It’s unfair to both enthusiasts and the cars. It needs to stop.
Since the slow decline of Twitter, I’ve turned to Instagram and YouTube to fill my scrolling time. After largely avoiding these platforms for years, I’ve noticed a significant change in how people talk about cars. Browsing through recommended content, I’m struck by how often the price takes center stage, overshadowing any other interesting aspects of the cars themselves.
This focus does a disservice to both the cars we love and the subculture we’ve built.
It would be naive to think that value has never influenced automotive enthusiasm—Barrett-Jackson auctions have been on TV for decades. However, for most hobbyists (myself included), investment was never the main focus. What sets cars apart from other collector items is their utility. A Picasso can’t take you to the grocery store; it can only be admired. An E-Type, on the other hand, is both art and transportation.
This utility also influences how cars become valuable. While traditional investment art derives much of its worth from the artist—a Picasso commands hundreds of millions largely because Picasso created it and he’s no longer alive to make more—classic cars often gain value based on the trophies they’ve earned.
Take the 1962-1964 Ferrari 250 GTO and the 1964-1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast. Both are rare, with 36 GTOs and 37 Superfasts produced. Both represented the peak of Ferrari’s dominance in their era. Yet today, a 500 Superfast costs a fraction of a 250 GTO. The 250 GTO’s price exceeds $50 million, while a Superfast can be had for a few million.
The price difference stems from their achievements. The 500 Superfast never raced, whereas the 250 GTO dominated European endurance racing in the early 1960s, building a reputation as not just a race car but one of the best-handling sports cars ever made. Its value today is rooted in its racing success—it’s worth a lot because it won a lot.
Despite the astronomical price tag of a Ferrari 250 GTO, it’s not unusual to see one racing wheel-to-wheel at vintage events like the Goodwood Revival. After all, a race car is meant to be driven—what’s the point of owning one if you won’t use it?
That said, some owners may avoid racing and focus more on showing off. Even though these cars are engineering marvels built to be driven, I often see content that highlights their monetary value above anything else.
Take, for example, a video featuring two 250 GTOs parking for a photo. The video’s clickbait title is all about their cost (“£100 MILLION NEAR CRASH”). A quick scroll through Instagram’s suggested videos shows that most 250 GTO clips lead with the price tag, sometimes even comparing it to other luxury symbols like private jets. This trend has spilled over into automotive photography, car show content, and even among car owners—the buyer of the last Bugatti Chiron didn’t hide the first digit of its seven-figure price.
Monetary value has become the hook to keep viewers engaged. This approach is likely influenced by the extravagance seen in YouTube videos from creators like Mr. Beast, who made a $1 vs. $100,000,000 car video. In the automotive world, influencers like SupercarBlondie (with 17 million Instagram followers) focus on the broader luxury lifestyle—jets, mansions, fashion—and how it complements high-end cars. Others, like Daniel Mac (with 3.3 million YouTube subscribers), go further by directly asking supercar owners how they made their fortune.
The obsession with flaunting wealth has infiltrated the automotive world, evident in the hypercar market’s oversaturation. Seven-figure price tags and four-digit horsepower figures have become symbols of bragging rights, often overshadowing the actual functionality and physical presence of the cars.
Much of the blame can be attributed to Instagram. Research shows that escapism and narcissism are linked to increased consumption of Instagram Reels. Narcissism and social comparison—concerns about appearance and status—are strongly associated with Instagram usage, luxury goods, and impulsive shopping, as well as the pursuit of trendsetters.
While Instagram’s algorithms are opaque, suggesting the app may implicitly foster this mindset, heavy Instagram use is a predictor of materialism and a connection with influencers. Consequently, the platform tends to promote more flashy, wealth-focused content.
To better understand the dynamics of social media and audience engagement, I spoke with Matt Farah, host of The Smoking Tire. With over 1 million subscribers on The Smoking Tire’s YouTube channel and his ownership of Westside Collector Car Storage in Los Angeles—a high-end car storage and care facility—Farah has extensive knowledge of both supercars and internet audiences.
Despite Farah’s popularity and access to high-end cars, he has avoided using wealth-focused clickbait titles and captions in his videos. Instead, he keeps the focus on the cars and the people involved. Farah mentioned that a social media analyst had reviewed his channel and suggested that for higher engagement, he should include more drama, negativity, and, crucially, more emphasis on wealth.
“Apparently, videos and Instagram clips that discuss costs, profits, losses, and spending have some of the highest engagement rates on the internet,” Farah explained.
Whether it’s due to the elusive algorithm or the nature of vanity, it’s evident that creators have received the message: Money drives engagement.
By staying focused on the cars, Farah is potentially missing out on engagement and views. His rationale is straightforward: “I have a bit of pride. I don’t want my brand to be centered around money, drama, or negativity.”
I understand Farah’s reluctance to associate with the grindset-first money culture. Just as negativity and drama undermine a healthy community, a wealth-centric mindset can be a major barrier to truly enjoying grassroots hobbies. In the automotive world, where cars are more than just art objects, their primary purpose remains to be driven. Even the rarest, most prestigious models have an underlying function: to provide a driving experience. Some of the rarest cars I’ve covered are actually used as daily drivers by their owners, who appreciate that the joy of using their car is integral to fully enjoying it. Unfortunately, as the focus shifts to a car’s value and investment potential, we see fewer of these vehicles in action.
Research by Hagerty Insurance reveals a negative correlation between vehicle value and miles driven. Even Gordon Murray sold his McLaren F1 because maintaining it became “untenable” due to soaring insurance and maintenance costs. Reducing a car to a mere price tag not only smacks of wealthy individuals seeking street cred but also disconnects a car from its true purpose. If a car is seen as an investment first and a vehicle second, why take it out of its protective storage bubble?
The essence of grassroots automotive enthusiasm lies in its diverse and inclusive nature. At a Cars and Coffee event, you can see and hear dream cars parked alongside everyday drivers. Local track days might feature everything from worn Miatas to a 911 GT3 with its break-in miles. This is the automotive culture we cherish, and I refuse to let Instagram’s status obsession alter that.
