The Countach is supercar icon. When it arrived in the early 1970 its angular bodywork looked completely alien. Every supercar made since then can trace its design back to the lines of this V12 Lambo. The car was immortalized on posters and hung on every kid’s bedroom wall in the 1980s. Yet as long-lived as the Countach was (in production for 16 years) there was a time in the late 90s and early 2000s when they were considered a little cheesy. A Countach with a big wing on the back would cost less than $100,000. Talk about a bargain—that’s crazy-cheap for a rare Italian supercar.
Today the Countach, in all its angular 80s glory, has been rediscovered. Cars from the 1980s sell for more than $300,000. The earliest ones, the LP400 (of which less than 200 were made) sell for more than $1 million. You could have had Login Baccarat Online one in the mid-2000s for about $150,000. Talk about nostalgia-driven inflation.
Pontiac Trans Am (1977-1979)
Thanks in part to the incredible success of Smokey and the Bandit, Pontiac sold hundreds of thousands of Firebirds in just a few years. The black-and-gold special edition Trans Ams from the late 1970s were wildly popular. But in the ’80s and ’90s, their giant « screaming chicken » hood sticker and bold lettering fell out of fashion.
Well, eventually everything that’s out of style comes back around again as retro cool, and these awesome machines were rediscovered about five years ago. Soon, prices jumped. In the early 2000s a descent Trans-Am with the highest output W72 Pontiac 400 cid (6.6-liter) V8 could be had for less $10,000. Today, cars with relatively high mileage that are descent drivers are $15,000. Want a pristine car with low miles? That could cost $30,000 to $60,000 at an auction.
1988 BMW M5
The original BMW M5 (E28) was imported to the US for only one year, and came in only one color combination—black with a tan interior. Our first taste of BMW sport sedan goodness was tantalizing. The big 3.5-liter straight six, directly related to the engine in the M1 supercar, could hustle this sedan to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Back in the 1980s, nothing with four-doors could touch it.
Despite its rarity, the black beauty stayed relatively cheap for a long time. It was possible to get a very nice low mileage M5 for less than $20,000. But in the past few years it has been rediscovered—and coveted. Today, it’s the high mileage cars that go for that kind of money. The retro M5 is so hot we’ve heard reports of dealers asking close to $100,0000 for cars with less than 40,000 miles.
Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser 1960-1983
The FJ40 was Toyota’s answer to the Jeep CJ. The stout machine with the inline six-cylinder engine is known for its reliability and rugged drivetrain, with a transfer case and axles strong enough to handle American V8 power.
Not long ago, these trucks were just fun, affordable 4WD rigs. They traded hands for about the same price as Jeeps did, and even the best had trouble cresting $20,000. Over the last five years these SUVs have surged. It’s possible to still find a solid FJ for a handyman on a budget. But the really good ones seem to be selling on eBay for $20,000-$40,000. The most pristine original or professionally restored FJ40s cross the block for up to $100,000 at the big car auctions.