Defining a “cult car” is not an easy task. Us petrolheads need a common way of characterising the term, but this can start to become subjective once we get to selection stage. So I arrived at a few criteria to help narrow down the propositions in the market to the 10 listed below.
- The car needs to be desirable, sometimes to overcome shortcomings in practicality, and sometimes as a payback for the price tag.
- It also needs to retain a balance between exclusivity and volumes, having just enough exclusivity to be rare, but still with enough vehicles rolling down the street for the owners to form a common base.
- In addition, it needs to have the history of a few generations of models behind it, because this supports the ideology behind the choice and gives it a more timeless appeal.
- Another thing that cult choices have in common is that they are irrational, with their more rational siblings often cheaper to buy and maintain, more practical to travel in and more suitable for people with legs in the back seats. However, making an irrational choice means entering into the emotional side of things, and it is here where love is found.
- Last but not least, an important factor is a fan base that supports the proposition and shares the common values relating to the vehicle.
Alpine A110, 55 tEUR
Geneva. March 2017. A legend is reborn. As the latest Alpine reincarnation, it now seems to have everything necessary to re-establish itself as a true cult car. The Cayman/Boxer is still a letdown in some people's minds because of downsizing and turbocharging and being too uninvolving, as well as always being under the shadow of successful elder brother the 911. The Alfa Romeo 4C is nice to look at, future classic though it may be, but it did not become a common sight in the street. The Toyota GT86/ Subaru BRZ are more common, but they work only with an aftermarket supercharger kit and that is its main drawback. So the Alpine A110 seems to have a bright future in the market. The low weight, Renault Sport engineering expertise, lovely clean body design and desirability seem to be the values on which Renault counts for the Alpine to establish itself – and guess what, I bet it will. As a manufacturer, Alpine was silent for more than two decades after the A610 died in 1995, but now petrolheads finally have an opportunity to own something with a different sort of pedigree! The A110 approaches enjoyment from the approach of a modern sports car, with a forced-induction small-displacement engine used to move a lightweight aluminum body with rear-wheel drive on skinny tires. Those are classic functions, so there is nothing new concept-wise, but fulfillment seems promising. Coming from a still-niche brand, Alpine is also expected to prove itself as a more exclusive proposition in comparison with more established brands, it’s a real joy to see the sports car market in recovery. Convertible and more powerful version are likely to feature later in the model’s lifetime to broad its appeal.
Audi RS6, 112 tEUR
Audi has been making recent moves with RS badge applications: first, it decided to have more than just one halo RS model in its entire model line-up, and now this is being more broadly applied to lower-end models (such as the TT, A3, Q3, A4 and A5). The primary benefit of such an approach is, of course, cash for the manufacturer because those are higher sales/service priced models, but it also aids awareness of the RS badge. The negative effect is always the risk of lost exclusivity, something which Audi tries hard to avoid. The RS6 is today recognized as a model with a trick up its sleeve and deserves the title of a cult car. A twin-turbo V8 all-wheel drive, 550+ hp monster dressed in a school-run estate body results in such a discreet proposition that your grandma might even think you’re a sensible driver. But you’re not: you’re a petrolhead who understands that we live in a society that unavoidably requires compromises. However, with the RS6 you’re making the smallest kind. Kinda pretend you care, but only until switch to Dynamic mode. It’s a sleeper and not much if any of them come straight from the factory.
Ford Focus RS, 37 tEUR
Hooligan -> Hoonigan -> Ken Block -> Ford Focus RS -> and let the circle continue. The Ford Focus does indeed look like a hooligan, Ken Block himself is marketed to have helped develop the car and Hoonigan is a motor sport lifestyle brand whose trademark is seen in the famous Gymkhana videos. Now sold in its third generation, the RS is the highest-performance version of Ford Focus and incorporates what car enthusiasts want from a car – bold looks that come straight from the factory, accessible power, perhaps the most publicized “drift” mode and access to customization options! Mountune upgrade packs are even supported by the manufacturer’s guarantee, not to mention such established names in this area as Hennessey, Litchfield, COBB to offer RS upgrade packs. Market options scream “customize me” – yeah, right, as if stock RS didn’t scream enough. Ford might have skimmed on the interior, but didn’t save on the general proposition, resulting in the establishment of the RS as a current cult car. As the generation of Ford Focus emerges in 2018, its your opportunity to grab one of these at possibly better negotiated price.
Mini Cooper Hatchback, 19 tEUR
Please no judging here without driving it first. The first modern Mini in hatchback form and an “S” specification level is considered a modern classic. Now in its third generation, it is still perfectly recognizable and even causes confusion for non-enthusiasts in telling which reincarnation it is. Quality is now premium, with obvious bids from BMW added whether you like it or not: the infotainment system is a derivative of BMW’s iDrive, the manual mode of the auto gearbox is upside down as it’s on BMWs and some buttons are shared. This is the price of the car being part of a giant manufacturer these days, but the Mini’s identity is retained and driver enjoyment comes with whichever version your wallet stretches to. Be sure to stick to three-door hatchback form, because the five-door version only features in the latest generation, adds unfavorable narrowness between the A and B pillars that restricts convenience when getting into and out of the driver’s seat, and is more dedicated to generating volumes of sales (read cash for BMW) rather than having anything to do with continuing the Mini’s long legacy as a cult car.
Nissan GT-R, 100 tEUR
Here comes the big one. First, careful with the sound clichés such as “supercar beating performance at the half-price tag” or “the greatest Japanese car”. That in itself will not be an easy task for a car that has been put through tests against all kinds of sports cars, ranging from the Lotus Elise to the Pagani Zonda, with the BMW M3, Corvette ZR1, Audi R8 and Porsche 911 Turbo in between. Guess what – it didn’t fail, and that shows the car’s got some balls. They’re arranged in V6 configuration and are fed by two turbos with forced induction connected to all four driven wheels. Consequence-related fact number 1: it takes sub-3 seconds to reach 100 kph; consequence-related fact number 2: it’s well-known to be able to be tuned to 1000+ hp, and all of a sudden the cliches start to make sense. From the moment of the GT-R’s launch, Nissan had some challenges, which remain in some markets because not all of its dealers support Nissan’s “performance-centre” requirements. This means accessibility is either limited, or made more expensive for servicing potential or current owners. The GT-R has been in production for more than 10 years, during which it has undergone a few facelifts latest of which proved to be really successful and the car is supported by a history of its five generations of its predecessor, the Skyline GT-R. All this is more than enough to establish itself as a real cult car.
Porsche 911, 100tEUR
You may argue about which generation is your favorite, which body style is the most beautiful, or which model will best retain its value. But whatever the case, it’s still that recognizable 911 that you’re making an opinion on. It’s a huge success for Porsche to be able to balance the classic appeal of the 911 and moving forward technology that it has incorporated throughout generations. Smart car brand aside, it’s the only rear-engined internal combustion car on sale today, despite managing to switch from air-cooled to liquid-cooled, adapt electric steering and even go with turbocharging for efficiency across the range. Today, it’s the benchmark for the other sports car manufacturers by which comparisons are marketed to add value in the eyes of the customer – right, Jaguar? Porsche is proud of what others envy: 50+ years of model history, technology advantages and the ability to set performance standards for others to follow. This all comes combined with the availability of a manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive and a design that is perhaps the most recognizable on this list and so is by the vast majority of the population throughout the world. Brand image comes standard with value appreciation chances inclusive, but proceed with caution.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class, 91tEUR
Remember that I included both “irrational” and “desirable” in the definition of a cult car? This is the perfect example that the former can live with the latter in a single piece of metal. The G-Class is still an old-school body-on-frame layout, and its boxy design is daring rather than attempting to please the eye. It is also massively expensive, regardless of the engine choice or whether bought new or used. Fuel economy is not even worth talking about. Mercedes has revised the G-Class in 2018 because its narrow platform from 1979 doesn’t seem to fit its modern diesel engine and widening it will also help safety. Despite all this, G-Class sales have increased in recent years, reaching a record of 3950 units in the US alone in 2016. Yes, it’s capable off-road, but I doubt it’s worth extending this any further. The trust of Mercedes in the G-Class as a prestige vehicle is supported by the opportunity provided to equip it with its flagship 12-cylinder twin turbo M279 engine badged as G65. In reality, the G-Class is bought for its sense of capability rather than to explore its true limits. It’s a status buy that satisfies that internal and unconscious sense of immortality, and is as resistant to the test of time as your classic home interior. It’s simple and its limits are easily understood, and perhaps the only sophisticated element about the G-Class is its ability to stay competitive. None of us want to die, but the Land Rover Defender did and the Jeep Wrangler as we know it is about to, so as something that hasn’t died in all this time, the G-Class kind of unites us mortals.
Mercedes-Benz SL, 100tEUR
Sixty years old plus and still desirable, but not Pierce Brosnan? How about a proposition from one of the oldest names in automotive history in the form of the SL? Despite its number of years in production, the car is only in its sixth generation and is a highly recognizable model – so recognisable that even the topic of displacement, power figures or the number of cylinders under the bonnet seems irrelevant to discuss. This actually is in a range from 6 to 12, and isn’t it the highest level of recognition as a cult model when one takes form for granted instead of substance? Some may argue about the design of this latest R231, but what’s clear is the trust that Mercedes-Benz itself has in its SL class. This is firstly shown by the fact of the car’s existence alone and manufacturer’s trust put in it not steal sales from it’s other models in a line-up, because it now has more internal competition than ever. On the sporty side - from models such as the AMG GT and the S class on the two-door luxury side which is now available even in the form of a convertible. Bottom up – the new E-Class convertible has also grown upmarket. Second, you may have noticed that the model has retained its traditional name nomenclature with MB not risking losing the SL’s identity. Today, the SL is neither sporty nor lightweight, despite what its name would suggest. However, it’s definitely an established expression of prestige and status for those who understand the meaning of traditions and have achieved just enough to have something to contemplate during those precious moments of enjoying personal success.
Subaru WRX STI, 42tEUR
This is a behemoth in the room. Subaru withdrew from rallying back in 2008, the WRX STI lost the “Impreza” part of its name from 2014, and the segment basically died after Mitsubishi’s Evo was discontinued. As Metallica puts it, “but the memory remains”, and those are the fans who maintain the memory and demand for Subaru to still produce an STI version in each of Impreza’s generations. Subaru managed to still be able to sell a four-door sedan with a manual gearbox, a good old tested EJ257 type of engine that is basically unchanged since 2007, and 300+ hp through its clever differentials to all four driven wheels until late 2017, when it finally announced STI will be discontinued from Europe. However examples of Final Edition are still for sale and after the production ceased on the famous Evolution mentioned, I can’t think of any other car manufacturer, even with their current WRC expertise, that offers anything this driver-oriented and amateur-rally-stage ready even being stock to the mainstream consumer. Most of the car manufacturers seem not to even bother with this because of predicted low sales volumes. Subaru deserves credit for not letting its fans down, and perhaps understands that respecting their values is the key to keeping them loyal. This seems to be the perfect formula for retaining a cult model throughout the years – and as we know, cult choices don’t even have to be rational. Plus, prices for the used examples have already started to increase.
Volkswagen Golf GTI, 28tEUR
A proverb says that “If the GTI wasn’t a Golf, it would sell better, and if it wasn’t a VW, it would even be bought”. The reality is that VW has created this driver-focused version of its volume-seller model Golf in each of its generations ever since its first appearance in 1976. Affordability, relatively powerful engines and simplicity (nowadays relative too), always combined with a chassis set-up to ensure driving enjoyment have enabled the creation of a huge GTI fan base that other car manufacturers envy even today. Although VW messed up with allocations of its limited-edition GTI Clubsport S model, it’s worth mentioning that it gained the Nürburgring FWD record title in 2016. Chances are that a non-car enthusiast will not distinguish the GTI from other models in a Golf line-up, but if you are one, GTIs are seen as a choice of purity gaining many respect points to their owners. After the introduction of the Golf R, the GTI is not even the most expensive of Golfs, but it’s definitely the only one that qualifies for cult-club membership.