If you want a car that will be a future classic, picking one based on its reliability alone isn't going to work.

A prospective collectible has to be able to turn heads and have wide consumer appeal, says McKeel Hagerty. He's chief executive officer of Hagerty, an insurance company that specializes in covering collector and classic cars, and also is a respected valuation expert of collector cars.

		HAGERTY HOT LIST McKeel Hagerty's top 10 cars and trucks most likely to be collector vehicles: 1. Toyota FJ Cruiser 2. Mini Cooper 3. Lotus Elise 4. Dodge Viper 5. Acura NSX 6. Toyota Scion 7. Audi TT 8. Jaguar XK 9. Chrysler 300 10. Smart Car

Admittedly, there are not many cars on the showroom floor that will stand the test of time -- but they are out there if you know what to look for.

"I will admit that it's something of a little parlor game to ask what truly a future collectible car will be," Mr. Hagerty said. "But our customer base is the largest group of 'car people' in the world. We asked which cars now available would be collectible someday by doing telephone interviews, and that's how we came up with the list."

Vehicles making the Hagerty Hot List are: Toyota FJ Cruiser, Mini Cooper, Lotus Elise, Dodge Viper, Acura NSX, Toyota Scion, Audi TT, Jaguar XK, Chrysler 300 and the Smart Car.

"When it comes time to order one of these new cars, you should order the most expensive performance options, too," Mr. Hagerty said. "When you look at the cars that always do well as collectibles, it's always the higher performance versions.

"Obviously, these cars need to be kept inside when in not in use. And you've got to do regular maintenance, give it tender loving care, and keep close track of your car's history."

Why are the vehicles on the list so strong on collectible potential?

Some have pop culture popularity. Some are limited production models. Some are affordable cars that happen to be fun to drive and can be personalized in endless ways. And others capture the style and look that collectors really go for.

The FJ Cruiser is on the list because it's unusual looking for a company not known for being a style leader. It's what you get "when Hot Wheels grow up," Mr. Hagerty said.

The Mini Cooper is a "little car with personality, and there are 10 million variations you can order on the Web site. It really gets people going," he said. "Another thing about the Mini is that when a new car garners clubs that have activities or magazines designed for it, that's a car that's going to go somewhere."

Toyota's also on the list for its Scion.

"We live in a world of mass customization, and that's what makes the Scion interesting as a car. It's not unlike the Mini in that regard. The reports I'm getting from collectors is that the xA is the one to get," Mr. Hagerty said, but the xB and the tC also will be rare enough to be considered collectible.

The Chrysler 300 was chosen because it's a "reinterpretation of the classic American rear-drive car."

Why no Ford Mustang or Chevy Corvette on the list?

"The cars on the list are new cars that people felt would be collectible. It doesn't exclude the others like the Corvette or the Mustang," Mr. Hagerty said.

Those who follow the collectible car industry may be surprised by the number of imported cars on the list. Imports have been less popular in the past because those who had the money and time to participate in this nostalgia-driven hobby were born before World War II and domestic cars were popular when they were growing up, not foreign cars.

But that's changing. Baby boomers have fond memories of all kinds of cars, foreign and domestic.

"Statistics show that people start collecting cars in significant numbers when they are say, 48 to 50," Mr. Hagerty said.

"They've got house pay-ments behind them, the kids are off to college and they are ready to buy something for themselves.

"And right now, [some of the] baby boomers, the wealthiest generation in the whole history of the world, [are] turning 48 to 50, and they're eyeing collector cars."

There are some caveats, however, when picking a future classic. It probably will be 10 to 15 years before any of the cars on the list will be considered collectible, so you'll have to be patient.