Pick Preview: Barrett-Jackson Future Collectible Symposium
Does anyone out there remember the Magic 8 Ball? It was a plastic sphere invented in 1946 that resembled a billiards ball, and it was used to answer yes/no questions for fortune-telling purposes. If you could ask a Magic 8 Ball about a specific model that might become a future collectible vehicle, what would that vehicle be? Below are five vehicles I will be discussing at the Future Collectible Symposium on January 21 at WestWorld during the upcoming Barrett-Jackson 2026 Scottsdale Auction. Our readers get a sneak peek!
Honda Integra Type R (DC5) – JDM Spec (pictured above)
It is hard for many of us to believe (or accept), but cars from the early 2000s are now officially becoming classics. One of them is a car that, up until now, has not been available stateside due to “25-year rule” federal import regulations. It’s the 2001-2006, Japanese-market Honda Integra Type R. This right-hand-drive sport-tuner came with a high-revving K20A iVTEC inline-four with 220 horsepower. In addition, it had strong balance and Recaro seats. For a raw, connected pocket-rocket, I think it’s a car to keep your eyes on.
Lexus LC500
The LC launched in 2018 and is still in production. It’s an elite grand tourer from Toyota’s luxury brand, and its price tag when new was around $100,000. The LC has held its value well, and I consider it a future collectible because we are in an era when “coupes” in general are being phased out in favor of crossover-type vehicles. Lexus has intentionally kept production numbers low (around 2,000-3,000 units per year), giving the car an exclusive feel – not to mention the fact that the cars are hand-built at the same factory that produced the LFA V10 supercar years ago. Attention to detail and build quality abound.
Ford F-150 Raptor R
The F-150 has been a best-seller for many decades, and the Raptor R takes the popular platform to new heights of performance. This is one “new” vehicle that I think you could put away in a vault and see appreciate in value in the coming years – but who would want to do that? It has a 5.2-liter Predator V8 that has been supercharged and produces 720 horsepower. Add in the off-road suspension, 13 inches of ground clearance, and 37-inch tires, and it’s a truck that will be begging to get dirty.
Chevrolet Tahoe & Suburban (GMT400)
This pick takes things back a few decades, but hear me out. We already know that the car collector community is driven by nostalgia. Many, many American families had GMT400-platform vehicles as their daily drivers. The Tahoe, Suburban, early Escalade, and GMC/Chevy pickup trucks from the 1980s-2000s are booming in popularity, and well-kept examples are getting tougher to find. The Suburban is an undisputed cultural icon – it’s the only vehicle that earned itself a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited (ZJ)
Before all of today’s performance-focused SUVs and crossovers like the Tesla Model X, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, and Hemi-powered Durangos, one of the pioneering models for the segment was the Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited. It was available for just one year (1998) and was reportedly the world’s fastest SUV at the time. There were only about 14,000 built, and today, surviving examples are sought after. It came with a 245-horsepower Magnum V8 and Quadra-Trac four-wheel drive – making it plenty capable both on- and off-road.
What are your thoughts on the vehicles I picked?
Tune in for more about the Future Collectible Symposium as part of our ongoing Barrett-Jackson coverage this week and next! In the meantime, browse the docket!
