Top 10 Cars That Became Legends Before Their Time

### What does "legend before their time" actually mean?

It means a car that was undervalued, underbought, or discontinued while it was still new — and only became an icon years later, once enthusiasts realized how advanced, well-engineered, or good-looking it really was.

### Which car on this list appreciated the most?

The Ford GT40 and Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing lead in raw auction value, but the Toyota Supra MK4, Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, and Honda S2000 have appreciated the fastest as modern tuner culture has grown.

### Why were some of these discontinued?

A mix of emissions rules, safety regulations, low showroom demand, and — in the case of the RX-7 and Evo IX — engineering choices (rotary apex seals, homologation costs) that no longer penciled out for the manufacturer.

### Which one is the best daily driver today?

The Honda S2000 and Porsche 993 are the most livable here; the Evo IX is the most practical in bad weather thanks to its AWD.

### Be the 1st to vote! Which legend aged best — and which one belongs on this list that we missed?

What makes a car 'ahead of its time'?

Usually a combination of engineering, styling or performance that the buying public didn't fully appreciate on release — so production ended short, but values later soared as enthusiasts caught on.

Why are these cars so expensive now?

Scarcity (low production runs, homologation rules), cultural cachet from movies, games and motorsport, and a generation of enthusiasts with rising disposable income have all pushed collector prices well above original MSRP.

Which car on this list is the best daily driver?

Of the ten, the Honda S2000 and the Mazda RX-7 FD are the most usable on modern roads, though both demand careful maintenance. Pure exotics like the Mercedes-Benz 300SL and Ford GT40 are weekend-only machines.

Did the list miss an obvious pick?

Probably — legendary-before-their-time is subjective. Common omissions include the Audi Quattro, BMW 2002 Turbo, and the original Datsun 240Z. Vote yours into the conversation via the comments.