Autocar, Beaulieu identify 5 future classics

Buy ‘em now: Alfa Quadrifoglio, Alpine A110, BMW i3, Land Rover Defender and Toyota GR Yaris

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Toyota GR Yaris
A Toyota GR Yaris competes in the recent Swedish Rally | Manufacturer photos

Looking to buy a car now that will become a classic in the future? British magazine Autocar and the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, England, suggest you invest in the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, Alpine A110, BMW i3, Land Rover Defender and Toyota GR Yaris.

Those five have been identified as Future Classics after surveying “thousands” of automotive magazine readers as well as a panel of experts. The cars will be featured at the Autocar Awards on May 10 and later this year will be displayed in a special exhibit at the museum.

“These contemporary icons will be the Jaguar E-Types and Ford Escorts of 50 years’ time – with all that means in terms of kudos for the owners, importance to motoring history and (possibly) stratospheric value hikes,” according to the announcement.

The partners in the project started with a list of 100 cars available for sale in 2022. Magazine readers cut the list to the top-10 and then the experts reduced it to the final-5.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Autocar road test editor Matt Saunders noted the cars all “demonstrate the richness and variety of the car market in an era that many will look back on with great fondness. But they also show the passion and knowledge that our readers and Beaulieu visitors have for modern-day cars.

“Some great performance cars were always sure to make the cut; and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Toyota GR Yaris have both been rightly recognized. They were hugely critically acclaimed cars when introduced and very much remain so, garnering powerful followings and rejuvenating the standing of their parent brands among true petrolheads.

“The Land Rover Defender and Alpine A110 could hardly be more different as vehicle concepts, but both cars use retro design cues really cleverly to create a modern persona that people have responded to.

“That the Alpine kept the likes of the Mazda MX-5 and Porsche 911 out of the winners’ circle says much about how highly it is regarded as a driver’s car; and about how potent forces rarity and exclusivity can be in defining particular appeal. The Defender will be a much more common sight on UK roads for a few years yet, but people’s affection for it will likely endure just as long, I think.

“The BMW i3, meanwhile, is just a brilliantly and boldly conceived modern supermini that proves that car enthusiasts can still be depended upon to recognize world-class innovative design when they see it.”

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