Car Collectors Love the ’90s

From the May 2021 issue of Car and Driver.

First it was mom jeans, then the fanny pack. Now it’s the cars of the 1990s that are making a comeback. In recent years, some have performed exceedingly well on the auction circuit. In 2019, for instance, a 1997 Toyota Supra Turbo with 70,000 miles on the odometer sold for $176,000—a substantial increase from that model’s $40,666 base price when new.

It’s not just A80 Supras that have caught the attention of collectors. From 2018 to 2020 at the classic-car insurer Hagerty, the number of insurance quotes for ’90s cars increased more than those for cars from any other decade. And demand isn’t limited to enthusiasts who grew up then; boomers and Gen Xers have shown strong interest too. But data from Black Book‘s Cars of Particular Interest Collectible Vehicle Value Guide (charted here) shows that while prices for many models are skyrocketing, not every ’90s icon can make it as a star today.

So Phat

The A80 Supra’s explosive rise has been fueled by nostalgia, a dwindling stock of clean cars, the fact that the fourth-gen model had no immediate “newer and better” successor, and the recent resurrection of the nameplate.

As If!

Before you get too bummed about that C4 Corvette in your garage, know that not all models have depreciated. Just as a C4’s horsepower can vary from 205 to 405, so can its value. Rarity, styling, perform­ance, and significance are major factors in determining worth.

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