According to Hagerty, baby boomers have reemerged as the leading force in the collector car market after a brief period of declining influence, signaling a shift in buyer activity across generations.
Hagerty reports that insurance quote data, often used as a reliable indicator of market interest, shows a notable resurgence among buyers born between 1946 and 1964. For decades, this group has played a central role in the collector car hobby, driven by a combination of financial resources and a strong connection to the vehicles of the 1960s, widely regarded as a defining era for automotive design and performance.
In recent years, however, that dominance appeared to be fading. According to Hagerty, Gen X buyers surpassed boomers in the first half of 2022, accounting for a slightly larger share of insurance quote activity. At the same time, millennials and Gen Z participants were gradually increasing their presence, suggesting a generational transition in the market.
That trend has since reversed. Hagerty reports that beginning in 2025, younger buyer groups began to lose ground, while older generations regained momentum. Baby boomers saw their share of insurance quotes rise significantly, climbing from 31 percent to 36 percent over the course of the year. Although that figure dipped slightly to 35 percent early the following year, boomers have maintained their position as the largest segment of collector car buyers.
The reasons behind this shift are not entirely defined. Hagerty indicates that while many boomers are either in peak earning years or already retired, those conditions have remained consistent over time and do not fully explain the recent increase in activity.
Instead, Hagerty suggests that broader market dynamics may be influencing the change. Data from the Hagerty Market Rating points to increased participation from wealthier buyers, a group that tends to skew older. As a result, the renewed strength of baby boomers in the market may reflect the outsized impact of high-net-worth collectors during the current period.
The development highlights how economic factors and demographic trends continue to shape the collector car landscape, even as younger generations remain involved.
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