The early bird gets the worm, as the saying goes, and this applies to classic car collectors as often as anyone else. Betting on a future classic is never a guarantee, but we take our heartiest swing at it in this list of eight future classic cars to buy now. Here, we look at American muscle such as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, the once-forbidden fruit of the Honda Civic Type R, and one of the most beautiful pieces of automotive art released in the past decade or so, the Jaguar F-Type. You can find details on these eventual vintage models, plus five more, by reading below.
Eight Future Classic Cars to Buy in Canada Now
- What Makes a Future Classic?
- Honda Civic Type R
- Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
- Volkswagen Golf R
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody
- Alfa Romeo 4C
- BMW M5 Competition
- Jaguar F-Type
What Makes a Future Classic?
What makes a car a potential future classic? There’s no perfect formula, but there are some attributes that can provide solid hints. Desirability is a big one: if a car has a strong aspirational factor to it today, chances are it’s going to hold on to that over time. Cars with lower production volumes also tend to become exclusive classics more readily.
A reputation for performance can also be a strong indicator, especially when paired with evocative styling. And cars that represent a moment in automotive history or that break ground in some way can often be counted on to leave their mark long-term. To that point, we’re expecting cars with internal combustion engines to be increasingly coveted as the industry transitions to EVs.
Predicting whether a car may reach future classic status is a speculator’s game and an imperfect science. It’s just as important to put your money into something you’ll actually drive and enjoy. Below, you’ll find eight examples of the best cars available in Canada we think could be worth investing in long-term. Of course, this doesn’t begin to scratch the surface: we could have dug into the many layers of Porsche, the various iterations of Chevrolet Corvette, European supercars like Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Ferrari, and much more. Instead, we chose to keep things attainable by recommending relatively new and affordable cars here. We can't guarantee they'll become collector cars, but they will certainly be a lot of fun.
Honda Civic Type R
The Honda Civic Type R has long been the pride of Japanese four-door, front-wheel-drive sports cars. However, it was forbidden fruit for many years in North America until it finally reached our shores in 2017. Its relatively short time on sale here means there still aren’t a lot these kicking around in North America. Meanwhile, the Type R is celebrated among die-hards for being one of very few cars sold today exclusively with a manual transmission. In the generation that launched for the 2023 model year, the six-speed gearbox is mated to a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, increases over the previous generation of 9 hp and 15 lb-ft. With ventilated front disc brakes and Brembo four-piston calipers, plus a helical limited-slip differential and adaptive dampers controlled through three different drive modes, the Type R is among the best-engineered products in its segment. The current generation might be a good bet, but we’d look to the previous fifth-generation Type R, which was the first version sold in Canada, as making a better case for drawing some serious enthusiast coin someday.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
Now that the seventh-generation Ford Mustang has launched, it’s time to peruse the sixth-generation’s catalog for potential keepers. For its peak winding-road performance, we’d look to the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350. The 5.2-litre flat plane crank V8 engine with its 526 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque is standout enough. Add on a six-speed manual transmission, Recaro sport seats, front and rear Brembo calipers, MagneRide dampers, and an independent rear suspension, and it may be some time before another Mustang comes along quite like this one. We’d snap one of these up immediately if we spotted it on the used car market.
Volkswagen Golf R
The Volkswagen Golf is a lot scarcer in North America these days. SUVs are king on this continent, so VW no longer sells the everyday Golf TSI models and now brings only the GTI and R performance cars overseas. The Golf GTI has its fans and a case can be made for it here, but we’ll cast our vote for the all-wheel drive (AWD) Golf R. The Mk8 Golf R hatchback has a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine up-tuned to produce 315 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque with the seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission (280 lb-ft with the six-speed manual), up from the previous generation’s 288 hp and 280 lb-ft. A suite of suspension upgrades and an electronically controlled torque-vectoring rear drive unit that enables the addition of a “drift mode” are also features of the latest generation. With hot hatches becoming less common and the Golf about to head exclusively into enthusiast territory, this one could have some serious staying power. 2024 was the final model year for the manual transmission in both the Golf GTI and Golf R, so those final units could be worth holding onto long-term.
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Do we dare suggest that an electric car might be collectible someday? Will a low-VIN Mustang Mach-E ever generate the same fervour as a 1964 ½ Mustang? If there’s any electric car that’s going to have that much nameplate endurance, we think it will be this one. The practical concerns line up, for example: with a rear-wheel-drive platform that initially got 485 km of range powering a single axle in its extended-range form or 425 km in all-wheel drive, that’s a good amount of battery capacity that should last a while. (And what happens to a car worth keeping once its battery’s useful life runs out? The Mustang Mach-E could be one of the first models to put that question to the test.) Add on some impressive power figures – more specifically, 480 hp and 634 lb-ft of torque in the GT Performance Edition – and pundits are predicting this could be the vehicle that finally incites a number of drivers to take the plunge into full-time electrons. Ground-breaking, indeed.
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak
Pour one out for the muscle car. The Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger — which were both built in Brampton, Ontario, for the duration of their Hemi-powered production runs — were the first of the Detroit Three muscle cars to get the axe for electrification. There’s a long list of special editions to choose from as these cars ride off into the sunset, any of which would be a solid bet as a future collectible. If you can’t get your hands on one of those, go for the Challenger Jailbreak. It’s the ideal combination of performance, cachet, and low production numbers. Plus — should we say it? We’re going to say it — too many of these cars end up wadded in guardrails since they’re a handful and a half to drive, which will push up the rarity factor even more. With 807 horsepower and 707 lb-ft of torque from its high-output supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI V8, as well as the widebody’s competition suspension and adaptive damping, this Canadian-built rear-wheel-drive muscle car is a unique beast. Keep one in great condition and off the fences, and you might just find in a few years you’ve got a rare gem on your hands.
Alfa Romeo 4C
Time is running out to snag the under-appreciated Alfa Romeo 4C, which was discontinued in both its coupe and spider formats at the end of the 2020 model year. Sure, the operation of its six-speed dual-clutch transmission is quirky as all get-out, it gets a rough rap for having a harsh ride, and the 1.75-litre turbo four-cylinder engine’s 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque aren’t exactly mind-blowing. But a carbon fibre monocoque and aluminum subframes keep the weight of both the coupe and roadster under 1,150 kg (2,500 lb), which means those power figures go further than they seem to promise on paper. Plus, looks-wise, there’s just nothing else quite like it. The final model year featured a farewell special edition modeled after the 1967 33 Stradale.
BMW M5 Competition
Let’s not open a discussion on whether the current-generation M3 and M4 and their wild styling are destined to be classics. The jury is still out on that one and will stay that way for some time yet. But the BMW M5 Competition sedan has more universal appeal to go with its performance, which makes it a safer bet for M enthusiasts looking to play the long game. The eight-generation BMW M5 is a plug-in hybrid, which is interesting from a performance perspective, but if you’re looking for a collectible we suggest considering the seventh-generation M5 Competition instead. Its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 powerplant makes 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, going from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 10.8 seconds. The all-wheel-drive system increasingly favours the rear axle as the driver cycles through the M5’s performance modes, and the adaptive damping system provides the flexibility needed to go directly from road to racetrack. Most BMW M cars have their ardent fans, but this one flies under the radar while having the potential for true long-term appeal.
Jaguar F-Type
The Jaguar F-Type ended production in June 2024, but it will long hold a place in the automotive zeitgeist as one of legendary designer Ian Callum’s greatest career achievements. It has received multiple accolades for being one of the most visually appealing cars of its era. What F-Types aren’t renowned for is reliability, so keeping an example in good working order may not be a project for the faint of heart or wallet. However, that’s even more reason they could become scarce someday. To find a keeper, go back a few years to explore more engine and transmission options, including the manual, which was available through the 2019 model year. Jaguar saw the F-Type out in 2024 with the 75 Special Edition, available on P450 and P575 models, so collectors may wish to seek those out as well..