The end of the year is a great time to make predictions because you have a whole year to hope your forecast comes true.
This is the last day of 2024, so here are some things I predict you’ll see in the car hobby next year.
Jerry Sutherland
I’ll get the first item off the table—electric cars.

You won’t be surprised that 99.99% of the car guys I talk to are anti electric cars. They’re that way for a reason—EVs are not feasible at this point.

Some of them are intrigued by the technology, because the car hobby was built on vision, expertise, and a constant search for something better. Car guys like the idea of a super-fast car, but they’re not sold on the idea of it being tethered to an electrical plug-in.
The other thing is the learning curve. How do you improve the performance of a technology you don’t understand? Mechanics are mechanics and electricians are electricians. There’s some overlap but not enough to make it easy—or fun.

I don’t see a bright future in 2025 for the guy who shows up at a local show with an EV-powered ’57 Chevy.
The next item are the cars themselves.
You’re starting to see newer and newer cars at car shows for a simple reason. Younger car guys don’t have the same warm and fuzzy feelings for a vintage Firebird or Dodge Super Bee.

Let’s be realistic—the era of Baby Boomers is fading—and so is the interest in their choice of old iron. If you’re a Boomer ask yourself why cars like Hupmobiles and Packards didn’t interest you…but your dad liked them.

Newer car guys are far more likely to see the beauty in a C5 Corvette than a C1 Vette. The C1 Vette looks like a Model T to them, so while it’s an interesting piece of history–but it’s not something they’d pick over a newer Vette

There’s another thing about the new breed of car guys. They don’t mind four doors, because a 1996 Toyota Camry sedan could top 140 miles per hour with ease.

They don’t carry a grudge against two extra doors—even with older cars. They’re open-minded about more-doors because they grew up in an era when a 4-door sedan could crack 140 mph with ease.
That’s why you’re seeing more 4-doors at car shows—the fan base grows with every new generation.

The last item ties in with the second last item. You’re going to see more Gen X and Y participants at shows in 2025 because the casualty list in Boomer-land gets bigger every year.
Boomers still hold the most cards, and that trend will continue for awhile–but it is evolving. Have you noticed how car shows play more Steppenwolf and Doobie Brothers than Elvis and Little Richard? That’s because the Little Richard fans are all well into their 80s—or they’ve already headed to that Great Car Show In The Sky .

In 2025 you may even hear some Nirvana and Pearl Jam at car shows because—like it or not—Gen X is leading the charge to replace Boomers at car shows.

In the end, it always comes down to evolution.

We’re not even close to seeing an EV at a car show in 2025 but by 2035, the 2010 Teslas are going to be antiques.
Last prediction? I predict you’ll see a classic EV class at 2035 car shows—but you’ll be safe in 2025…unless you live in California.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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