Have you ever wondered how much a new car cost in 1970, when the sporty Datsun 240-Z zipped onto the roads? Or perhaps you’re curious about how much a new car cost in 1993, when the Toyota Camry was gaining traction as one of the world’s most reliable cars. With the average new car price reaching an astronomical $47,000 in early 2022, the team at TitleMax.com explored the cost of popular cars throughout history going all the way back to 1950 (with an honorable mention of the legendary Ford Model T). To help put that value into perspective, here is a master list of how much a new car cost by year:
How Much Did the First Car Cost?
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen, built in 1886, is considered to have been the world’s first automobile (a vehicle designed to be driven by an internal combustion engine). The original cost was $1,000, which is the equivalent of a staggering $29,909.36 in today’s dollars! About 25 Patent-Motorwagens were constructed between 1886 and 1893.
How Much Did the Model T Cost?
The Model T was the earliest effort to deliver a sturdy, reliable vehicle that most people could actually afford. It succeeded in this mission; the Model T became so popular that the majority of Americans owned one, and it played a crucial role in uniting rural Americans with the rest of the country. It even contributed to the creation of the numbered highway system. When the Ford Model T was first introduced in 1908, it cost $825. During this time, Henry Ford was in the process of streamlining the production process, and only 10,666 Model T’s were built that first year. How much did a Model T cost in today’s money? Adjusted for inflation, a Ford Model T would have cost around $24,835. Within the next few years, Ford’s legendary assembly-line production methods reduced the speed of manufacturing one Model T from 12.5 hours to 93 minutes by 1914. This enabled Ford to reduce the price to $440, which is about $11,368 in today’s currency. By 1925, the Model T production numbers reached around 10,000 cars a day, or 2 million annually, at a price of $260 ($3,837 today). Total Model T production remained unsurpassed until it was overtaken by the Volkswagen Beetle on Feb. 17, 1972.
How much is a Model T worth today? According to Classic.com, original Model T vehicles that were been produced from 1909 to 1927 have sold for up to $110,000, but the average Ford Model T price over the past five years has been $16,147. How many Model T’s are left? Motorious.com estimates that there are 60,000 Ford Model T’s surviving today, with 50,000 of those still in roadworthy condition. In fact, you can test-drive a restored Model T at the Henry Ford museum!
How Much Did Popular Cars Cost Every Year Since 1950?
| Year | Car | Price in 2020 Dollars |
| 1918 | Ford Model T | $24,835.00 |
| 1950 | Dodge Coronet | $10,200.00 |
| 1951 | Kaiser-Frazer Henry J | $13,832.00 |
| 1952 | Buick Roadmaster | $33,124.00 |
| 1953 | Packard Clipper | $25,981.00 |
| 1954 | Plymouth Belvedere | $18,000.00 |
| 1955 | Chevy Bel Air | $23,592.00 |
| 1956 | Jeep Dispatcher | $13,158.00 |
| 1957 | Ford Sunliner | $27,096.00 |
| 1958 | Renault Dauphine | $15,288.00 |
| 1959 | Ford Anglia | $13,688.00 |
| 1960 | Rambler Ambassador | $27,630.00 |
| 1961 | Jaguar E-Type | $52,222.00 |
| 1962 | Ford Galaxie | $22,744.00 |
| 1963 | Lincoln Continental | $53,748.00 |
| 1964 | Ford Mustang | $19,252.00 |
| 1965 | Chevrolet Impala | $25,240.00 |
| 1966 | Volkswagen Beetle | $12,660.00 |
| 1967 | Chevy Camaro | $23,401.00 |
| 1968 | BMW 1800 | $19,646.00 |
| 1969 | Plymouth Roadrunner | $23,363.00 |
| 1970 | Datsun 240-Z | $23,519.00 |
| 1971 | Chrysler New Yorker | $35,498.00 |
| 1972 | Ford Maverick | $13,432.00 |
| 1973 | Chevy Monte Carlo | $19,906.00 |
| 1974 | AMC Gremlin | $13,330.00 |
| 1975 | Volvo 242 | $25,477.00 |
| 1976 | Oldsmobile Cutlass | $21,719.00 |
| 1977 | Pontiac Trans Am | $23,301.00 |
| 1978 | Honda Civic | $17,744.00 |
| 1979 | Toyota Celica ST | $21,136.00 |
| 1980 | Buick Regal | $26,808.00 |
| 1981 | Dodge Colt | $18,366.00 |
| 1982 | Ford Escort | $15,710.00 |
| 1983 | Volkswagen GTI | $20,788.00 |
| 1984 | Chevrolet Cavalier | $16,191.00 |
| 1985 | Buick Skyhawk | $22,004.00 |
| 1986 | Chevrolet Celebrity | $23,045.00 |
| 1987 | Nissan Stanza XE | $23,887.00 |
| 1988 | Nissan Sentra | $17,538.00 |
| 1989 | Honda Accord | $33,186.00 |
| 1990 | Nissan 300ZX | $53,465.00 |
| 1991 | Toyota MR2 | $31,159.00 |
| 1992 | Ford Taurus | $31,159.00 |
| 1993 | Chevrolet Lumina | $25,075.00 |
| 1994 | Toyota Camry | $26,441.00 |
| 1995 | Saturn S-Series | $23,673.00 |
| 1996 | Subaru Legacy Wagon | $25,060.00 |
| 1997 | Chrysler Town & Country | $50,738.00 |
| 1998 | Toyota Camry | $26,894.00 |
| 1999 | Chevrolet Tracker | $25,734.00 |
| 2000 | Chevrolet Malibu | $27,959.00 |
| 2001 | Jeep Wrangler | $22,091.00 |
| 2002 | BMW 7-Series | $67,850.00 |
| 2003 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | $28,987.00 |
| 2004 | Ford Taurus | $23,029.00 |
| 2005 | Chevrolet Impala | $25,005.00 |
| 2006 | Audi R8 | $148,919.00 |
| 2007 | Toyota Corolla | $18,723.00 |
| 2008 | Hyundai Accent | $17,220.00 |
| 2009 | Honda Civic | $23,122.00 |
| 2010 | Toyota Prius | $26,111.00 |
| 2011 | Chevy Volt | $47,173.00 |
| 2012 | Subaru Impreza | $20,590.00 |
| 2013 | Honda Accord | $22,480.00 |
| 2014 | Toyota Prius | $23,215.00 |
| 2015 | Hyundai Genesis | $42,531.00 |
| 2016 | Honda Civic | $21,027.00 |
| 2017 | Ford Fusion | $32,591.00 |
| 2018 | Toyota Camry | $30,569.00 |
| 2019 | Chevrolet Corvette | $56,590.00 |
| 2020 | Lexus IS | $39,050.00 |
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