What do you think of Jay's prediction about the Pontiac Aztek?
Jay Leno's Article from Popular Mechanics
Jay Leno says, "Just as the much-maligned Ford Edsel of the late 1950s is collectible today, so too will be the Pontiac Aztek in the future. No kidding—Azteks will be really collectible if there are any of them left. The Aztek is so odd-looking and weird that people want to collect them, like the popular “nerd cars”—AMC Gremlins and Pacers and Ford Pintos. Remember those VW vans with all the windows, or even mid-1980s Chrysler K-cars with the fake wood? It looked fake then. It still looks fake. But today people want ’em. These models have personalities. They’re not jellybean cars."
I am not a fan of the Aztek AT ALL but I thought comment #19 seem to hit the mark.
19. RE: Jay Leno Predicts Future Collectable and Classic Cars
Leno's mostly right. His collectablity principles can be distilled down even further, though. Collectable cars must have one or more of the following: (1) Fast (100+ m.p.h. in the quarter mile); (2)Youthful (in their day);(3) Unusual (e.g. rare, odd, or rare and odd); (4) Simplicity/easy to work on (This will kill the Gen 1 Taurus and most FWDs); (5)The first or last of a type/style/technology; (6) "Antiqueness" (so obsolete, dangerous and/or "unrepriseable" as to be a time-capsule); (7) Rebelliousness; (8) Exclusivity (Rare & popular).
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Here's one thats ready for the trails at Moab. Yeah Right.
Jay said. "Azteks will be really collectible if there are any of them left"
I had to do a quick check on Auto Trader to see how many are for sale.
Pontiac Aztek
422 listings
Average Price: $6,840
Isuzu VehiCROSS
15 listings
Average Price: $10,269
Just throwing out some production numbers:
Pontiac Aztek
Total American sales 2001 - 2005: 108,449
Assembly: Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
The Pontiac Aztek was a car-based SUV utilizing many drivetrain components from the Chevrolet Venture minivan.
Isuzu VehiCROSS
Total American sales 1999 - 2001: 4,153
Partially assembled by hand: Fujisawa, Japan
it shares much of its components with the Isuzu Trooper
Unfortunately I found poll comparing the VX with the Aztek, why did they do that.
Link
The folks at Hemmings Motor News say as for which "nerd cars" are most likely to reach real collector auction values in the future, Hagerty has a simple formula: "The weirder the better."
When all is said and done, I think the final resting place for the Pontiac Aztek is Concours d’LeMons
A Car Show for the most ugly.
Link