Better loved now than then.

[Payman]

Inspired by the "best butts" thread. What car was before its time? I mean, nobody paid it much attention when it was built and sold, yet enthusiasts hold it in high regard today?

My pick is the BMW Z8. Largely ignored when it was sold 1999-2003, yet many lust after it today, and the going price of these beauties reflect that.

[Payman]

A pristine example would be one of my top 5 lottery cars.

[Payman]

'69 Dodge Daytona. Chrysler built just 438 440ci examples, and only 70 with the 426 Hemi (508 total). They languished on dealer lots, and a common practice was to remove the nose and wing, and sell them as Charger 500s. Today the 440 cars are $150,000 - $350,000, and it's just a matter of time before a Hemi car breaks the $1,000,000 barrier.

[Payman]

Daytona factoids: it's a common myth that the wing was made tall so you could open the trunk. That's merely a bonus of the design. Understanding of aerodynamics of the time dictated the airfoil be placed in clean air... above the roofline. The horizontal airfoil was somewhat effective, but the real reason why it was such a rock-solid car on the superspeedways is the tall vertical uprights. This was the first race car to ever exceed 200 mph average on a closed circuit.

[280Z Turbo]

The nose sure was ugly. I guess rare trumps good looking when it comes to collector value.

[Raza]

A pristine example would be one of my top 5 lottery cars.

I love the Z8, but I remember it being very well received, at least critically. 

[MX793]

How could a car that was featured in a Bond film be completely ignored?

[12,000 RPM]

The nose sure was ugly. I guess rare trumps good looking when it comes to collector value.

I can think of so many cars that turn this on its head

I saw the concept of this thread and immediately thought.... EVERYTHING

Obvious one: air cooled 911s. Purists now love to thumb their nose at anything watercooled, as if 964s and 993s didn't languish on dealers lots for years and damn near drive Porsche out of business. Or like air cooling would have continued to pass emissions requirements anywhere outside of Guatemala. Etc. etc.

But the whole "everything used to be sooooo much better" line translates to everything, not just cars. That is the only reason I could see someone paying a million dollars for a 69 domestic anything "They dont make em like this anymore" Yea for damn good reason

[Soup DeVille]

No, Im pretty sure most guys plunking down metric tons of cash for old cars know that modern cars are objectively "better" ( that is, faster, safer, quieter, more comfortable, more reliable...)

But that's not what they want now is it? They want something that stirs their blood in a way those flawless modern appliances don't. They want something that excited them, or reminds them of the youth they may or may not ever have had. They want something that's just plain cool- however they personally define that. They want something historical; and a lot of these guys just want an investment they can see and touch.

[Rich]

Pfffftttt, I thank the dear lord getting into my car for its steering, throttle cable, shifter, sightlines, and HVAC after driving new cars.

[Soup DeVille]

Pfffftttt, I thank the dear lord getting into my car for its steering, throttle cable, shifter, sightlines, and HVAC after driving new cars.

Sight lines are one area where old cars are almost universally better; the rest, well your mileage may vary.

[Payman]

I can think of so many cars that turn this on its head

I saw the concept of this thread and immediately thought.... EVERYTHING

Obvious one: air cooled 911s. Purists now love to thumb their nose at anything watercooled, as if 964s and 993s didn't languish on dealers lots for years and damn near drive Porsche out of business. Or like air cooling would have continued to pass emissions requirements anywhere outside of Guatemala. Etc. etc.

But the whole "everything used to be sooooo much better" line translates to everything, not just cars. That is the only reason I could see someone paying a million dollars for a 69 domestic anything "They dont make em like this anymore" Yea for damn good reason

Well, maybe I shouldn't tell you a '71 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi convertible goes for $4,000,000+.

[Payman]

How could a car that was featured in a Bond film be completely ignored?

It wasn't, but it seems like people are looking back, 15 years later, and saying "holy shit that was a gorgeous car".

[Soup DeVille]

It wasn't, but it seems like people are looking back, 15 years later, and saying "holy shit that was a gorgeous car".

Problem was that the Z3, in higher performance trim nearly equaled it for a fraction of the price.

[Raza]

Problem was that the Z3, in higher performance trim nearly equaled it for a fraction of the price.

In what measure? Maybe the M Roadster could come close in straight line acceleration, but it had a 20 year old rear suspension when it was new and was a mess to drive if you had to use the steering wheel.

[MrH]

In what measure? Maybe the M Roadster could come close in straight line acceleration, but it had a 20 year old rear suspension when it was new and was a mess to drive if you had to use the steering wheel.

Are they really that bad?  I was considering a Z3 M Roadster.  I like the way they look, but they're pretty rare.

[Soup DeVille]

Are they really that bad?  I was considering a Z3 M Roadster.  I like the way they look, but they're pretty rare.

No. They aren't.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/reviews/a18525/sibling-rivalry-bmw-m-roadster-vs-bmw-z8/

[Raza]

Are they really that bad?  I was considering a Z3 M Roadster.  I like the way they look, but they're pretty rare.

They sound like a hoot--very old school and analogue in feel, it seems.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/bmw-m-roadster-page-2

But it did finish behind the SLK32 AMG....behind an SLK. It's not a polished car, which hurt it a lot here, but that's not to say you can't have fun with it.

[MexicoCityM3]

The BMW 8 series wasn't that well received back in the 90s. Now they are becoming sought after. I think that design has aged really well.

[68_427]

Clownshoe

[Payman]

The BMW 8 series wasn't that well received back in the 90s. Now they are becoming sought after. I think that design has aged really well.

Love the 8 series. They can be had pretty cheap too, but I imagine maintenance is pricey.

[MX793]

Problem was that the Z3, in higher performance trim nearly equaled it for a fraction of the price.

And the Z8 was a special, limited production model...

[Soup DeVille]

And the Z8 was a special, limited production model...

It was, and it was probably worth what they were charging for it.

Still, to have your 150,000 vehicle have its heels nipped by a $40,000 car from your own stable; when they are both roadsters, is a bit of a problem.

It would be like a new ZR-1 barely keeping ahead of a cooking grade Camaro.

[SVT666]

The BMW 8 series wasn't that well received back in the 90s. Now they are becoming sought after. I think that design has aged really well.

I have always loved the 8 series. That pillarless window opening is sexy as hell. The styling still looks great and puts the 6 series to shame.

[Cookie Monster]

I have always loved the 8 series. That pillarless window opening is sexy as hell. The styling still looks great and puts the 6 series to shame.

The 8 series puts pretty much any BMW built in the last couple years to shame.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Pontiac G8 

[SVT666]

The 8 series puts pretty much any BMW built in the last couple years to shame.

Yeah, but I was specifically talking about the car that is essentially the modern version of the 8 series.

[Soup DeVille]

Yeah, but I was specifically talking about the car that is essentially the modern version of the 8 series.

Yeah, I had to check myself on that; because I thought you meant the E24.

[Raza]

Yeah, I had to check myself on that; because I thought you meant the E24.

Sometimes the E24 looks awesome (like in that picture) and sometimes it look rather...stocky, I guess.  Some angles just don't flatter it.  But some make it look fantastic. 

[93JC]

The BMW 8 series wasn't that well received back in the 90s. Now they are becoming sought after. I think that design has aged really well.

Really? I don't remember it being poorly received when new. Criticized a little for being very heavy, but still very highly acclaimed.

I also think of the 8-series much more fondly than the E63 and whatever the new 6-series code is.