and Ford, which built the original MB and later, the Kaiser.

Military Jeeps are universally adored and easy to work on, hence their staying power amongst fans. That crossed over to the civilian CJ, which is a darling amongst truck enthusiasts. With a low barrier to entry—good examples available for under $20,000—military Jeeps are a solid, affordable way to have fun. They are usually consistent performers without huge swings in value, so although small in dollar amount, a 12 percent increase is something to take notice of. It shows continued interest in this segment, and while few potential buyers are poised to be priced out of it, positive performance shows real health in the market.

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