At dinners in the city, they say that modern cars are reliable, comfortable, clean, safe, and economical.

However, despite this, vintage cars are a safe and rising value in the eyes of insiders and enthusiasts. Why is that?

There is no simple answer, but rather a combination of factors that each play a role.

First, there is the design of the car itself. Classic cars were created largely in an analog world where designers used pencil and paper to create elegant shapes and flowing lines that simply wouldn't be possible with the computer design used for modern cars. Take the front wing of a Jaguar XK120 or the profile of a Ferrari 250 GTO, for example.

These designs are beautiful in every way, but they are shapes that no modern designer would create these days.

This belongs to a time when designers were not bothered by constraints such as crash tests or aerodynamic drag coefficients and instead created shapes that reflected the mood and trends of the time.

Modern production techniques have also removed much of the character of the new cars. Mass production processes with soulless computers and robots on production lines producing identical parts 24/7 are focused on one thing: meeting the goals and quotas set by automakers to maximize efficiency and performance.

Classic car production, on the other hand, was largely a manual process performed by artisans using simple tools complemented by decades of experience to create assemblies by hand and with the naked eye.

Mechanically, everything is also very different. Modern car engines include a whole armada of electronic equipment that is supposed to dictate exemplary driving. All of these systems are designed to improve efficiency, safety, and pollution control, but at some level they often deprive the car of its sensations and character. Older machines, on the other hand, have a real personality. Their delicately balanced mechanics are an assembly of parts adjusted to work in harmony. The pilot is a direct extension of the machine, becoming one, without filters, which results in an authentic experience that is simply not possible with the modern equivalent.

Classic car owners don't usually embark on a journey to reach a destination, but the journey is the destination.

Nostalgia also plays a big role in the appeal of vintage cars. They all have a story, whether it's interesting or not. Some have achieved great things, such as participating and winning races, expeditions, or endurance events, while others have overcome challenges that are much more mundane but no less important for their owners. These cars were great catalysts for a better life and offered mobility and freedom at a time when such qualities were rare. They accompanied their owners during major life events and therefore became indelibly associated with these events.

Classic cars all have a story to tell about what they've achieved in their lives, where they've been, and why they're still in use. Cracks in the leather or scratches on the paint are considered by some to be blemishes, but for classic car aficionados, they are a testament to the car's history, adding to its character and telling the story of its life.

Then there is the pragmatic aspect of it. Owning a new car is easy, just go pick it up at the dealership. Whereas classic cars are no longer in production and are therefore necessarily limited in supply, which gives them a much greater level of exclusivity, and which is even more pronounced with the passage of time. No amount of money will get you a new Ferrari Daytona, for example, and even if you want an old one, you still have to find someone somewhere who is ready to sell you theirs and then know how to maintain it.

Modern car buyers typically calculate their ownership period between 6 months and 5 years, before moving on to something newer. In the vintage car industry, even when the owner wants to part with his property, it is more for the purpose of transfer, transmission, between enthusiasts or members of the same community, or even within the family circle. The time that passes on vintage cars does not lead to obsolescence, quite the contrary.

So is this craze going to continue or is it just a passing trend? New cars are likely to get better every year, so the 3-year-old car you have today is probably already outclassed by the new model that was just released.

Vintage or exceptional cars, on the other hand, compete on a completely different level. It's not about efficiency and speed, but about experience, style, exclusivity, and craftsmanship, all of which are universal and timeless. Cars with character appeal not only to car enthusiasts, but also to fans of engineering, design, art, and history.

For all these reasons, it is a fantastic financial investment and a pleasure, as long as you are well guided and advised, surrounded by competent professionals. Cars-Up is in a position to help you seize the right opportunities, and will know how to make the most of your investment, with that little bit of madness that can be seen in the eyes of all enthusiasts!

N.Z