Younger collectors are buying the cars of their youth, but they’re interested in the same models as their parents
January 26, 2024 at 20:35
It won’t surprise anyone that Porsche continues to wield a significant influence in the collector market. However, the results from Bring a Trailer’s online auctions in 2023 illuminate a substantial shift occurring within the enthusiast community. The increasing popularity of newer cars indicates that a younger generation of buyers come of age, and is now emerging as dedicated collectors.
In terms of sheer volume, the most frequently listed model year on Bring a Trailer in 2023 was 2006. Notably, vehicles from that era were exceptionally well-represented on the platform. Following 2006, the next most popular model years by volume were 2004, 2003, 2008, 2005, 2002, and 2007, ranking as the second through seventh most prevalent. Vehicles from 1969, 1997, and 1967 completed the top 10
This suggests that younger Gen X and Millennial buyers are now showing interest in purchasing the cars from their youth. Interestingly, despite the cars being more recent, younger buyers appear to be interested in the same models that appeal to baby boomers.
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Read: Bring A Trailer Hits Record $1.4 Billion Sales, Even As Market Cools Down
It comes as no surprise that the Porsche 911 topped the list as the most frequently sold model on Bring a Trailer in 2023. However, it was followed by a group of enduring American classics: the Chevrolet Corvette, the Ford Mustang, F-Series, and Bronco. As you might expect, then, the most sought-after brand of vehicle was Porsche, followed by Ford, Chevrolet, Mercedes, and BMW.
Photos BaT
Somewhat unexpectedly, the highest-selling vehicle on BaT in 2023 did not belong to any of these brands. Instead, it was a neo-classic: a 2014 Pagani Huayra with a mere 592 miles on the odometer that sold for $2.88 million. Coming in a close second was a 1967 Porsche 910 ($2.5 million), followed by a 2020 Liquid Carbon Ford GT with just 84 miles ($1.79 million), a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT boasting 601 miles ($1.78 million), and a 2019 Porsche 935 ($1.62 million).
Photos BaT
However, these auctions weren’t necessarily the ones that garnered the most attention. Interestingly, the listing that generated the highest number of comments and views featured a 1974 Ford C-750 Camelot Cruiser Motorhome with Poloron Snowmobiles. It was followed by a slot racetrack resembling a Porsche 917, a 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur, a 2021 Koenigsegg Regera, and a 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Coupe by Singer.
All of which led to a positive year for Bring a Trailer, which registered a 20 percent increase in registered users over 2022, and which surpassed $1.4 billion in sales for the second year in a row.