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The cars, trucks, and SUVs that have become collectible over the past decade or so have broken many of the more conventional rules of what makes things collectible. We have seen some very common models from the 80s and ’90s fetch become gold mines. This recent strange wave in the collector car world has really proven that “buying what you love” is still the best way to go. Guessing what will be valuable at this point is a tough gig. That said, let’s do some guessing. Ever considered getting a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon for investment purposes? Well, if you have this pickup truck model, you might want to hang onto it. 

2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon driving down a dirt road.
2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon | Stellantis

What is a good collectible pickup truck model to buy for the future? 

Without a crystal ball, we are going to have a hard time telling you what will and what won’t become collectible. All we can do is look at history and the trends it shows to try and make an educated guess. 

With that in mind, Forbes made a list of cars and trucks you might want to keep an eye out for that match potential collectibility criteria. One of the top models the publication predicts to be a future collectible truck is the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon.

Could the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon become collectible?

This may seem strange at first, but it actually makes some sense. Jeep Wranglers have some of the highest resale values of any SUV. More to the point, the Jeep Gladiator is a well-known name from the brand’s past, and as of 2018, Jeep reintroduced the nameplate at the LA Autoshow. Now as a Wrangler-based pickup truck, it can likely share in the Wrangler’s resale value watermark. 

Unlike the Wrangler, the Jeep Gladiator hasn’t always been the most popular seller. This helps in its collectible claim. Relatively low production and sales on a model that also is meant for the rough life of off-roading mean that it’s likely that in a couple of decades, the early Gladiators might become fairly rare. Not only that, but it will also be harder to find a stock one since the Jeep ethos is all about customizing and upgrading your stock Jeep. Another bump to rarity activated. 

Lastly, the Rubicon trim adds the more limited performance trim to the mix. Because of the higher financial barrier to entry, the Rubicon will be rarer in the future and, most likely, retain more value. There is also the fact that the Rubicon is pricier because it is the most capable off-road model of the Jeep Gladiator. 

What other car models could be valuable in the future? 

The Alfa Romeo 4C exotic Italian sports car parked in a driveway, the setting sun visible in the background.
2015 Alfa Romeo 4C | Cars and Bids

Forbes has a pretty wide variety that it’s predicting will be collector cars. High-end luxury EVs like the Polestar 1 make the list. Also, a variety of high-output sports cars like the Ford Mustang GT500, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, and the Camaro Z/28 also made the list. One of my favorite cars of all time, the Alfa Romeo 4C, which was recently discontinued, wisely joins the group of future collectible cars as well. 

No matter what you think the future holds for the automotive industry, guessing what cars might become more valuable than they were new is more confusing now than it ever was before. Good luck.