Most of the time generations feel like arbitrary social constructs primarily used by opinion-piece writers to drive click-bait rage comments to their weekly columns. There’s no denying, however, that the era you grew up in often plays an outsize role on your cultural tastes later in life, whether we’re talking about music, movies, or even which social media network you log on to when complaining about those kids on your lawn. Would it surprise you to find out that collector cars also fall under a distinct generational rubric?
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Once upon a time, it was called the “poster on the wall” effect: as enthusiasts (especially Boomers) reached adulthood and finally had a little disposable income available, they were more likely to prioritize collecting the cars they fantasized about as kids. While nostalgia continues to play a strong role in the autos haunting the garages of Millennials, economic reality has shifted that lusty gaze towards less exotic fare.
Instead of idolizing halo cars whose prices have skyrocketed via online auction sites, according to John Wiley, the director of valuation analytics at Hagerty, one of the world’s leading classic-car insurers, it turns out that models of more modest means have taken over the real politick of what Millennials are actually buying.
Don’t get us wrong. We’re not saying these vehicles are any less worthy of love than those wearing brightly-polished badges. In fact, it’s refreshing to see a fresh focus on cars that are newer, more available, and in most cases reasonably affordable making up the majority of insurance quotes sought out by Millennials over the past year or so, per Hagerty data.
What exactly is tickling the (slightly less) fancy of younger collectors? Here’s a look at the 9 most popular classics that are lusted after by Millennials but rank near the bottom of Boomers’ to-buy lists.
9. 2003-2009 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG W211
It might be surprising to see an older AMG model on a list that’s primarily aimed at buyers whose budgets don’t stretch into the stratosphere. Not because of the purchase price—you can snag a good quality E55 driver for between $25,000 and $30,000—but rather the cost of maintenance, which is typically more dear for any European young-timer (and high performance models in particular).
Still, if you can stomach the pain of paying for things like faulty hydraulic suspension system repairs, there’s a lot to like about the E55 AMG. Its stealthy styling conceals a 469-horsepower V8 and a rear-wheel-drive setup that makes roasting rubber a cinch when you’re not enjoying its coddling capabilities on a long distance road trip. The E55 AMG is a do-everything car for those who need their classic to double as a daily.
8. 1992-2000 Subaru Impreza
The first-generation Subaru Impreza is getting serious attention now that it has passed the 25-year barrier for JDM imports in the United States, even if Canadians got a 10-year head start on this particular Subie love-fest thanks to our significantly more lenient registration rules.
All of the interesting early Imprezas were restricted to the Japanese market, but it’s remarkably easy to swap in a turbocharged motor from both newer and contemporary versions of the compact car for reasonable money. It’s also the only generation of Impreza you can find with a coupe body style (made famous by Colin McRae’s rally antics) and of course in the “gravel express” baby Outback Sport trim.
7. 2004-2009 Volkswagen Golf Mk5
It’s safe to say that few enthusiasts are asking for insurance quotes for base-model five-cylinder Rabbits (as the Golf was branded during this period). The Mk5 edition of the hatchback was one of the shortest generations of the popular Volkswagen ever offered in North America, but it did bring with it the fun-to-drive GTI, as well as a late-arriving R32 update that stuffed a large (and admittedly front-heavy) V6 under the hood.
With just over 240 horsepower along with standard all-wheel-drive, the R32 has a small cult following, but it’s the GTI that sold in volume and that’s the one that’s more likely to be found as an affordable second or third car for budget-conscious enthusiasts. You can snag one all day for well under $10,000, especially if you’re willing to overlook an extra couple of doors.
6. 1995-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse
How many Boomers can quote every line of the first film in the Fast and Furious franchise? Multiply that number by a thousand and you’ve got your answer as to why Wiley’s data shows that Millennials are so enthralled with Brian Earl Spilner’s ride, while Boomers ain’t.
In all seriousness, the final DSM-generation Mitsubishi Eclipse has a lot going for it aside from its star-making turn. Sleekly styled, and offered as both a convertible and a coupe, the Eclipse matched a turbocharged four-cylinder with the availability of all-wheel-drive, and its 4G63 engine is a known quantity to Mitsubishi tuners. It’s also been criminally overlooked during an era that elevated rivals like the more common Honda Civic, meaning if you can find a surviving example, you’re less likely to meet yourself coming and going at the next car meet. Expect to pay between $10,000 and $15,000 for a turbocharged version of the Eclipse.
5. 1984-1987 Toyota Corolla
Speaking of Millennial-friendly media properties—have you heard the one about the tofu delivery kid and his Corolla? Decades of drift-oriented hype and an initial period of extreme affordability boosted the profile of the AE86 Toyota Corolla hatchback, mystifying Boomers who couldn’t see this sleek wedge as anything other than a poverty-spec commuter best left to rust with the rest of the ’80s imports that crowded out their beloved muscle machines.
To be fair, there are multiple Corolla models that fall within this era, and the coupe version of the AE86 is also garnering increased attention due to the scarcity of clean hatchbacks left on the market. Still, this is an Initial D-driven purchase decision, and one that’s utterly baffling to anyone above a certain age.
4. 2002-2004 Volkswagen Golf R32
While the MK5 might be best appreciated in GTI form, the original Golf R32 is appealing to buyers on this side of the Atlantic who were finally given a chance to sample the super hatchback. All-wheel-drive in a compact Volkswagen that didn’t have the word “Country” or “Synco” appended to its name was a novelty, especially in the United States and Canada, and throw in big power from that (nearly the) same V6 mentioned above and you have a compelling collector’s touchstone for the VW faithful.
3. 2008-2014 Subaru Impreza
Let’s be honest about what’s happening here: the 2008-2014-generation Subaru Impreza WRX and its edgier STI sibling are the last versions of the high-performance all-wheel-drive rally machines that you can buy in hatchback form. It’s impossible to see the popularity of this version of the Impreza without immediately realizing that enthusiasts are flocking to a form factor that, at the time of its elimination, made up 50% of WRX sales.
2. 2002-2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
How wronged was Canada by Mitsubishi when it elected to keep the Lancer Evolution out of our market until the Evo X appeared in 2007? The popularity of nearly every edition of this super-sedan makes it quite clear that the company would have sold every single example it imported.
Listen close and you can hear the echoes of history in the Millennial enthusiasm for the Lancer Evo. This compact econobox transcended its roots by way of big turbo power and computer-controlled all-wheel-drive in the same way that the intermediate coupes of Detroit’s Boomer-beloved muscle era pushed past their basic designs by way of massive cubic inches.
1. 1994-2001 Acura Integra
The immediate impulse when looking at this particular stretch of Acura Integra production is to focus on the Type R, which has skyrocketed in value among sport compact performance cars of that period (clocking in at around $40,000, if you can find one relatively unmolested by the Ghosts of Street Racing Past).
Broaden your scope a little and you’ll discover what many Millennials already have. The Integra is so much more than just Type R hype, whether you’re considering a high-revving GSR or simply taking advantage of the massive aftermarket that links these Acuras to their Honda Civic cousins and opens up the Lego-like potential of their drivetrain swaps and suspension upgrades. The Type R drives collectors, but the Integra as a whole is what’s collecting drivers. Unless, of course, they’re Boomers.
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