1992: A Very Valuable Chevy Malibu (and So Much More)

As we navigate the winding roads of mind-blowing nostalgia in our year-long celebration of the 1990s as a “classic decade,” we’ve made our way to 1992.

With 2024 marking the momentous occasion where the 1990s officially achieve classic status (comfortably 25 years in the rearview mirror), let’s take a look back at the milestones that made 1992 a cornerstone in the automotive and cultural timeline.

• The Hummer H1, based on the Humvee military trucks, was released, paving the way for a long line of Hummers to come.
• On the heels of Nirvana’s 1991 success, Weird Al Yankovich’s “Smells like Nirvana” hits #35 on the Billboard charts.
• Hagerty pal and fan-favorite car guy Jay Leno becomes the official host of The Tonight Show.
• Batman Begins, starring Michael Keaton as Batman and Danny Devito as the Penguin, is released in theaters.
• At the 25th Olympic Games in Barcelona, Linford Christie becomes the oldest man to win the Olympic 100m gold medal, at the elderly age of 32.
• On Montréal’s 350th birthday, the official opening of Pointe-à-Callière was attended by the Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney; the Premier of Québec, Robert Bourassa; the Mayor of Montréal, Jean Doré; and the new museum’s executive director, Francine Lelièvre. It is the only large-scale archaeological museum in Canada.
• A meteorite the size of a bowling ball hurdles from space landing in the trunk Peekskill resident Michelle Knapp’s Chevy Malibu. (Valuation alert: She bought the car for $400, but after the incident she sold it for $25,000 to Lang’s Fossils and Meteorites. That’s a 6000% increase, folks.)
• The Barcelona Olympics were at the time Canada's second most successful Summer Olympic Games (and most successful in a fully-attended Olympics), subsequently surpassed in number of medals won in 1996 and 2016, and then tied in the number of gold medals in 2020

The ‘90s, and the special vehicles from that era, deserve to be honored and protected as part of our cultural heritage. With each passing year, the '90s fade further into the distance, but the allure of those modern classics remains evergreen.

Make sure that the clients holding on to these cars – especially those reserved for weekend joyrides rather than daily commutes – are getting the coverage they deserve. Tailored for enthusiasts and the totally rad cars they love, a collector car policy through Hagerty is designed to recognize, appreciate, and properly protect these special vehicles.

Stay tuned for next month as we continue our exploration of the 1990s as a classic decade.