Classic Cars
5 collector cars Gen-X, Boomers, and Milennials were searching for during the pandemic
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a desirable car for enthusiasts of all ages.
In 2020, Americans were given a lot of time to sit at home and distract themselves by surfing the web. Often, they found themselves daydreaming about owning a classic or collector car.
Hagerty has released some interesting results of a survey of the company's web traffic during that period, detailing which vehicles had their quotes searched for the most and what age groups were doing the searching. Scroll down to see the results.
2000-2006 BMW M3 (E46)
The E46 generation BMW M3 was available as a coupe or a cabriolet.
Photo courtesy of BMW
Gen-Xers and Millennials are looking hard at the BMW M3s of the early 2000s. Seventy-eight percent of the quotes Hagerty received were from that age group.
The E46 edition of the car was produced as a coupe and a convertible, getting its power from the last of the S54 straight-six engines BMW produced. The automaker sold the model in a variety of special editions but the CSL was never brought to market in North America.
1997-2004 Porsche Boxster
Porsche introduced the Boxster in 1996.
Photo courtesy of Porsche AG
The Porsche Boxster celebrated a big birthday this year, but last year it was the first-generation model that was on the minds of browsers. Boomers represented 51 percent of the quotes for the Boxster followed by 33 percent by Gen-X.
The mid-engine Boxster was Porsche's first road vehicle to be originally designed as a roadster since the 914, which was in production from 1969 to 1976. A couple different engine choices were available for the first-gen Boxster when it was new and the model underwent a mid-generation update for the 2002 model year.
1984-1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer
This 1989 Jeep Wagoneer sold for over $100k at Barrett-Jackson.
Photo courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer's popularity is picking up just as Jeep announced that they're bringing the SUV back. The new Grand Wagoneer is expected later this year.
Hagerty reported that 65 percent of all quotes for the vintage version of the SUV were from Gen-X and Millennial buyers - the target market for the new one as well.
1993-2002 Pontiac Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird was discontinued just before the Great Recession hit causing the brand to fold.
Photo by Ken Morris/Shutterstock.com
The final generation of the Pontiac Firebird is still turning heads, nearly 20 years after it left the market. During the pandemic, 63 percent of the quotes that were searched for are from Gen-X and Millennials
1990-1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The third-generation Mazda Miata went out of production six years ago.
Photo courtesy of Mazda North American Operations
Gen-X and Millennials represented 56 percent of all quotes for the second- and third-generation Mazda Miata. The second-gen MX-5 debuted in 1997 and was put on sale for the 1999 model year. This was the generation that got rid of the pop-up headlights.
The third-gen Miata was in production from 2005 to 2015. Design-wise, the car stayed pretty true to its roots but there was one notable innovation. This generation was the first to have a retractable hardtop variant.