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Build a Budget Garage of Future Classics with Advice from McLaren 720S Designer

It's common knowledge that cars are some of the worst investments a man can make. It's almost literally like throwing money down the drain, with the very important difference that actually driving the car is more fun than stuffing a pipe with banknotes.
BMW Z4 Coupe 12 photos
Photo: BMW
Frank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendationsFrank Stephenson's future classic recommendations
The only reason cars have gained this unenviable reputation is that people generally think of cars as tools they need to satisfy their transportation needs. They're disposable items you use for a while, then get rid of the moment a newer and shinier one you can afford is available.

Daily drivers are definitely money pits, but that's not the only way you can relate to these machines. Just like there is an art trade with a market that some people know very well and can predict the way it'll evolve, there is also a classic car market that can yield nice profits if exploited properly.

Anyone with enough knowledge and nous can invest today and, provided they have a big enough garage to keep these cars in good condition for long enough, make a hefty profit in a decade or so. Yes, it's not exactly quick money, but it doesn't require that much effort either and, besides, you get to work with cars, so it's not exactly work.

We suspect a lot of people would like to give it a go but they're afraid of making the wrong choice and ending up with an old car that's not worth anything. Well, world-renowned designer Frank Stephenson would like to help you out with that by providing his predictions on seven models that are bound to become classics over time.

Frank Stephenson's future classic recommendations
Photo: Alfa Romeo
He's starting things off with the BMW Z4 Coupe - the successor to the "Bread Van" that was too afraid to continue in the same vein. Still, a lot of people will actually prefer it to the Z3 Coupe precisely because of the less controversial design, so it's probably a safer choice.

The second car on the list is the Honda S2000, the Japanese roadster that was an instant hit the moment it came out. It was a gorgeous-looking car that just happened to be tremendous fun to drive as well - too bad you could hardly fit a grown adult inside. Its high-revving 2.0-liter naturally aspirated VTEC engine held the record for most power per liter for a pretty long time.

The third is the Alfa Romeo Brera - one of the most criminally overlooked cars in recent history that was just unlucky enough to see the light of day at a time when Alfa Romeo wasn't going through the best of times. The design is stunning, but one of the problems was it never had the performance to match the visuals. Some people probably felt as though that was turning them into show-offs, which could explain why Brera's sales never really kicked off.

The fourth entry on the list brings the first sedan, and what a sedan it is - more like a limousine. It's the Citroen C6, the car of French Presidents and, for a ridiculously low price, potentially your car too, if you can get hold of one. The C6 was created during the brief period when French designers went a bit mad (Renault Avantime, anyone?), but it was arguably the best creation to come out of that era. People who've only seen it will remember it for its curved, concave rear window, and those who've also driven it will recall it was the only car to offer more comfort than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It was genuinely like riding on clouds.

Fifth place and we're back to sportier-looking cars. It's the Honda CRZ, the spiritual successor of the highly successful CRX that managed to do a great job of reinterpreting the original model's design. The two-door Honda also had the accolade of being the first hybrid with a manual transmission, and even though the performance wasn't great, the powertrain worked pretty well.

Frank Stephenson's future classic recommendations
Photo: Opel
The sixth one is one of the most powerful front-wheel-drive hot hatches ever created, and possibly one of the sexiest too. It's the Opel GTC OPC (Vauxhall GTC VXR), the extreme version of the German manufacturer's long-running model. It notoriously failed to make the most out of all that power losing most of it through wheel spin when accelerating from a standstill, but you can't really fault its design. Opel is known for putting really large wheels on its models, and with the GTC OPC, the approach sure paid off.

Finally, just before the honorable mentions, we have the first model that could prove to be a financial burden for most people. It's the Porsche 911 997, the last Neunelfer even the strictest of Porsche purists could enjoy. It packed all the good stuff you would expect from a 911 - naturally-aspirated boxer engine, hydraulic steering - to make it the ultimate driver's car. It'll probably be hard to hold on to it without adding too many miles on the clock but, at the end of the day, it's all about what makes you happy: driving a great car or stuffing your bank account.

Frank also throws in a few "honorable mentions" that include the Ford Focus RS Mk1, the Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk4, the Lotus Elise, the BMW E38 7 Series, and the Honda Type R EP3. While investing in one of these might turn out to be a good idea long-term, the best scenario is that you already own one, so all you need to do is hang on to it and sell it at the right time. If you'll have the heart for it.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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