Most people buy cars to meet their daily commuting needs. However, some gearheads see cars not just as vessels to get them from point A to B, but also as investments that they can hold for some years and then sell at a profit. General Motors has built many cars over the years that make great investments. For example, people who purchased the old Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for less than $10,000 in 1969 are laughing all the way to the bank, as it costs over $1 million today. To enjoy such huge profits, you need to identify affordable GM models with the potential to appreciate in value.
However, this is easier said than done. Most GM cars start depreciating the minute they roll out of the dealership, which makes them terrible investments. Not all of them, though. Here are ten affordable GM classic cars that are expected to rise in value in the coming years.
10 1978 – 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM
The Pontiac Firebird Trans AM is one of those muscle cars that most gearheads can instantly recognize, largely thanks to the 1977 model. The 1977 Firebird Trans AM gained worldwide fame when it was featured in Smokey and the Bandit, and now it’s considered to be one of the greatest movie cars ever.
The 1977 Firebird Trans AM is super expensive these days, which is why we recommend getting a 1978 or 1979 model. These two models look and perform the same as the 1977 model but are a whole lot cheaper.
9 Saturn Sky Redline
The 21st century didn’t start well for Saturn, as most of its models were selling poorly. Saturn’s Hail Mary came in the form of the Sky – a two-seater roadster with a stylish design and an affordable price tag to attract as many buyers as possible.
The Sky looked great, but many buyers complained it was too slow, promoting Saturn to introduce the Redline in 2006. The Sky Redline had a much better 260-hp turbocharged Ecotec engine and other upgrades like a torque-sensing limited-slip differential, an enhanced sport suspension, and StabiliTrak stability control.
8 1966–1970 Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile built many awesome cars before it unfortunately went out of business in the early 2000s. When it comes to Oldsmobile muscle cars, everyone knows about the Cutlass. However, not many remember the Toronado, even though it was pretty awesome.
The first-generation Toronado is our favorite, as it looked like a proper muscle car and was also fast. The top-of-the-range version had a monstrous 7.5-liter Rocket V8 under the hood, allowing it to keep up with more popular muscle cars of the ’60s.
7 Corvette C4 ZR-1
After a horrible third-generation model, every gearhead was excited to see how the C4 Corvette would compare when it debuted in 1984. When the C4 arrived, it was quite popular thanks to its new design and improved powertrains, but it just wasn’t quick enough to compete with other sports cars.
So in 1989, Chevy rolled up its sleeves and built the ZR-1. At the heart of the ZR-1 was a Lotus-tuned LT5 V8 engine developing just under 400 ponies, bringing some much-needed speed back to the Corvette.
6 Buick Grand National
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In the ’80s, the Grand National was one of the most popular Buick models. However, it was extremely slow, which is why Buick built a special high-performance version known as the GNX. The GNX became a huge hit and is considered to be among the greatest muscle cars ever.
However, due to its rarity, the GNX can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars at auctions, and that’s if you can find one. Thankfully, the Grand National it was based on is still affordable and even though it’s a lot slower, we expect its prices to go up as it looks like the GNX.
5 Chevrolet Nova SS
The Camaro is Chevy’s best muscle car ever, but it’s not the only one. Chevy introduced several muscle car models in the ’60s, and the Nova is one of the most underrated.
The Nova started as a compact car developed to compete against the likes of the Ford Falcon, but it soon gained a performance version in the form of the Nova SS. The Nova SS had similar performance figures as the Pontiac GTO and Oldsmobile 442, but it’s a lot cheaper than those cars these days.
4 GMC Syclone
In the early ’90s, GM wanted to build the ultimate performance truck. So it took the GMC Sonoma, roped in Production Automotive Services (PAS), and created one of the coolest pickup trucks of all time – the GMC Syclone.
The first thing everyone noticed about the Syclone was its killer looks, particularly the front end with the fog lights. The Syclone also had the power to match, as it was equipped with a turbocharged V6 making around 280 hp. With a 0-60 of just 4.3 seconds, the Syclone could outrun some of the quickest sports cars of the ’90s.
3 Hummer H2
When it comes to SUVs, few models are as iconic as the Hummer. The Hummer was all the rage in the 2000s, as it was the SUV of choice for movie stars and athletes.
The Hummer gets a lot of hate due to its size and woeful gas mileage. However, we’ll likely never see another vehicle like that, and that’s why we think it’s a great investment. We particularly love the H2, as it has an imposing design and a spacious, luxurious cabin.
2 Pontiac Solstice GXP
Just like Saturn, Pontiac wasn’t having a fun time in the early 2000s. The popular automaker tried to boost its sales with a new GTO generation and when that failed miserably, Pontiac built the Solstice.
The Solstice was basically the Pontiac version of the Saturn Sky with a unique design. It also had a high-performance version – the GXP – which had a turbocharged Ecotec engine with 260 hp on tap and other upgrades.
1 Corvette C5 Z06
Just like it had done with the C4, Chevy decided to build a high-performance version of the C5. However, instead of naming it the ZR-1, Chevy decided to name it the Z06 as a nod to the original Z06 of the ’60s.
The Z06 was equipped with a tuned version of the standard C5’s LS1 engine with a higher output of 385 hp, which was later upgraded to 405 hp in 2002. Other upgrades included an updated suspension system, revised gearing ratios, functional brake cooling ducts, and larger wheels and tires
GM Classics Poised to Become Future Fortunes in Just a Few Years
