Along with the 1963-1971 Mercedes-Benz 230SL (aka the Pagoda) and 1967-1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE, both also rating low on this list (HVR scores of 10 and 16, respectively), these are the two-door Mercedes coupes and convertibles that came out just before the cool ones currently en vogue: the slender, square Mercedes-Benz SLs from the late 1980s that look straight out of a Ralph Lauren ad. When the 190SLs were made they were at the forefront of engineering, with pioneering developments like futuristic fuel injection and redesigned carburetors to make the car run more efficiently. But there were so many of them made (more than 20,000 of the Pagoda alone), as they were meant to be the more affordable end of the Mercedes spectrum, that they aren’t coveted by car buffs and collectors like some of their rarer or race-worthy siblings.
HVR Score: 19
The two-door coupe was designed by the iconic design house Pininfarina with a mid-engine V8 and fiberglass body in the earlier models. (Ferrari switched to a completely steel body after the first 712 of them were made.) Of the Ferrari family, these are the most affordable, easiest to maintain, and easiest to drive. These prancing stallions are also considered “entry-level” among the Italian exotics set—that’s why they’re not as desirable as other, more special Ferraris. They’re also susceptible to rust issues with that steel body and quickly become expensive to fix if compromised. More than 12,000 were made total.
1965-1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
HVR Score: 18
It seems nuts to imagine a Rolls-Royce on a “cars losing steam” list, but the Silver Shadow—lighter, faster, more affordable and more common than earlier models (nearly 17,000 were made)—never carried the cache of its Silver Cloud predecessor, nor later models. It also lacked the mechanical soundness of typical Rolls-Royce cars, requiring such frequent and costly repairs especially on the complicated brake system and Citroen-designed rear suspension that many became “roller” cars, aka non-running parts cars. These days, a Silver Shadow in “Good” condition averages a value of just $8,700. As the saying goes, “There’s nothing so expensive as a cheap Rolls-Royce.” The sentiment certainly fits here.
HVR Score: 17
Some of the reasons these ’Vettes makes this list have to do with price, much like the Porsche 911 Turbos: Any potential new buyers of them who are young are likely unable to afford them. And established enthusiasts who want to actually drive their muscle car on the road often avoid the rare, high-dollar versions for obvious reasons—that’s an expensive investment to be whipping around corners down old country roads. Instead, they opt for lesser “twins” like kit cars or “original” Corvettes that have been modified so much, so often, and often so poorly, they’re worth much more emotionally than in cold hard cash.