‘Bird Is the Word

Photo courtesy Bring a Trailer

BUY: 1955–57 Ford Thunderbird

It is hard to find a car as symbolic of Americana as an early T-Bird. We saw the market for these cars reach well over $200k for perfectly restored E-code and F-code variants. As those cars shot up, the regular versions with the normal 312-ci V8 rode the coattails of their higher-powered brothers. Then something happened, as the people willing to pay serious six-figure money for a 1950s T-Bird stopped showing up.

As the rare big-money ’Birds dropped in value due to lack of demand, so did the more-common base models. Key to these cars, like almost all collector cars, is to buy the nicest one you can find. You don’t want to go down the rabbit hole of a restoration on one of these but rather take advantage of someone else’s money already spent.

The base ’Bird can be bought rather inexpensively. A #2 condition 1956 sold recently on Bring a Trailer for about $26k — cheap money for a restored car of any make or model. You should see nice examples of these cars trade for double that amount over the next several years as buyers start to see real value at these prices in exchange for driving in style. In the current market, expect to pay up to $40,000 for a #1 condition car.

SELL: 1961–75 Jaguar E-type

The car that Enzo Ferrari reportedly called “the most beautiful car in the world” might now be called “the most unloved car in the world.” The apathy in the market that swept the 1950s British-car segment has spread to the 1960s, and specifically E-types. We have seen a steady decline in values for the venerable XKE, and the lethargy covers both the 6- and later 12-cylinder models.

For example, let’s look at an early flat-floor 1961 E-type convertible finished in maroon over a black leather interior wearing a decent restoration. Offered at Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach in 2023, this stylish car sold at $190,400. This February, it appeared at RM Sotheby’s Miami, where it sold for $128,800, a decrease in value of 32%. In 2017, an exquisite 1966 convertible with factory hard top was sold in Monterey by RM Sotheby’s for $253,000 (SCM# 6846576), only to reappear in 2025 at Gooding Christie’s, where it brought $184,800, a decrease in value of 27%. I could cite more examples, but you see the trend.

It is likely that the current generation of buyers do not remember E-types from their youth, are turned off by Jaguar’s poorly received rebrand efforts, and simply favor more-modern collector cars. It pains me to say this as I have always been a fan (my very first car was a 1966 convertible), but if you are concerned about asset preservation, now would be a good time to sell the E-type sitting in your garage. Expect a low of $40,000 for a #3 condition Series II 2+2 coupe and up to $200,000 for a #1 condition flat-floor Series 1 convertible.

HOLD: Next Gen Special-Edition Ferraris

Ferraris of all years always catch the attention of collectors, but recently we have seen high demand for its newer special-edition cars.

Starting with the 2003–05 360 Challenge Stradale, around 1,300 were produced with output increased to 425 hp, special wheels and body trim, carbon-fiber seats, carbon-ceramic brakes and over 200 pounds of weight reduction vs. the standard 360. These cars originally sold for less than $200,000. One set an auction record of $610k in 2025 on Bring a Trailer (SCM# 6970547), which was then broken at Mecum Kissimmeee in January at just under $1.9m for a 375-mile car. There seems to be no end to demand. Today, you can expect to pay $600k for a #3 condition car and into seven figures for the best examples.

The same demand follows the 488 Pista, the final non-hybrid V8 from Ferrari, at $700k to over $1m. The F12tdf at $1.5m to over $2m; Broad Arrow recorded $4.2m for a 74-mile example this year at Amelia, (SCM# 6971663). Also, the 599 GTO at $1m–$1.5m; RM Sotheby’s topped $2m for a low-miles car in Monterey last year.

All these cars were track-performance focused and made in limited numbers. Their appeal to collectors seems to be increasing every day, and values should continue to climb in the market. If you are lucky enough to own one, expect at least another 15% to 20% appreciation over the next few years.