modern day classics

[JayC]

ive been having a think, and was wondering if cars of today will still be remembered in thirty odd years time.

what i mean is, will cars like the mondeo or vectra be thought of as classics in the same way that cars like the cortina or mk1 golf are?

also will the 200 be remembered, i mean i reckon the skyline will, but no one knows what a 200sx is now let alone in a few years time.

it just seems that cars are now made with no character, and are just made for a matirial world that will throw them away and forget about them when a new model comes out.

even supercars dont seem that exciting anymore, i mean ok im sure their faster, handle better yaddy yaddy yadder, but i dont think they have that classic look to them like such cars as the ferrari f40, the lambo countach or an old 911.

what do you guys think?

[BigD]

vw carrado should be. great handling,styleing,an the vr6 one .

[charlaph]

I think it's only cars that are great when stock that become mainstream classics. The 200SX was (is) a good car when standard but it was never a 'wow' car. Therefore it won't be considered a classic in 30 years time, but it'll still be desirable to those in the know - a tuned 200SX will be like a tuned Skyline (but without the rep)

I think the Focus RS will become a classic because it was only produced in limited numbers. I doubt any Mondeo or Vectra will. The Monaro might.

There are always 'special' supercars. Things like the Enzo and Carerra GT, you might not think too much of them but I can bet 13 year olds will love them, and when they grow up these will be the classics they aim for, in the same way that somewhere, deep down I'd quite like a Countach, even though I know they're a pile of ass. Can't help it.

Other future classics - some exige/elise models (couldn't tell you which ones though) S2000 (yes, I really think so), Supra (maybe - the image is tarnished now, but might come around in years to come when they're rarer) ..... I can't think of too many 'everyday' cars that will turn out that way. Maybe the Civic Type R or even the Corolla T-Sport. The T-Sport is one of those misunderstood cars, it's got a screaming engine but the rest of the car isn't up to the job so it was written off by the motoring press. I see T-Sports driven by old duffers who obviously got sold the 'top of the range' corolla and I doubt they've ever been over 4k revs. These will be worth buying in years to come.

[s13silvia]

ok im a bit biased, but i think the first model honda civic VTEC may possibly become one .... i know the later models get all the attention esp the EG but they lack the character the EF has .... it was the first (along with the corolla) proper use of VVT in a production car as far as i know for high performance ... and did a blinding job

[DAVE610]

The cars such as the Golf GTi, Mk1 Escort Mexico etc, have become classics because there was nothing like it at the time. I don't think things such as the Civic Type R, Corrlla, or S2000 will be, as they are not unique in todays market, every brand has a near equivalent. Manufacturers took great risks making certain models years ago, today, this doesnt happen as its all marketing.

You may think Im biased, but I do think Renault have made some serious future classics, with the Renault Spider and Clio V6. Both are not ground breaking cars by any means, but what other manufacturer made a production two seater with no roof, lambo doors, and a wind deflector instead of the windscreen, and also, took a production hatchback, and put a completely different engine in a completely different place.

Daring in these times...

[Parker]

Maybe the Clio 182 if what Evo says is true. Modern day 205GTi?

What about the 350Z? Hopefully not so they're cheaper when I come to get one

[Lennie]

Arnt 99.9% of new cars shit though?

I cant think of any that are REALLY good. just good.

[hadyn]

How is the Supra image tarnished then? Too many mullet fashion haircut boys driving them with more money than sense?

[JayC]

Arnt 99.9% of new cars shit though?

I cant think of any that are REALLY good. just good.

thats what i mean, they're just built to do what they're supposed to do , and then are forgotten. most cars just look the same now with no real charater to them at all.

[Escy]

a 182 won't be, its not really a stand out car, you've said yourself that its an update of a 205 GTI (which is a classic), it doesn't stand out, there are many other similar cars). i think the Clio V6 will become a classic, its different like Dave610 says.

Heritage and motorsport pedigree will make or break cars as far as classic status goes IMO. the Focus RS will be, its produced in limited numbers. i think the original Clio Williams will be too. GTR skylines will probably be, all the other skylines won't though.

200SX has no chance, neither do run of the mill scooby's. P1's and 22B's will be. Escort Cosworth's are already there (all Cosworths are). like its been said already, Exige's will be, Carlos Sainz GT4's stand a fighting chance.

there isn't anything i can think of thats currently in production that stands out much.

[marty_t3]

will the 200 be remembered, i mean i reckon the skyline will, but no one knows what a 200sx is now let alone in a few years time.

The 200 is definitely going to become a classic. It already has a cult following in the UK (us) and it's popularity is just starting to peak 15 years after it was released. There are a lot of cars on this board that should have been consigned to the scrap heap if it wasn't for the work of the dedicated few. Any car that has enough character and this kind of devoted fan is destined to be a classic. It just might take the motoring press another decade or 2 to realise it.

[marty_t3]

200SX has no chance, neither do run of the mill scooby's. P1's and 22B's will be. Escort Cosworth's are already there (all Cosworths are). like its been said already, Exige's will be, Carlos Sainz GT4's stand a fighting chance.

Just look at the cars that already have status as classics. What do they all have in common?? A dedicated fan base.

Classics don't have to be the quickest, best made, nicest looking, rarest, most expensive..... they just needs a following. Take the mark one escort for example. A definite classic. It wasn't even a particularly good car and it was sold to the masses..... yet years later they start showing up on classic car garage forecourts.

[Escy]

as far as S13's are concerned, it'll never happen IMO. a classic in Japan yes (due to drifting), but classic over here i don't think so. i think drifting is a fad that'll die down in a few years in the UK. its only popular as its new and in all the magazines. once people realise its the same drivers in the same cars every year on the same tracks it'll get boring.

its not going to become a classic on looks (unless a Probe is going to be in your eyes?). its not going to be a classic going on content as like someone else said above, they aren't all that good standard.

they are already in the age range to be considered classic (1988), yet people generally don't know what they are or really care.

how many little kids have pictures on their wall of a standard 200SX and wish they could have one? Escort Cosworth and Lotus Carltons are there instead.

just because there is an owners club for a car doesn't mean it's going to become a classic in the true sense of the word. there are owners clubs for nearly every car in the UK. there is a club for people who drive Volvo S40 1.6's, are they classics too?

i think the S14 and S14a have even less chance than the S13 as they have less character and are always going to be living in the skyline shadow.

just saying how i see it.

[Escy]

Classics don't have to be the quickest, best made, nicest looking, rarest, most expensive..... they just needs a following. Take the mark one escort for example. A definite classic. It wasn't even a particularly good car and it was sold to the masses..... yet years later they start showing up on classic car garage forecourts.

Mk1 and 2 Escorts are still used in motorsport today and they were the most succesful rally cars ever. that sort of heritage makes them what they are. same for Lotus Sunbeams.

what your forgetting is 25 years ago they were always in the public eye and have always been popular.

200SX's never have been and they don't have any heritage to back them up really.

maybe i see it different as i'm a fan of all cars in general and don't look at Nissans with rose tinted specs.

[fullmetalgasket]

I have to Agree with Marty, the S14 may not have been the greatest car in the world as standard - but there's not much from it's time period that can hold a candle to it in terms of fun or driver involvement (sometimes these are mutually exclusive I.E. in the wet )

The 200 has more than enough plus points to be considered a classic in years to come - not least of which is the fact it was one of the last lairy RWD coupes /

[Ivor]

lotus sunbeam, lotus carlton, mini 1275gt, escort mexico/rs200. i think the only jap car will be as said the celica carlos sainz. euro cars could be the golf gti mk1, lancia delta hf.
just noticed, there all sports cars

[damo666s13]

Ford capris are popular classic cars so are allegros so im sure there is hope for the 200sx in the future!

[marty_t3]

as far as S13's are concerned, it'll never happen IMO. a classic in Japan yes (due to drifting), but classic over here i don't think so. i think drifting is a fad that'll die down in a few years in the UK. its only popular as its new and in all the magazines. once people realise its the same drivers in the same cars every year on the same tracks it'll get boring.

its not going to become a classic on looks (unless a Probe is going to be in your eyes?). its not going to be a classic going on content as like someone else said above, they aren't all that good standard.

they are already in the age range to be considered classic (1988), yet people generally don't know what they are or really care.

how many little kids have pictures on their wall of a standard 200SX and wish they could have one? Escort Cosworth and Lotus Carltons are there instead.

just because there is an owners club for a car doesn't mean it's going to become a classic in the true sense of the word. there are owners clubs for nearly every car in the UK. there is a club for people who drive Volvo S40 1.6's, are they classics too?

i think the S14 and S14a have even less chance than the S13 as they have less character and are always going to be living in the skyline shadow.

just saying how i see it.

I'm gonna have to disagree again i'm afraid

The SXOC was here before drifting became popular. I was only my third "silvia" series car before i'd even heard of drifting.

Looks wise, the 200 was said to be very stylish when it first came out, then about 2 years later the motoring press started branding it "dated". Yet despite that we all still get kids drooling over our cars completely oblivious to the fact that they're 15 years that were designed in 1987.

Like i said, people won't know they're classics until the motoring press tell them. I didn't know what a jensen interceptor was until 10 years ago.

As for pictures on walls... i don't know any kids with pictures of Lotus Carltons or Escort cosworths. They have posters of F&F style Supras and Scoobs.

And does the Volvo S40 owners club have the same sort of following we have here?

As for the S14 being less likely to be a classic. I can't really say anything about that as i don't know how the S14 guys will be treating their cars in 5-10 years time when they start becoming troublesome, ropey, money pits that aren't as fast as their modern counterparts.

[frisbee]

Escorts are classic because of their rallying heritige, cosworths and the original M3s because of touring cars. If drifting takes off as a sport the 200 could well be a minor classic. With tuning rules similar to rallycross, like the RS200, it could be raced sucessfully for many more years.

[John Bennett]

It depends who's looking back at the cars, and what their interests are. Also depends what model you consider: my dad's old 1970's ford escort 1.1 litre popular was shit

Classic car magazines will brand stacks of things as classics. Don't have to be particularly good - Delorean's a classic, and people collect TR7's and those ugly little MG thingys

I saw a Lotus Sunbeam at a hill climb once . It was no suprise to see it blow up before the day was out