“Modern classic.” The term is basically an oxymoron. To anyone who doesn’t care about cars, it’s just a weird phrase. Or maybe it looks like generic street furniture.
Penguin Books uses it, so we can too.
Used to be? Classic meant old guys in MGBs driving to an autojumble at the Dog and Duck. Modern magazines ignored the word like it was poison. Classic car magazines didn’t want to upset their base by mentioning cars that looked like they belonged in a McDonald’s parking lot.
But things have changed.
Electric cars are here. Clean air zones are biting. Speed cameras are everywhere. They are forcing enthusiasts from both sides of the spectrum into one middle ground: the modern classic.
So, what is the deal?
Like the book series, it’s purposefully vague on age. But it matters. It changed the game.
Ed Callow from Collecting Cars gets it:
“I think at their core, modern Classics are the ‘democratised’ part of the collector car market.”
We are talking vehicles from the late 80s through the early 2000s. For this list, however, we are cutting the noise. Post-2000 only.
Mercedes-Benz CLS (2003–2010)
£2500 – £10,000
Oxymorons again. Meet the four-door coupé. It sits on the E-Class chassis but wears a body shape that terrified traditionalists in 2003. It still holds up. Prestige. Quality. All there.
Rear-wheel drive is standard. A seven-speed automatic handles the work. You might get air suspension, part-leather seats, climate control, adaptive巡航… wait, let me fix that. Adaptive cruise control. And parking sensors. It had it all back then.
Today, Mk1 CLS prices have collapsed. Cheap doesn’t always mean smart. You have to watch out for specific failures.
Early petrol engines have balancer shaft issues. One owner swore off them entirely. Diesel models have inlet port shut-off motor failures. Gearbox speed sensors are also a pain point. It’s not just about looking sleek anymore. You have to check the health.
Porsche Cayman (2005–2012)
£7500 – £30,000
The 987 generation is on everyone’s wish list. There is a reason. It puts the flat-six engine where it should be: between the axles. Sensible.
Unlike the 911 from the same era, you can drive this car like you actually want to. Not like you’re guarding a museum artifact.
The six-speed manual is the way to go. It feels analog. The pedals are heavy. You feel every inch of the road. Yes, the PDK automatic shifts faster. Lightning fast, even. But do you really want to fight with tiny steering wheel buttons? Maybe not.
Is it better? Maybe.
“Here’s a modern flat-six… that has its engine in a sensible.”
The manual offers an experience the auto simply cannot match.
These cars aren’t going anywhere, but they aren’t staying cheap. Not really.
The intersection is narrowing.
