Japan’s Most Expensive Cars Are Newer and Cheaper than Their Rivals

Japan produced 8.41 million vehicles last year, placing it third globally behind China (34.5 million) and the U.S. (10.2 million), per OICA—yet its collectible car scene is looking even more distinct. The article argues that Japan’s most desirable vehicles are typically newer than their Western counterparts and, for now, are also less valuable. Using a dataset of the top 20 worldwide auction sales by enthusiast-focused manufacturers, it notes that many leading Japanese models were built after 2000, while French and Italian standouts skew older—often prewar or linked to eras like the Ferrari 250 GTO/Cal Spider period.