What turns a daily driver into a collector car? There are many factors that determine if your standard production car can someday achieve fame at a local car show or on the auction block. Future collector cars may come from a limited run, experience a huge cult following during its release, or feature a unique technology that is enduring or was fleeting.
Check out some of our current favourites that we believe may become future classics ready to be cherished by sports car enthusiasts, design critics, and even the next generation of eager drivers.

Photo Credit: Dodge
Dodge Challenger Hellcat
In 2009, Dodge released its re-imagined version of the popular 1970s muscle car, the Challenger. Its long hood, high rear haunches, recessed headlights, and pleasing rumble garnered tons of fans. When they upped the ante with the Challenger Hellcat trim in 2015, they stopped apologizing for the past. A supercharged V8 engine capable of over 700 horsepower, line lock, launch control, and race-worthy transmission secured its spot in the future hall of fame.

Photo Credit: Jeep
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Launch Edition
Sometimes the look of a thing speaks louder than its actual performance. Jeep brought back the storied Gladiator nameplate for the 2020 model year and ensured its off-road reputation with a Rubicon Launch Edition. Collectors of the Jeep Wrangler will covet the familiar boxy design and capability with a mid-sized pickup bed in the back. Only 4,190 will be made. In 20 years, everyone will want one, especially if the nameplate retires quickly as poor early sales indicate.

Photo Credit: Tesla
Tesla Model 3
Occasionally a collector car marks change in the automotive market. At the end of the last century, we only dreamed of a compact sedan that we could charge up at home and then drive for over 300 miles. This plug-in electric car is setting the standard for eco-friendly performance while maintaining the sleek styling that the car culture demands. Look forward another two decades and the Tesla Model 3 may be known as the turning point of EV cars that are affordable, practical, and still beautiful.

Photo Credit: Toyota
Toyota Supra
How often do you walk through your local car show in Vancouver or Montreal and see an entire row of the Corvette or Miata? Sports cars are simply fun, and when the factory hits on a stunning shape backed up with spirited performance, you get an instant hit. The 2020 Toyota Supra is making a big splash this year that should create an enduring following for years in the future.

Photo Credit: Lincoln
Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition
In the tent of automotive curiosities, you will find only a select few of the Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition on the entire planet as only 230 were made in 2019 and 2020. Even as the sedan is in its death throws, Lincoln garnered headlines by bringing back suicide doors on this exclusive vehicle. It is oozing with luxury appointments and elegance. Collectors will snap these up ensuring that their popularity on the auction block will endure.

Photo Credit: Toyota
Toyota RAV4
Just as the Model T could be found on almost every farm at the inception of automotive history, the Toyota RAV4 appears in driveways on almost every block. Owners love it for its compact size, dependability, and flexible interior. The longevity of the RAV4 brand–in production since 1994–guarantees that brand loyal collector clubs will be popping up for decades to come.

Photo Credit: Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
There will always be a driver that wants to feel the wind whip through their hair while their hands have a firm grip on the wheel and stick shift. The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider ticks all the boxes as a convertible featuring timeless style while a spirited turbocharged motor and carefully crafted suspension zip through the turns. Best of all, it doesn’t cost an exorbitant amount to own.

Photo Credit: Honda
Honda Insight
The new car market is currently in a design crisis. We still love the appearance of a well-heeled sedan, but seem to be committed to making every vehicle look like an SUV. At the same time, hybrid and EV technology is making its own mark on design as the factories struggle to find a place for the battery pack. The 2021 Honda Insight created a four-door that belongs in the office lot while including hybrid or plug-in efficiency. Will this be a pretty model that soon vanishes from dealer lots and into private collections as future collector cars, or become the herald of the new age of driving?
If you want to learn more about how cars are determined to be a classic, collector, or antique, then be sure to check out informative guide on the different types of collector cars!