The Forgotten
Here’s a sampling of vehicles from the 1990s that for some reason have managed to escape the radar of many collectors and car enthusiasts. Some of them have a small cult following though and most are set to increase in value over the coming years.
Alfa Romeo 164
The last sedan offered before Alfa Romeo bowed out from the United States market, the 164 shared its basic architecture with the Saab 9000, Lancia Thema and Fiat Croma. Still, the 164 retained its Alfa-ness with a throaty V6 and sharp Italian styling. There were quality issues off the bat, but by the time the last few 164s made their way to the states, most of the teething problems had been resolved. There are still many clean 164s to be had on the used car market, most good examples changing hands for well under $10,000. If you are patient, a gear head and know a good mechanic, this is a practical classic you could live with day in and day out.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
The only Corvette to ever feature an overhead cam engine, the powerful ZR-1 has fallen by the wayside. A five year production run from 1990 to 1995 resulted in just shy of 7,000 vehicles. Many Corvette purists never took kindly to the vehicle and the modern day LS-1 and LS-2 overhead valve V8s outstrip the ZR-1’s DOHC, 32 valve LT-5 engine in power. Designed by Lotus and built by Mercury Marine, the LT-5 was a marvel in its day and given the right care is a very reliable power plant.
Given that these Corvettes are not too popular and are sometimes shrouded by mystery, it has been keeping prices down. Values have been ranging from the low end at around $30,000 to around $50,000 for mint examples. If you can afford one, this would be a smart investment as the muscle car craze is bound to suck the ZR-1 into its clutches at some point.
Infiniti M30 Coupe/Convertible
Long before Infiniti G35 Coupes and FX SUVs roamed the earth, there was a little known coupe and convertible model at upstart luxury maker from 1990 to 1992. This would be the M30, based on the Japanese market Nissan Leopard. This rear drive, V6 two door with handsome, almost Italian styling included Nissan’s advanced Sonar Suspension which scanned the road surface and adjusted the suspension accordingly via electronic actuators. A host of other luxury features and dealer service that went along with a luxury brand weren’t enough to drum up interest in this car. As a result, only about 5,000 M30s were produced, with about a 50/50 ratio of coupes to convertibles.
Clean examples of M30 coupes can be had in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. M30 Convertibles, especially low mileage and mint examples command a bit of a premium over that. Even still, these luxury coupes and convertibles combines classic lines, Japanese reliability and rarity in one attractive package.
Sterling 827 SLi
The Sterling was Rover’s attempt to once more crack the American car market. However, selling a restyled Acura Legend with a traditional British interior wasn’t the ticket for success. Sterling did have a high point though, in the 1991 model year, in the form of the 827 SLi five door hatchback. Very few of these made it across the pond and very few survived, making the hunt to find one like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Sterlings were known for some electrical gremlins, but the powerplant (2.7 liter Honda V6) was sturdy as ever. While there’s not much room for appreciation with a Sterling, you would be the only person on the block (or in the state) with one, especially if you can track down a clean 827 SLi.
Volkswagen Corrado
A cult car among Volkswagen enthusiasts, the Corrado is relatively unheard of outside of hardcore VW circles. First introduced in 1990 to the U.S. market with the notoriously unreliable G60 supercharged four cylinder, this engine gave way to the legendary SLC VR6 in 1992. After 1994, the Corrado ceased to exist in Volkswagen North America’s lineup. England’s Car Magazine listed the Corrado as one of the “25 Cars You Must Drive Before You Die.” While they had their reliability issues, many considered the Corrado as a mini Porsche. It even had an electronically deployable rear spoiler. Most Corrados these days sell in the $4,000 to $8,000 range, with the SLC VR6 models of course at the higher end. With a new VW coupe set to debut in 2008, this could only help stir interest in this VW.
Volvo 780 Coupe
In the 1980s, Volvo wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire in terms of vehicle aesthetics. However, with the help of Italian styling house Bertone, they did turn out this handsome coupe. The 780 was introduced in 1986 with the stalwart 2.8 liter V6, in 1988, a 2.3 liter turbo four cylinder joined the option sheet. Just shy of 5,700 Coupes were brought stateside, so if you can find a clean one; it could prove to be quite the practical classic. Expect to pay anywhere between $3,000 to $7,000 for a clean example; exceptionally mint specimens will command a bit more.