The world of car collecting is a lot like the art industry. Values of vehicles/products change from day-to-day, and vice versa, too. In short, prices and customer demand are anything but consistent, especially when it comes to certain cars.
As such, determining what will be sought-after in the future isn't the easiest thing. Of course, million-dollar supercars like the Ford GT will stay in their price range, but those aren't exactly things the middle-class could afford. More often than not, you need money to make money, so to speak.
Hope isn't lost, though. In fact, far from it. Thanks to vehicles like American muscle cars, typical motorists have access to affordable, entry-level collectibles that they couldn't otherwise find overseas.
Today, however, we want to point out just one example in particular: the 2001 Ford Mustang 'Bullitt' tribute. With what we've seen so far, it's likely to become a desired antique...
A Hollywood Star: The 'Bullitt' Mustang GT
Ford has had several unique versions of their sports car, the Mustang, throughout its entire life. Back in the 1960s, perhaps the most famous one they made was the original 1966 Bullitt Mustang Fastback!
As the name suggests, the '66 Fastback was built for the Steve McQueen movie, Bullitt. The model on-screen was a dark green, minty Fastback with black and chrome accents. After seeing it in theaters, movie-goers went berserk for their very own Bullitt car!
And, just like that, Bullitt became a household name at Ford. Now, the Bullitt Mustangs are on par with the likes of Shelby, Rousch, and so on.
Of course, like the other one-off/limited edition models, Ford resurrects the Bullitt title almost every time a new Mustang is unveiled, but few can actually live up to the standards set by the REAL Bullitt. Though, there are exceptions, like with the '01 version...
The Last 'Real' Mustang
By the time 2001 came around, the Mustang had already seen three different generations; each with their own degrees of success and acclaim. However, by the time the fourth-generation ended (1994 to 2004), the 'Mustang' of the past had all but faded.
Shortly after the turn of the millennia, Mustangs (to us) lost what made their predecessors the legends they've been made out to be. Owners of the later generation Mustangs have voiced their opinions on their cars. Some say they're too expensive for what you get, while others find them to be an under-performing car in general...
To add to that, ever since the end of the fourth-gen, the Mustang has become an even larger, boat-like muscle car filled to the brim with cheap plastics. Now, we're aware that the '94 - '04 models had their fair share of plastic, too, but not nearly as much by comparison.
Reliability became an even bigger issue with later versions as a result of the low-quality parts. As we've mentioned on HotCars previously, there are a lot of problems that enthusiasts outright ignore. Worst, though, is the shape of the Mustang. Even in the 1960s, the Mustang wasn't a gigantic car. Now, it's become as wide as it is long. The outcome spelled disaster for the beloved muscle car - no more easy maintenance.
Thankfully, the fourth-gen doesn't appear to suffer the same shortcomings. Sure, they can be fickle at times, yet, still remain an agile, aggressive looking car. Heck, they're even great for Autocross!
Because of all this, we think the fourth-generation will be remembered above all the latest ones; becoming a good collector item in the future.
Buy Low, Sell High
In the stock market, there's a saying you'll hear ad infinitum: "Buy low, and sell high." Pretty straightforward. Invest when the entry costs are low, then get rid of it once the value has increased.
The secondary market isn't the only place you'll see this, though. Along with stocks and property, automobiles are another product that's 'traded' in a similar manner; the concept being to get a rare car while it's cheap, only to make a profit on it later. As you've likely guessed by now, we think that 2001 Bullitt Mustang fits the bill perfectly!
At the time of writing this, the average price for an '01 Bullitt Mustang ranges from as low as $8,000 to as high as over $29,000. When they we're factory fresh, the M.S.R.P. was nearly identical - hovering at $25,000 or so.
These figures show that the 2001 Bullitt, although almost two-decades old by now, is a high-valued Mustang among enthusiasts. If that (and the price) are any indication, it's not absurd to think that the fourth-gen Mustang could grow in value/rarity, especially a Bullitt edition.
We don't think it'll reach Ferrari 275 GTB levels of appreciation, of course. But, seeing them sell for around $100,000 wouldn't be the most surprising thing in the automotive world.
Sources: Autoweek, iseecars.com, Reddit, Autoblog, Modded Mustangs