come in all shapes and sizes. In the past year especially, models not traditionally thought of as classic, like old Honda Accords, are going for shocking prices at auction while tried and true nameplates like Ferrari continue to keep their audiences interested.

Classic cars are so popular that some companies have opted to put favorite models back into production or simply never stopped making them as they were back in the day. These are what the industry calls continuation cars.

Continuation cars are still under the radar of most people, but many of those who’ve caught on prefer them to restored versions. What could be more exciting than driving off in a classic that has next to no miles on it?

How does the continuation car market work?

Continuation cars are modern replicas of vehicles long out of production, with little to no modifications or upgrades. The general idea is to get as close to the original as possible.

Not all remakes get the stamp of approval, though.

HICONSUMPTION

says that in order for a car to be a true continuation, it needs to be made—or at least authorized—by the original manufacturer.

While some carmakers take a few liberties to make these new-old cars road legal on 21st Century streets, others stick to the originals bolt-for-bolt and sell them as collector’s items rather than functional vehicles. Depending on the model, both styles can sell for a lot of money.

MORE: The Classic 1970 AMC AMX Muscle Car

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Examples of continuation cars at their best

While car nerds and billionaires might enjoy the idea of perfectly replicating an old classic, in our opinion, the best continuation cars are the ones you can bring back to the road.

One of the best examples of the latter is Land Rover’s rebirth of the Defender Series 1. Like most continuation models, the original Defender can rack up some pretty impressive prices at auction, but its 71+ age makes finding a running Series 1 next to impossible—hence the restart.

CarBuzz

says the ‘64 Shelby Daytona Coupe also got a street-legal reboot by its original designer in 2010. While an original went for a whopping $7.4 million in 2009, the continuation models didn’t do too badly either. One sold recently on Bring A Trailer for $210,000.

One classic car that never went out of production is the Caterham Seven. Caterham actually became a manufacturer to keep this tiny roadster in production after its original maker, Lotus, moved on to supercar production. The little British brand has been tweaking it ever since.

Why can’t I get classic car insurance for a continuation car?

MORE: A 100-Year-Old Man Got Back a Classic Car He Drove in 1964

While continuation models certainly look like classics, you’ll probably have trouble signing them up for

classic car insurance

. That’s because most providers require a classic car to bet at least 15-25 years old.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t find discounts for a continuation car.

Jerry

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