Great cars are coming out every day, but which ones are still going to be remembered 25 to 30 years down the road?
That’s the question we asked our editors, and the results are very different from the list that Hagerty released about its picks for future collectible cars. Will a pioneering compact car still be remembered over a unique pickup? Or is it all about the supercars? We specifically asked our colleagues to name a car that’s currently in production that will have more than just sentimental value in a few years.
ALSO SEE: Top 10 Modern Cars That Will be Future Collectibles
Here’s what we think:
Mike Schlee, Road Test Editor: Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcat
The term Hellcat may be the most successful marketing story in recent automotive history. Everyone knows what a Hellcat is and the moniker instantly gave new life to a pair of aging cars. Even when I’m driving a V6 Charger, passersby ask me if that was a Hellcat or not. With 707 hp, a glorious soundtrack and looks to back it up, the Hellcat Charger and Challenger are amazing modern muscle monsters. Like the Hemi 426 Mopars of the 1960s, the Hellcat is destined to become one of the most sought after collectable American cars in the future.
SEE ALSO: 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is Baby’s First Ride
Jodi Lai, Managing Editor: Porsche Boxster Spyder
The Porsche Boxster Spyder is a car that doesn’t make much sense, unless what you want is a pure-bred, no-nonsense, completely absorbing sports car, then it makes all the sense in the world.
Besides being the last generation of Boxster without the 718 designation, this stripped-down Spyder is a rare gem that makes you work for your fun in a way most modern sports cars don’t. With a manual transmission, manual roof, no air conditioning, no radio, and no frills, this is one of the most pure modern sports cars you can buy. It’s too impractical for the average driver, so you know the person who has one is in with it and treats it with the respect it deserves.
Already a throwback to retro Porsches, this Spyder is rare and beautiful enough today to be a future classic. Its singular purpose and downright animalistic, raw approach to driving engagement means this car will be desired by diehard motoring enthusiasts for decades to come.
SEE ALSO: 2016 Jaguar F-Type vs 2016 Porsche Boxster Spyder
Sami Haj-Assaad, Features Editor: Honda CR-Z
The manual-equipped hybrid Honda CR-Z is my pick as a future classic. This car exists in a strange intersection of classic import enthusiasm and modern fuel-efficient high-tech wizardry. As a result, I think it’s a perfect candidate for a future classic.
See Also: 2016 Honda CR-Z Pricing Set at $21,130
A rare car that doesn’t sell in high numbers, the CR-Z is also one of the few cars packed with a hybrid powertrain and a six-speed manual. It’s not a bore to drive, although it is a bit down on power. Fortunately, it’s able to net nearly 40 mpg on the highway. I’d be willing to bet that in 25 years, low mileage, unmodified versions of these cars with healthy batteries will be worth some decent coin.
Craig Cole, Associate Editor: Audi RS7
Without question, the Audi RS 7 will be a future classic.
Brandishing a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 and a glowering front end, the RS 7 is not about holding hands and whispering secrets; this four-door coupe will eviscerate you with a 560-horsepower roundhouse kick. Torque is nearly as prodigious at 516 lb-ft.
These imposing figures grant anyone lucky enough to find themselves in this Audi’s left-front seat an all-access pass to military-grade velocity. In fact, rumor has it the NSA and FBI are tracking every RS 7 driver in the country because the car’s speed is a threat to national security.
Don’t believe me? This machine can reach 60 miles an hour in just 3.7 seconds, manically laughing the whole time while simultaneously trying to rupture your organs just for the fun of it. The company’s legendary quattro all-wheel-drive system ensures there’s more grip than a roll of hockey tape. Throw in a luxurious cabin along with sexy bodywork, and the Audi RS 7 has classic written all over, under and inside it.
SEE ALSO: 2016 Audi RS7 Gets Faster, More Powerful Performance Model
Jason Siu, News Editor: Acura NSX
Since the new Acura NSX starts at well more than $100,000 it doesn’t qualify to be on Hagerty’s Hot List. But I’m going to take a wild guess that if it did, it would be a shoe-in as a future collectible. The new NSX has been years in the making with the concept first debuting in 2012. This year, it will finally start arriving dealerships and is Acura’s first ever made-to-order car. Sporting a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine paired to a trio of electric motors to generate a total system output of 573 horsepower, the new NSX will have to live up to lofty expectations after all these years of development. Even if it ultimately doesn’t satisfy everyone’s hopes and dreams, it’s still one of the most stunning vehicles coming our way. Those fortunate enough to get their hands on one will surely have a collectible in a couple of decades.
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