Younger Collectors Drive Shift in the Classic-Car Market

Car collecting, long dominated by baby-boomers who favored 1950s and 1960s chrome-laden models, is seeing a generational turnover as Gen X and millennial buyers reach their peak-earning years. Enthusiasts such as Hallie Krala, a 39-year-old from Allentown, Pennsylvania, are building collections around affordable, functional models from the 1980s and early 1990s—examples include a 1984 AMC Eagle Wagon, a 1992 Mercury Topaz, and several Ford Escorts.

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The shift is reflected in market data. Hagerty Inc., a Michigan-based insurer that specializes in classic automobiles, reports that values for 1980s- and 1990s-era cars have risen 48 percent over the past five years. Company chief executive McKeel Hagerty describes the segment as “serious,” and points to Hagerty’s 2022 acquisition of RADwood—a promoter of 1980s- and 1990s-themed car events—as a strategic bet on future demand.

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• Hallie Krala – 39-year-old car enthusiast from Allentown, PA; collector of 1980s-era models, prioritizes affordability and functional aesthetics.

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• McKeel Hagerty – Chief executive of Hagerty Inc.; oversees classic-car insurance and investment strategies, including the 2022 purchase of RADwood.

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• “Price is definitely a big part of it,” — Ms. Krala

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• “I think the RADwood cars are the hot ticket to get now,” — Mr. Hagerty, the company’s chief executive

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