S550 a future classic?

[DaBigGinger]

So, I was wondering, what are the chances the S550 will be a future classic? There certainly aren't many other cars like it and the appeal is obvious.

The next thing I was then wondering is how will modern cars survive as classics? Cars from the 90's and older are fairly simple with basic electronics and parts whereby off the shelf replacements are easy to obtain or for a specialist to make. Not to mention they're simple enough for the average DIY mechanic. But with the complexity of modern cars and a whole myriad of things to go wrong as they pass 15-20 years of age, how will they fare?

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[Jimboy2]

I can't see it to be honest. The GT350R will be the collectors choice. How many big standard S550 have been built and sold over the last 3 years? Can't really see any mass produced cars these days being a future classic.

 

[Diode Dynamics]

I can't see it to be honest. The GT350R will be the collectors choice. How many big standard S550 have been built and sold over the last 3 years? Can't really see any mass produced cars these days being a future classic.

Production numbers are not doing any favors for collectible, but it will still be desirable for many years to come.

Arguably the best looking Mustang since the late 60's

Nick C.

 

[Centurion07]

I can't see it to be honest. The GT350R will be the collectors choice. How many big standard S550 have been built and sold over the last 3 years? Can't really see any mass produced cars these days being a future classic.

I can see it. At least in RHD anyway as most of them will have rotted away from the floor up within 20 years, so the only ones left will be the ones that got undersealed by specialists after purchase. Like mine. ;)


Only half tongue-in-cheek with the point really being most of them won't be looked after by enthusiasts and will change owners quite a few times so with RELATIVELY low numbers in RHD, decent ones will be reasonably scarce over the coming years.

 

[Twin Turbo]

There were well over half a million Mustang sold in '65........and they are very much collectable.

Pretty much every Mustang ever sold is now a collectable......they're enthusiast cars after all.

The S550 will definitely be a future classic.

 

[hinch]

I can't see it to be honest. The GT350R will be the collectors choice. How many big standard S550 have been built and sold over the last 3 years? Can't really see any mass produced cars these days being a future classic.

and how many sierra cosworth's do you see sub 20k these days .... all a matter of time/reputation/how many people write off the others.

you could sell a million cars if they're all scrap and you have the last one left ofc its going to be worth more most of the time especially if its a well known name/brand or has a race reputation like the mustang does.

Drive it for 2-3 years look after it put it in a lock up and keep it there for 20 years. First generation RHD mustang? yep its going to increase.

 

[SteveS]

But with the complexity of modern cars and a whole myriad of things to go wrong as they pass 15-20 years of age, how will they fare?

I (my opinion) think you've suggested the answer to your own question there ;)

There were well over half a million Mustang sold in '65........and they are very much collectable.

Any idea how many 65s are left?

 

[Leeroy]

I would say the likelihood of any modern cars making it to classic status in large numbers is nil, they're designed to be disposable and will be way too complex/expensive to keep them running as they age. Hybrids even more so with their short lived and crazily expensive batteries:eyebulge:

Whilst ecu's and electronic components can be kept as spares, unfortunately they also age and have a useable shelf life:( I remember reading some articles in classic car mags recently talking about this very thing for classic cars of the 80's concluding that they're not gonna be around much longer:eyebulge:

 

[Spider]

I thinks the days of the affordable naturally aspirated V8 are numbered. It may be the case that future versions of the Mustang will be ecoboost only.

For that reason I think the current Mustang will most definitely be a sought after classic...

 

[Voodooo]

None of the Cobra R's are really bringing that much more then sticker prices when they were new. Not to mention they are also more rare.
1993 cobra R 107 produced
1995 cobra R 250 produced
2000 cobra R 300 produced
The 2000 cobra R was the best cobra until the GT350/R. In 2000 It had a sticker price of around $54,000.00 and today it still hasn't been much of an increase in price.

Even more rare are the 1992 mustang Shelby Saac MK1 and MK2 which only 65 were made.

One of the reasons why 60s and early 70s cars bring big dollars is because after the mid 70s the gas crunch killed them off. Today muscle car have become better and better. In the 90s for example, that was the rebirth of the muscle car. The fox body mustang ruled the streets and they could be easily modified and they were cheap. I had a total of 6 of them and for next to nothing you could get them into the 12 second 1/4. My fastest one was a 1992 lx I bought new and built it into a 8.30 second 1/4 mile car that I also drove on the street on the weekends. Naturally aspirated 401 with Yates heads, svo four bolt main block and a Jericho 4 speed transmission with 9" strange rear and 5.14 gears. At this time my car was 3 years old and the fox body was already out of production and replaced. The great thing about the fox body was they were light. But the newer ones were also slower because of weight. The 1993 cobra /R was the start of the new Cobras but even to this day they still haven't brought more then the sticker prices when new.

 

[hinch]

The problem with the mustangs in the 90's was they were awful I mean they looked like a orion over here ofc they're never going to increase in value. But from the rebirth onwards 2008? they started becoming good looking again so will increase over time if looked after.
In the UK you can already sell your stang for more than you paid for it due to the demand being so much higher than production. Its obviously a whole different story in America though where they're common/made in mass numbers.

 

[Voodooo]

The problem with the mustangs in the 90's was they were awful I mean they looked like a orion over here ofc they're never going to increase in value. But from the rebirth onwards 2008? they started becoming good looking again so will increase over time if looked after.
In the UK you can already sell your stang for more than you paid for it due to the demand being so much higher than production. Its obviously a whole different story in America though where they're common/made in mass numbers.

Same can be said of 90s European cars.
:barf:

 

[Spider]

Same can be said of 90s European cars.
:barf:

Most regular cars were uninspirational to look at in the 80's and 90's both sides of the water

The point [MENTION=26439]hinch[/MENTION] is making is that they lost just about everything that gave them their heritage and now those design features have been put back....so now the Mustang has some recognisable styling.

They've always had bang for your buck value. No mass produced euro boxes could boast 200BHP stock..and be so moddable

 

[Voodooo]

Most regular cars were uninspirational to look at in the 80's and 90's both sides of the water

The point [MENTION=26439]hinch[/MENTION] is making is that they lost just about everything that gave them their heritage and now those design features have been put back....so now the Mustang has some recognisable styling.

They've always had bang for your buck value. No mass produced euro boxes could boast 200BHP stock..and be so moddable

Yeah well incase you are to young to remember the 1974-1978 were the worst mustangs EVER! at least the 1979 was the start of bringing back performance. 1982 is when it started taking off. The problem was they drug that body style and platform out for way to long.

 

[jord79]

My feeling is that the styling might let the S550 down in the future. I'm just not sure how well it will age. Original mustang, always gonna be great looking. Mustang II, a bit dodgy! Fox body has great retro appeal (as do Ford Orion's to some extent). 4th Gen had a more mainstream look with euro and Japanese influences, so doesn't and probably never will have the same appeal. The S197 brought the styling back to where it should be, a refined version of the original. As good as the S550 looks it does feel a bit aspirational to more premium European models and of course certain criteria will have had to have been met to satisfy regulations in territories the world over. All generations will have their following but some will be stronger than others.

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