The Art of Car Collecting

From Vintage Race Cars to One-of-a-Kind Hot Rods, What Makes a Car a Collectable

The car collector market has expanded substantially over the last several years. From celebrity car collector Jay Leno, who owns over 50, to the girl next door who's dreamed of owning a Camaro since the sixties, it is both an art and a booming business. So what makes a car collectable?

Many people have different definitions of what's collectible but generally it's a mix of performance, rarity, style and a certain amount of popularity at a given point in time.
According to Motor Trend Magazine, there are also specific things a manufacturer can do to make a car more collectible, like having a serial number, a numbered limited edition or building special models with higher performance. This elite group includes traditional cars like the Ford Model A, vintage pickups and racecars, hot rods and American "muscle" cars like the 1969 Camaro.

With a dedicated museum and factory tours, Corvettes have been a collectible icon for over 50 years. This year, two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi will pace the Memorial Day race in a customized Corvette Z06. He will also sign 500 special edition pace car replicas, giving them that extra something that can make a car more than just a way to get around town.

Produced for General Motors