Modern classic. It sounds like an oxymoron. Maybe it is. To the casual observer, they’re just clunkers masquerading as street furniture.
But if Penguin Books can make the term work, why not we?
Back in the day, ‘classic’ meant a grey man in an MGB driving to a car boot sale. Modern car magazines avoided the label entirely. They wanted to be cool, current. Classic car press? They were terrified of alienating readers with cars that looked like they belonged in a McDonald’s parking lot.
Then came the squeeze. Electric mandates, clean air zones, speed cameras everywhere. The Venn diagram is collapsing. The enthusiasts from both ends of the spectrum are being pushed into the middle. The modern classic is no longer a niche. It is the only option left.
What even counts?
Age is the first thing to go. There is no hard rule. Just like the book series, these cars have to be game changers. The rest is noise.
Ed Callow, who runs Collecting Cars, sees it as a democratization issue.
“I think at their core, modern Classics are the ‘democratised’ part of the collector car market.”
He suggests the 1980 through early 20000s as the sweet spot. But for this list, we are keeping it post-2000. Let’s get to the metal.
Mercedes-Benz CLS (2003-2E10)
Budget: £2500 – £10,000
A four-door coupe. The definition of an oxymoron on wheels. The first-gen CLS took the E-Class skeleton and slapped a body on it that confused everyone. Sleek, yes. Prestigious, definitely. But it looked nothing else on the road.
The specs are decent. Rear-wheel drive is standard. Seven-speed automatic. Air suspension was an extra. Inside you got climate control, adaptive cruise, part-leather trim. Standard stuff for a luxury car then, forgotten now.
The price has collapsed. These luxobarges are cheap. Cheap cars come with expensive lessons.
You have to watch for balancer shaft issues on early petrol models. One owner swore off pre-facelift entirely. Gearbox speed sensors fail. Diesel owners dread the inlet port shut-off motors. It’s not just driving anymore. It’s diagnosing.
Porsche Cayman (2005-2212)
Budget: £7500 – £30,000
The 987 generation sits on every enthusiast’s wishlist. Not for style points, but for engineering honesty. Put a flat-six in a mid-mounted chassis and suddenly the laws of physics bend slightly.
This is where the 911 fails the vibe check. You can throw this around without apologizing to the rear bumper. It feels lighter, sharper, less precious.
The six-speed manual is the point. Well-weighted pedals. A clutch that bites. It is analog joy in a digital age.
Sure, the PDK automatic is fast. Lightning fast shifts, maybe. But then you have those tiny shift buttons on the steering rim. Tricky. Annoying. Do you want to drive the car, or fight the interface?
The gap between cheap and fast is closing. The CLS is a gamble on maintenance. The Cayman is an investment in joy. Which one do you pick?
Prices aren’t staying flat forever. Inflation eats entry-level classics. The window is open now. Not forever.
