Modern Classic Cars in 2026: What's Really Going On, According to Tom Jaconelli

Romans International by night: Maserati MC12, Ferrari Enzo, Ford GT and McLaren Senna outside the showroom

Values of modern classic cars have moved faster in the last twelve months than most people in the trade can remember. Cars that were merely 'nice' two years ago are now collectables, asking prices have jumped £100k overnight, and buyers who waited for the perfect spec have watched the market leave without them. So when Supercar Driver put twelve questions on the state of the market to our Director, Tom Jaconelli, we thought his answers deserved a fuller telling. Here is his read on the market, and the cars he thinks it hasn't finished with yet.

WHAT TOM COVERS

•    Why waiting for the perfect spec has cost some buyers the car altogether
•    How a 488 Pista became a modern classic before its tenth birthday
•    What separates a real price from an ambitious one, and whether this is a bubble
•    Why 'limited' means less than it did
•    The cars Tom thinks the market hasn't finished with yet

What Buyers of Modern Classic Cars Want Right Now


 Ferrari 599 GTO, F12 TDF and 812 Competizione outside the showroom

The received wisdom is that buyers of modern classic cars get pickier every year. Ask Tom and the answer for 2026 is more interesting than that. In the strongest parts of the market, buyers have become slightly less selective, and for a simple reason: the car you wait for may not exist at that price by the time you find it. "There's definitely been an element of FOMO," he says, "particularly around the rarer Ferraris, where sometimes the priority is simply making sure you own the right model."

That is not the same as buying anything. Colour, specification and mileage still decide the price of a modern classic, and Romans is selective about the cars it buys in. Mileage in particular splits into two camps. "For someone building an investment-grade collection, ultra-low or delivery mileage can make a huge difference," Tom says. "But we also have plenty of clients specifically looking for cars with some mileage on them, because they actually want to use them and don't want every extra mile to feel expensive."

Specification still matters massively, but unusual and desirable are not the same thing. Carbon packs, lightweight seats, Paint to Sample on a Porsche or Tailor Made on a Ferrari can transform a car's appeal. "You can have the rarest colour combination in the world, but if nobody actually likes it, that doesn't make it valuable." The specs that hold up, in his experience, are either classic and completely right for the car, or genuinely individual and done exceptionally well.

“Ultimately, people want the best version of a car they already want to own.”

What Makes a Modern Classic Collectable in 2026
 
Two Ferrari 488 Pistas outside the showroom: a modern classic before its tenth birthday

The definition of a modern classic hasn't changed, in Tom's view. The age at which a car earns the label has. Historically it needed decades. Now a car a few years old can already be one. "The 488 Pista is a good example," he says. "It isn't an old car, but as everything moves towards hybridisation, electrification and tighter emissions regulations, cars like that start to represent something buyers know probably won't be repeated in quite the same way."

The same logic reaches a current-generation GT3 RS. It isn't numbered and it isn't old, but buyers now look at what a car represents within its model line, not simply how old it is or how many were made.

“That's probably the biggest shift. A car no longer needs to be 25 years old or one of 500 to be considered collectable.”

Manufacturers have noticed, and the result is a flood of special editions that has made the word 'limited' mean less on its own. "There are so many special editions now that you can't just make something a bit more powerful, add a few bits of carbon, put a numbered plaque on it and expect it to become a classic." The cars that last still need a reason to exist: significantly lighter, visibly more aggressive, a genuinely different driving experience, a link to something important in the brand's history, or something mechanically interesting. And with a market this global, a run of 1,500 or 2,000 cars can still be called limited. Desirable and genuinely rare, as Tom puts it, aren't always the same thing.

Then there is the analogue question. Naturally aspirated engines, hydraulic steering, manual gearboxes and less between the driver and the road all feel more special as new cars become more hybridised. But Tom points to a second driver that gets less attention: the price of new cars. "Some new supercars are now £300k, £400k or £500k by the time they're properly specified, and buyers are very conscious of the depreciation risk. At that point, people start thinking: for the same money I could buy something with more character, more rarity and potentially much stronger residuals." The new cars are often phenomenal. The older ones simply give you more theatre for the money.

Where Modern Classic Values Are Heading

Ferrari special series line-up: 458 Speciale, 488 Pista, 599 GTO and F12 TDF

The hardest job in the trade this year has been telling a real modern classic price from an ambitious one. "Advertised prices can move very quickly," Tom says, "but that doesn't necessarily mean cars are actually selling there." Romans works from its own transaction data and from constant conversations with clients and other dealers, and it watches the US market because trends often start there. The pricing dynamics are different enough that a US sale of a modern classic can't simply be applied to the UK.

What gives him confidence is a price that got there step by step. "I have much more confidence in models where values have moved gradually and you can see genuine transactions supporting each step. The 458 Speciale is a good example: the market moved through £400k, £450k, £500k and beyond in a fairly natural way." The pattern to be wary of is the opposite one. Supply dries up, the last couple of sellers try to move the market up by £100k at once, and sometimes it sticks. Tom is already seeing a few of those cars soften.

So is it a bubble? Tom doesn't think so. His view is that the best analogue and combustion-era cars have been re-valued, that the re-valuation had been coming for a while, and that it simply happened faster than anyone expected.

“Some of the more extreme moves may have some kind of correction, but anyone hoping for values to return to where they were last year will end up very disappointed.”

It also changes what 'new' is worth. "I don't think 'newest' automatically means 'most desirable' anymore," he says. The latest cars are incredibly expensive, often more complex and sometimes less characterful than what came before, so buyers are far more willing to look backwards. Big premiums haven't gone away, they have concentrated. Ferrari still commands them with the Daytona SP3 and the SF90 XX, Porsche did it with the 911 S/T, but huge overs on regular production cars are increasingly rare, partly because manufacturers now price the future premium into the list price themselves. "Overs are still very much alive, but the car generally needs to be limited, hard to get or genuinely exceptional."

Who's Buying Modern Classics, and How

Three Bugatti Veyrons outside the showroom: at the very top, the buyer could be anywhere

More younger buyers are coming into the modern classic market, but Tom is careful about what that means. They aren't replacing the traditional collector. Romans still sells plenty of cars to people who have been buying for decades. The younger money is additional demand, and it brings a different culture with it: sharing cars on social media, going to events, being part of the scene. Tom thinks that is healthy for everyone, because it makes the whole world more visible.

Their taste naturally leans to the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. The more telling point is what has happened to the icons of that era.

The internet has changed how those buyers find cars more than what they want. "We can put a teaser on Instagram and within minutes have several people asking about the car," Tom says, and Romans regularly completes deals through Instagram, WhatsApp and its own community without the client having seen the car in person. His view, though, is that the internet amplifies desire rather than creating it. People still walk into the showroom, see a car in the flesh and say they never really got it until now. "There's still nothing quite like seeing, hearing and experiencing a great car properly."

The market is more international too, with more enquiries from overseas buyers and more cars being offered to Romans from abroad. Most of the cars it sells still stay in the UK. Right-hand drive limits where some cars can go, import duties complicate the rest, and Brexit has made cross-border deals harder. At the very top, where hypercars are often left-hand drive anyway, the buyer could be anywhere. Even so, Tom is clear about where the centre of gravity sits: "The UK is still one of the most important markets in the world for these cars. Historically we've had very strong allocations of special cars and there is still a huge depth of stock and collectors here." Where it can, Romans prefers important modern classics to stay in the country. Once a really special car goes overseas, in his words, there's always a chance you'll never see it again.

The Future Classic Cars Tom Is Watching

Ferrari Enzo and Maserati MC12: icons to people born years after they were built

Ask Tom which future classic cars are being overlooked and he'll tell you there aren't many left. Everyone is looking at everything now, and the 2000s and 2010s are no longer an undiscovered corner of the market. What's left is spotting the cars that already have the right ingredients before the market decides how important they are. These are his, and what makes each one interesting in its own right.

Before the market decides

Audi R8 V10 manual

Why it matters.  The first-generation R8 with the 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 and the open-gate six-speed manual. Audi never repeated the combination, and the design has barely dated.

Tom.  “The design has aged incredibly well, the naturally aspirated V10 is something we're unlikely to see again, and I think people will look back and realise what a special combination that was.”

The one to find.  A first-generation V10 with the gated manual, coupe or Spyder, with history that shows it has been used and cared for rather than parked.

Audi R8 for sale

Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica

Why it matters.  The rear-wheel-drive Huracán with 640 CV from the naturally aspirated V10 and a more usable set-up than the STO. One of the last of the line, built from 2022, and still priced like a used Huracán rather than the end of an era.

Tom.  “The STO gets most of the attention, but the Tecnica still gives you that naturally aspirated V10, rear-wheel drive and arguably a more usable package, and they haven't taken off in value as yet.”

The one to find.  A late car in a strong colour with the right options, while the market still files it under 'used Huracán' rather than 'last naturally aspirated V10'.

Lamborghini Huracán for sale

Porsche 911 S/T and 911 Dakar

Why it matters.  1,963 S/Ts for the 911's 60th anniversary: the 525 PS GT3 RS engine, a six-speed manual and the lightest 992 Porsche built. The Dakar: 2,500 numbered cars with raised suspension and nothing else like it. Both are new enough that the market hasn't finished with them.

Tom.  “The S/T already has nearly everything you'd want. But because it's still so new, the market probably hasn't decided yet quite how important it is.”

The one to find.  An S/T with the Heritage Design Package, or a Dakar in the Rallye Design Package. The versions with the story attached are the ones people will ask for first.

Porsche 911 for sale

The ones he'd buy himself

Mercedes-AMG Black Series

Why it matters.  C63, SL65 and SLS. Wide-bodied, hand-built AMG flagships from the last years before turbocharging and hybrids took over, with the character to match. The SL65 Black Series was limited to 350 cars.

Tom.  “They have so much personality and I just don't think we'll see cars like them again.”

The one to find.  Any of the three with a clean history and the original wheels and aero. The SL65 for rarity, the C63 for the sound, the SLS for the gullwing doors.

Mercedes C63 AMG for sale

Lamborghini Gallardo

Why it matters.  Lamborghini's best seller for a decade, with more than 14,000 built between 2003 and 2013, which is exactly why the rarer versions stand out: the Superleggera, the Performante and the 250-off rear-wheel-drive Balboni.

Tom.  “The design has aged incredibly well, they still feel properly exotic and I think the rarer versions are only going to become more desirable.”

The one to find.  A manual, or one of the limited versions. A standard automatic Gallardo is a good car; a gated-manual Balboni is a future classic.

Lamborghini Gallardo for sale

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S manual and Vantage GT8

Why it matters.  A 573 PS V12 with a seven-speed dogleg manual and fewer than 400 built, and a track-bred V8 Vantage limited to 150. Rare, loud and, in Tom's view, still underappreciated.

Tom.  “They're rare, sound amazing and have loads of character. I still think some of those cars are relatively underappreciated.”

The one to find.  The manual V12 Vantage S over the automatic every time, and a GT8 with the full aero kit and the lightweight options ticked.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage for sale

Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato

Why it matters.  Just 99 coupes, plus a Volante, a Speedster of 28 and a Shooting Brake, all wearing Zagato's double-bubble roof over a 592 PS V12. Numbers small enough that scarcity is real.

Tom.  “Rare, they sound amazing and they have loads of character.”

The one to find.  The coupe is the purist's choice, the Speedster the rarest. Either way, a car whose number is genuinely small rather than conveniently 'limited'.

Aston Martin Vanquish for sale

The benchmark

Ferrari F40, F50, Enzo and LaFerrari

Why it matters.  Four cars, four decades, around 1,300, 349, 400 and 499 coupes respectively. The top of the modern classic market, and the yardstick Tom measures everything else against.

Tom.  “They just have everything: design, rarity, historical significance and huge desirability.”

The one to find.  Provenance over everything. At this level the history file matters as much as the mileage.

Ferrari LaFerrari for sale

Buying or Selling in This Market?

Whether you're looking for one of the modern classic cars above or wondering what yours is really worth, this is a market where the right information matters more than the asking price. Browse our current collection, or tell us about your car and we'll give you a straight answer on value, based on what is actually selling rather than what is advertised.

Tom's answers first appeared in Supercar Driver on 30 September 2026. Read the original interview on SCD.

Modern Classic Cars: Your Questions Answered

What is a modern classic car?

A modern classic is a car that has become collectable well before the traditional 25-year mark. In Tom's view the definition hasn't changed, only the age: a car earns the label when it represents something within its model line that won't be repeated, whether that's a naturally aspirated engine, a manual gearbox or the last of a particular lineage. A Ferrari 488 Pista already qualifies.

Which modern cars will become classics?

The ones that already have the right ingredients before the market has decided how important they are. Tom's picks are the Audi R8 V10 manual, the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica, the Porsche 911 S/T and the 911 Dakar, along with the AMG Black Series cars, the rarer Gallardos and the manual V12 Vantage S, Vantage GT8 and Vanquish Zagato from Aston Martin.

Will supercar prices start falling in 2027?

2026 has been an exceptionally strong year, with some extraordinary rises across the supercar and modern classic market. Tom's view is that most of that is a re-valuation of the best analogue and combustion-era cars rather than a bubble, and that values which rose gradually with real transactions behind them look solid. Where a few sellers pushed a car up £100k at a time, some of those have already started to soften, and the more aggressive moves could correct further in 2027. He doesn't expect values to return to where they were a year ago.

Does a limited edition make a car a future classic?

Not on its own. There are so many special editions now that a numbered plaque and a few extra horsepower no longer guarantee anything, and a run of 1,500 or 2,000 cars can still be called limited. The cars that last need a reason to exist: significantly lighter, a different driving experience, or a genuine link to the brand's history.

Is the modern classic market a bubble?

Tom doesn't think so. His read is that the best analogue cars have been re-valued, that it had been coming for a while, and that it simply happened faster than expected. Some of the more extreme moves may correct, but the underlying shift towards character, rarity and driving experience isn't going away.

About Tom Jaconelli

Tom Jaconelli is a Director of Romans International, the family-run supercar and prestige car dealer in Banstead, Surrey. He presents the If You Don't Know, Now You Know series on the Romans YouTube channel. If you have a modern classic to sell, or want one found, Tom and the team are the people to speak to.

RELATED READING

•      Top 10 Supercars Appreciating in Value

•      7 Things You Might Not Know About the Ferrari SF90 XX Spider

•      7 Things You Might Not Know About the Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series

•      Ferrari 458 vs 488: The Smarter Way to Choose