Spring is the season when classic car enthusiasts bring their collections out of the garage, dig out the magazines, browse the listings and start asking themselves serious questions. Is it time to sell? To buy again? To wait a little longer? In 2026, the answer depends entirely on the type of car you are talking about. The oldtimer and youngtimer market has never been so segmented.
Hagerty, the global reference for collector car insurance and valuation, has published its results for early 2026. Of the eleven indices it tracks, two are rising, seven are falling and two are stable. But behind this gloomy façade, some models are selling at record prices and some segments are hitting all-time highs. The main lesson is simple: the market is not falling, it is sifting.
The great divide: the Hagerty index in a few figures
59.01 = points out of 100 on the Hagerty Market Rating in early 2026. Stable market territory, but under pressure
80% = share of collector cars that lost value or stagnated in 2025, according to Hagerty
€147m = total at the Rétromobile 2026 auctions. The top end is still on top
+8% = average annual return in the collector segment, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index
At first glance, these figures seem contradictory. How can 80% of the market stagnate while auctions hit record highs? The answer lies in the very structure of the market. Record sales involve exceptional vehicles, built in very small numbers and in flawless condition. These cars are not the market, they are the exception that grabs the headlines. The ordinary market, the one where everyday enthusiasts buy and sell classic cars, is living a very different reality.
“The market is not falling, it is sifting. Median prices are down 11% overall, but when you isolate desirable models on a like-for-like basis, they are up 4%. The lesson is clear.” Luxury Club analysis, March 2026
What is falling: older classics and overpriced youngtimers
The sharpest correction concerns two specific categories. First, the great classics from the 1950s to the 1970s, such as the Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes that soared during the post-Covid euphoria of 2021 to 2023. These cars had been bought at speculative prices by buyers who saw them as a safe haven, like art or gold. That speculative cycle is over. Hagerty’s Ferrari index fell 9% year on year in the first quarter of 2025, and the trend is continuing in early 2026. The Ferrari 360 Modena, still sought after two years ago, is struggling to find buyers. The Porsche 996 GT3, despite its recognised icon status, now changes hands at prices comparable to those of ten years ago.
Then there are the youngtimers bought too expensively during the speculation. The BMW Z3M is a good example: some sellers in a hurry are now letting them go cheap, simply looking to get out of a position taken too high. This “qualitative correction” is actually healthy for the market in the long term, but painful for those who bought at the peak.
⚠️ The trap of ambitious listings: since the end of the post-Covid speculation, many sellers have not yet accepted the new reality of prices. Inflated listings clutter the platforms and go unsold for months. If you are selling a classic right now, a price based on actual 2025-2026 transactions will sell your car much faster than a price modelled on the 2022 peak.
What is rising: analogue youngtimers and low-production models
The good news, and it is real, concerns a very specific segment that is in strong demand in 2026. These are the cars of the last pre-electronic era, from 1985 to 2005: still mechanically pure, without all-pervasive electronic management, with a manual gearbox, a naturally aspirated engine and a drive that truly communicates with the driver. Hagerty calls them the “RADindex”, and this index is the only one to have hit a new all-time high in early 2026.
Among the models pushing this index up are the Audi ur-Quattro, the Mazda RX-7 FD and the Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR-1. Hagerty’s 2026 Bull Market List, its selection of models with strong appreciation potential, includes the Porsche Carrera GT (2004-2007), the BMW M5 E60 (2006-2010), the Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 (1995-1998) and the Volkswagen Golf GTI VR6 (1995-1998). These are cars that have not yet been fully “discovered” by the wider market, but whose growing rarity and the generational interest of buyers under 45 are creating organic upward pressure.
Rising: Porsche 997 GT3 / GT3 RS. The last generation before turbos became standard on the 911. The market has understood this. Every car sold shrinks the available supply, and demand remains steady. The 997.2 GT3 RS 3.8 is particularly sought after.
Rising: BMW M3 E36 and E46. At prices that are still accessible, the E36 remains one of the most endearing M cars to own. Precise chassis, naturally aspirated six-cylinder, styling from a bygone era. Demand from under-40s is strong and growing.
Rising: first-series Alpine A110 (1960-1977). Rarity is increasing: authentic, unbodged examples are becoming harder and harder to find on the European market. Prices for well-documented examples continue to rise steadily.
Falling: Ferrari 360 Modena and F430. The market is saturated. Many cars bought at the 2021-2022 peak are coming onto the market at the same time. The correction is real but does not call into question the long-term potential of the finest examples.
Falling: standard Porsche 996 Carrera. Although the 996 GT3 is holding its value, regular Carrera versions are trading at lower levels than expected. Too much supply on the market, with demand selective and limited to desirable specifications.
Stable: Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1 and Mk2. Values are levelling off at an already high level. Authentic, lightly modified examples still find buyers quickly. Generational nostalgia is giving lasting support to demand in Belgium and northern Europe.
The great generational shift: youngtimers take over
What is happening in 2026 in the collector car market mainly reflects a major demographic shift. The baby boomers, who long dominated the market for the great classics of the 50s to 70s (the Ferrari Daytona, the air-cooled Porsche 911, the Mercedes Pagoda), are gradually being replaced by a generation of buyers born in the 1970s and 1980s. These new collectors grew up with other icons: the 205 GTI, the Clio Williams, the Lancer Evolution, the Honda NSX. And they want to own the cars of their teenage years.
This shift is documented by Hagerty, which notes that 78% of potential Golf GTI VR6 buyers are under 50. It is a clear indicator: what drives values over the coming years will not be age as such, but generational desirability. A 205 GTI in excellent condition will probably be worth a lot more in 2030 than today. A 1930s Bugatti Type 57, on the other hand, may be less liquid than before, because the last passionate enthusiast who knew it will have passed away.
Belgium: a local market with its own features
In Belgium, the classic car market has a few characteristics that set it apart from France or Germany. The flat-rate tax on “collector” registrations (vehicles over 25 years old in Belgium) remains favourable, and collector car insurance is generally very affordable for leisure use. This tax context encourages long-term ownership rather than short-term speculation, which cushions the price corrections seen elsewhere.
The Belgian market is also particularly active in German classics from the 1980s and 1990s (BMW 3 Series E30, Mercedes 190E 2.3-16, Volkswagen Corrado VR6), which enjoy a solid enthusiast base, especially in Flanders. Japanese cars from the 1990s are also on the rise, driven by a very active JDM community in Belgium.
💡 Spring 2026 events to watch: the classic car meet season resumes in May. These events are often useful barometers for gauging real demand for specific models. Conversations between enthusiasts often say more about the state of the market than any published index.
Buying or selling right now: a few practical pointers
If you are thinking of selling a classic in spring 2026, the timing is broadly good for models that match the trends described. Spring has historically been the best season for transactions: buyers are active after the winter and ready to make a decision. However, if your car belongs to one of the segments in correction, selling quickly at an adjusted price is better than waiting for a hypothetical recovery that could take another two or three years to materialise.
If you are thinking of buying, this is an interesting time to get into segments that have corrected. A Ferrari 360 Modena at 50,000-60,000 euros today is objectively an opportunity for an enthusiast who wants to enjoy the car rather than speculate. The same goes for some Porsche 996 GT3s that have come back to more reasonable levels. But the vehicle’s condition, service history and original specification make all the difference between a good deal and a money pit.
✅ The rule that does not change: whatever the market segment, a well-documented example with a complete history, traceable maintenance and a specification close to original always sells better and faster than average. The premium for quality has never been as high as in 2026.
FAQ
For models that have corrected since the speculative peak of 2021-2023, yes, it is often a good entry window. The Ferrari 360 Modena or some Porsche 996s that have come back to more reasonable levels offer interesting opportunities for an enthusiast who wants to enjoy the car. For analogue youngtimers from the 1990s and 2000s, prices are rising steadily. Waiting will not necessarily work in your favour.
Hagerty’s 2026 Bull Market List highlights the Porsche Carrera GT, the BMW M5 E60, the Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 and the Volkswagen Golf GTI VR6. On the Belgian market, German classics from the 1980s and 1990s (BMW E30, Mercedes 190E, Corrado VR6) and iconic French sports cars (205 GTI, Clio Williams) enjoy solid local demand and strong potential for appreciation over 5 to 10 years.
It is the natural correction after a period of intense speculation between 2020 and 2023. These cars were bought as safe havens during the Covid crisis by buyers who were not enthusiasts. Many of them now want to get out of their positions, which is creating an oversupply. The correction is real but does not undermine the fundamental long-term value of the best examples.