Future Classics?

[Bellow]

The future classics of the last 15 years from Mercedes carry smart badges.
As unpalatable as that thought will be to most on this forum.

 

[Matt32AMG]

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, as I have said before the last time this subject arose. Peoples Idea as to what defines a classic s is subjective.

There are cars that have ground breaking features, but I think for what it’s worth, you have to look at the entire package, not just individual elements.

For example it might handle well and be loads of fun to drive, but it leaks like a sieve, or it might not be vary reliable. (Lotus Elan) The charm of Lotus onership.

Triumph Stag V8 - Great looking car with the Alloy Buick power plant, but boy did they rust. The straight six engined stags with lucas electrics hmmn
The mini you can't argue with it's status (except the rust).
Never liked French cars, they were just too French in concept.
I understand the Lancia argument, but never driven one.

My point is its all subjective to the individual .

 

[lil.smartie]

The future classics of the last 15 years from Mercedes carry smart badges.
As unpalatable as that thought will be to most on this forum.

I was going to say a Smart Roadster, more so maybe the Brabus models...

My Mk1 smart is now 12 yrs old (oldest in the country!) I paid £4k for it in 1999 and still could sell for £3k

Kate

 

[BlackC55]

I look after a "T" reg one on it's original engine!

Future classic: The CLS

 

[Bellow]

There are cars that have ground breaking features, but I think for what it’s worth, you have to look at the entire package, not just individual elements.

For example it might handle well and be loads of fun to drive, but it leaks like a sieve, or it might not be vary reliable. (Lotus Elan) The charm of Lotus onership.

Those two paragraphs are quite telling, if expanded a touch.

First off, we have the draw, the thing it does well, the aspect that gains it an audience. In the case of the Elan, its handling.
Also necessary though is a more subjective quality, something about the way it all gels that becomes the 'charm of ownership', despite the odd flaw (or two in the case of the Lotus!).

So really a classic has a bit of objective talent wrapped up in subjective 'character'...

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Future Classic: SL55 AMG

 

[Bellow]

Future classic: The CLS

Yes!

Future Classic: SL55 AMG

No!!

 

[jdrrco]

Triumph Stag V8 - Great looking car with the Alloy Buick power plant, but boy did they rust. The straight six engined stags with lucas electrics hmmn

The Stag only came with a Triumph 3.0 V8 engine (basically two dolomite engines glued together with bostick).

Any with straight six engines or Buick (Rover) V8s are ones that have been altered later.

Rust not that much of an issue compared to others of its day, including the R107, XJS, XJ6 coupe etc. Ones that were waxoyled and looked after still as strong as ever today.


As for future classics, I think the W209 coupe and convertible and the CLS could both be up there, along with the BMW Mini.

 

[Bellow]

Ford Ka.

 

[James1976]

I agree with Will, the R129 is surely the one to watch, also any proper AMG car if low miles and looked after.

Here here! I hope so anyway. They've surely hit the bottom now?

Question re A class is are they well enough built to survive? Or does that guarantee it exclusivity as they're all going to be scrapped

I'd guess as everyone else has said the AMG's etc will be classics, the W124, particularly the coupe's and estates, the former relative rarity and the latter as they get worked into the ground like the W123's. Also convertibles, but most of this will I would guess get preserved, keeping them popular and ensuring their suvival.

Wouldn't mind betting on the 190E either as a workhorse, if any of the non-cosworth engined models survive?

J

 

[Matt32AMG]

Those two paragraphs are quite telling, if expanded a touch.

First off, we have the draw, the thing it does well, the aspect that gains it an audience. In the case of the Elan, its handling.
Also necessary though is a more subjective quality, something about the way it all gels that becomes the 'charm of ownership', despite the odd flaw (or two in the case of the Lotus!).

So really a classic has a bit of objective talent wrapped up in subjective 'character'...

Agreed, in theory. However the reality is as an owner it becomes a pain in the ass if it spends more time being fixed than being driven as you'd like to imagine. Typical of a hybrid car that draws components from various parts bins. This is where the MX5 works so well, it has the charm of the Lotus but with added plus, the reliability one expects of Japanese manufacturer’s, that you so wished the lotus had.

Don't get me wrong I driven loads of elans early Elans and they are a scream, I love them. I'm just pleased someone else has to fix them and not me.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

C36 AMG on the basis it's the last of the "tuner-car" AMG special order cars, but it common enough to have a following?

 

[Matt32AMG]

The Stag only came with a Triumph 3.0 V8 engine (basically two dolomite engines glued together with bostick).

Any with straight six engines or Buick (Rover) V8s are ones that have been altered later.

Rust not that much of an issue compared to others of its day, including the R107, XJS, XJ6 coupe etc. Ones that were waxoyled and looked after still as strong as ever today.


As for future classics, I think the W209 coupe and convertible and the CLS could both be up there, along with the BMW Mini.

Absolutely right regarding the Dolomite engines, that was why I was highlighting the Buick V8 (conversion) It was only that engine that was any cop in the Stag in my view, that engine transformed it into a proper proposition that the car so shoul've been.

Dunno about what was worse rust wise. Seen plenty of rust bucket examples of Stags, though the Jags were shocking but then you can say that across the board when talking about British cars.

 

[poormansporsche]

what often end up as "classics" are completely common run of the mill cars that loads were sold but were so common that not many survive because there were so many about that its not worth spending any money on them

Perfect example Mk1 Escorts and even the likes of say Mk4 Escort XR3i's - both had no redeeming features at all, sold by the buket load, most ending up at the scrapping but now sought after due to nostalgia. Both I would say fall into "classic" car status, although on different ends of the price scale

 

[Matt32AMG]

Ford Ka.

Sorry old chap It's a re-bodied Fiesta.

Having had the misfortune of driving one it felt like it had the integrity of a chocolate fireguard. Closing the door I half expected the entire thing to fold down flat pack like… Horrible.

I refused to get one for my step daughter, I got her a VW polo instead. You ever seen one after its rear ended a lorry? It’s not pretty and the occupants don’t stand a chance of surviving with that sloping bonnet. Local girl got killed a few months back having done just that.

No sorry it's a lemon

 

[poormansporsche]

Being a lemon doesnt stop a car becoming a classic - take lambo's everyone of those was a lemon

If any modern ford is going to become a classic though its the Racing Puma, pretty much flopped, wasnt much kop and was overpriced

 

[Matt32AMG]

Typically though, narrow band criteria are selected to exclude cars people don't want on the list but yet include their own favourites, but offering up your own car on the basis of a few numbers, doesn't cut it.

But numbers made is not the only criteria for my car. It is a hand built specialists car, produced to bridge the gap between the Porsche Boxter and BMW Z3s. Sadly, and no offense to the SLK230 and 320 owners of the R170, they didn't quite cut it as outright performance cars. But then that was not what those cars were about.

The SLK32amg is a performance car with supercar attributes, ( certainly at the time ). 0 – 60 figures of 4.5 secs is hard to argue, there was very little on the road that could touch it, even now there isn't a fantastic amount that can outperform it. It also has the flexibility that few cars of its class then or now could offer, a convertible in 27 secs with coupe security with the roof up. No exotic could do that at a touch of a button. It has the build quality, (Heated seats, aside) that again it's very difficult to argue.

On the other hand, the car also offers the driver a completely docile, relaxed, comfortable drive should they wish. It is as happy to just pootle around town in traffic, or cruse through and around the countryside as it is on track days. It is also, contrary to popular belief, a practical car to tour with. I took my other half away down through Spain for 10 days, with all the luggage we needed including evening wear, with the roof down the entire trip. So it’s also proven to be not just a weekend car.

Speaking as an owner of the car from new eight years ago, and covered some 43000 miles, it has proven to be a reliable dependable vehicle. It’s Achilles heel? The steering (Worm and sector) isn’t as taught as it could be, but then AMG replaced or refined everything else, and it doesn’t detract from the driving experience, if anything it adds. It’s what adds to its character as the last of the unruly Mercedes cars built Lets also not forget, you want more power it’s so very tuneable. 400bhp isn’t that expensive to achieve.

In conclusion; to my mind for £50K the SLK32 AMG was deemed expensive, but I see it, it is a hell of a lot of car for your buck and half the price of the exotics with half the associated maintenance and running costs.

Finally, in my view, it also happens to be a good looking car, put all together, that’s a recipe for a classic in my book and I don't think there are many former or current owners who would argue that. JMHO

 

[Matt32AMG]

Being a lemon doesnt stop a car becoming a classic - take lambo's everyone of those was a lemon

If any modern ford is going to become a classic though its the Racing Puma, pretty much flopped, wasnt much kop and was overpriced

Are yes, but being a lemon doesn''t help it either. All Lambo's are lemons?
The lamborghini miura was a stunning looking car inside and out.

Don't know much about latter day Fords, other than the Focus was good driven a few of those.

 

[MOCAŠ]

The SLK32amg is a performance car with supercar attributes, ( certainly at the time ). 0 – 60 figures of 4.5 secs is hard to argue,

I was also astonished to learn that they'll hit 193mph de-restricted (according to Wikipedia). Not bad at all for a 3.2-litre engine.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I was also astonished to learn that they'll hit 193mph de-restricted (according to Wikipedia). Not bad at all for a 3.2-litre engine.

Maybe I'm mis-reading it, but I can't see that?!

Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia