Modern classics, supercars, and Ferraris: why the classic car market is booming (and shows no sign of stopping)

Formerly the passion of a select few, classic cars today occupy a distinctive place in the world of tangible assets. Combining cultural heritage, emotional appeal, and increasing relevance for wealth planning, the segment sits at the crossroads of passion and investment. In a world where economic and societal markers are shifting rapidly, what is the real significance of classic cars today? And how should one assess an asset shaped as much by generational dynamics as by technological transformations?

To shed light on these questions, Lombard Odier France hosted an event entitled “Classic cars: passion or investment?”. The evening brought together Vladimir Grudzinski, Co-founder and CEO of CarJager, Maxime Lépissier, Partner and expert at CarJager, and Alexis Chardigny, Senior Private Banker at Lombard Odier France and car enthusiast, alongside motoring journalist and collector Grégory Galiffi. Their discussions and analyses sketched the picture of a paradoxical market – expanding, yet undergoing profound change.

A constantly growing globalised market

The figures speak for themselves. With annual transactions of EUR 45 billion, growth of around 10% p.a. since 2000, and a total fleet value estimated at nearly EUR 800 billion in 2024, the classic car market stands out as one of the most dynamic and resilient segments in the world of “passion” assets. For Alexis Chardigny, Senior Private Banker at Lombard Odier France and car market expert, this trajectory perfectly illustrates the way tangible assets have become a structuring pillar of alternative asset management.

This expansion is not, however, down to chance. It is supported by a phenomenon rarely observed in the realm of collectors and collecting: the near-uniformity of tastes worldwide. A Ferrari 275 GTB, a Porsche 964RS, or a Lamborghini Countach now attract the same degree of interest from enthusiasts and collectors across the globe – primarily in Europe, the US, and Asia, from Paris to Los Angeles, via Dubai and Tokyo. For Maxime Lépissier of CarJager, this is a decisive advantage: “It’s a global market. The reference points are the same everywhere. A Ferrari F40 has the same evocative power worldwide.”