The next hot buy in the classic car world could be the Mazda MX-5 Miata, former late-night comedian and car guru Jay Leno said.
“I think the Miata will be the Ford Mustang of the next generation,” he told Business Insider.
Leno said the car could become a hit because there are so many out there. More than 1 million have been sold since it first rolled off production lines in 1989.
The Miata wasn’t the only car Leno said collectors should keep an eye on. He said he could also see a Toyota model joining the classics ranks.
“I think you’ll see the first-generation Priuses where people will say look how simple it is compared to the modern stuff,” he said.
Leno also said electric cars built in the 1990s and 2000s could become one of the next big things.
“I think you’ll see people collecting the first generation of electric cars,” he said.
The comedian said tomorrow’s classic car market will likely be fueled by what parents drive today.
“It’s whatever you grew up in. It’s whatever you went to your prom in. It’s whatever your dad used to take you to Sunday ice cream in,” Leno said. “That’s the car the next generation will collect.”
“It’s as much about the memories as it is about the car.”
While anything is possible, there’s too many of the exact same car. 1 engine available and not enough options to separate one from another. There will always be a 5 mile only car, but they’ll be rare. There’s few special editions and those are only cosmetic. Of course this is just my humble opinion. It is an awesome little car tho and anyone that bashes it has never driven it or at least never in anger.
For sure there are variations among the many Miata/MX5s out there. I had two 1st gen versions and loved them both. There are distinct differences between the four different generation models. The Mazdaspeed version of Gen 2 seems to be coming on strong with limited numbers and rising prices in my area (near Toronto). My choice for a personal collectible would be the Mazdaspeed or another Gen 2 (NB) version with a hardtop.
The first year, 1990, in good shape, with A/C is the one that will be collectible
95M, 93LE are collectible. With original BBS rims and intact interiors.