How Cars Gain Value

Why Cars Lose Value — And Why Some Come Back Stronger

A lot of people don’t really understand how car values work. And to be clear — cars don’t depreciate just because. There is a logic behind it. A cycle.

Let’s start with the basics.

1. Cars That Are Just Cars

Most cars are built for one purpose: to get you from point A to point B. These are mass-produced, popular models — and from an investment point of view, the chance of appreciation is close to zero.

It doesn’t really matter if they’re premium, executive, or even luxury. Volume production, lack of emotional uniqueness, and no historical significance mean one thing: they are not investment assets. If they ever go up in value, it’s usually by accident — not by design.

2. Cars That Might Become Something More

Then there’s a second group — cars that might become interesting over time. These are models that, at launch, didn’t scream “future classic”, but later benefited from:

  • brand heritage

  • regulatory changes

  • shifting tastes and trends

  • technological turning points

Some of these cars turn out to be golden horses. Some don’t. Timing and context matter a lot here.

3. Hypercars – Investments by Design

At the top of the pyramid sit hypercars. Limited production, extreme pricing, and a client base restricted to the world’s wealthiest individuals.

These cars are often bought not to be driven, but to be stored, protected, and treated as capital. Let’s be honest — this market is closed to most people.

But the important part is this:
👉 You don’t need hypercar money to make smart automotive investments.

Ferrari F355 – The Perfect Example of the Cycle

Let’s look at one of my favourite cars of all time: Ferrari F355.

  • Launch price (1994): approx. €120,000

  • End of production: 1999

What happened next is completely normal.
A new model arrived — the 360 Modena — and the F355 was suddenly “old”. Demand dropped. Values collapsed.

  • Around 2010: prices hit the bottom — €45,000

  • 2015: €50,000–€80,000

  • 2020: €80,000–€100,000

  • 2025: anywhere from €90,000 to €220,000

After production ended, values fell hard. New replaced old. Customers moved on. Mileage increased. Cars disappeared. Textbook product life cycle.

But then something changed.

The F355 turned out to be one of the last truly analogue Ferraris. No filters. No software-first philosophy. Just engine, sound, and emotion.

And suddenly — people wanted it back.

Today, top examples reach €220,000. That’s not speculation. That’s reality.

The Key Is Timing

What really matters in this whole game is knowing when to buy.

The value cycle is often very similar:

  1. Launch hype

  2. Rapid depreciation

  3. Long flat bottom

  4. Re-evaluation

  5. Strong appreciation

That same pattern can already be seen in:

  • Ferrari 360 Modena (still opportunities around €50k)

  • Ferrari F430 (cars at €70k today — and yes, it will follow the F355)

And it doesn’t stop with Ferrari.

Similar cycles exist with:

  • Porsche 911 generations

  • BMW M5 models

  • Certain Mercedes-AMG cars (not all — selection matters)

These are the cars many of us dreamed about — and history shows that dream cars age well.

Why This Is Happening Now

The automotive world is changing fast. We’re moving:

  • from mechanical emotion

  • to software-driven mobility

And that’s exactly why older, analogue cars are becoming more valuable, not less.

They represent something that is disappearing.

And here’s the best part:
👉 When you own the right car, you enjoy it first.
It looks incredible.
It feels alive.
It puts a smile on your face the moment you drive it.

And if you chose well — that joy eventually comes back as profit.

That’s what makes cars such a unique asset.

They’re not just numbers.
They’re experiences that happen to appreciate.