Words like "innovative" and "groundbreaking" get thrown around a lot by marketers and auto reviewers alike, but there's another word that's reserved only for the upper echelon of the automotive world. Classic.

Not every used car is worthy of the distinction. A true classic is a vehicle that stands the test of time, that becomes iconic and unforgettable. Predicting a classic is nigh-impossible – car companies have been trying their best for years to introduce models that will stick in the public's memory for years to come.

Still, it's fun to try. Every year, the folks at Hagerty Auto Insurance, which specializes in collector cars, release their "hot list" of 10 cars that could eventually go on to have increased value in the collector market. Drivers who can successfully predict which cars will eventually become collector's items won't only be getting a great car, but they'll also likely be making themselves quite a bit of dough if the car shoots up in value in the next few decades.

"We have fun each year looking at which new vehicles embody the characteristics of collector cars, to help predict which ones might have classic appeal in 15 to 20 years," CEO McKeel Hagerty said in a statement. "The Hot List is our prediction for which cars manufactured this year will hold their value and consumer appeal long enough to one day be regarded as collectible."

Since the list is annual, all the cars mentioned are from the 2011 model year. The list was submitted to Wired, which chimed in with some thoughts and comments of their own on the vehicles chosen.

The Chevrolet Camaro is already thought of many to be a classic car, but most people are referring to the older versions from the 1970s. According to the list, Chevy has finally made a Camaro worthy of the "classic" title. The SS Convertible is a Camaro for the modern age, with a V8 engine producing 428 horsepower – a figure that will blow the doors off of the old Camaros.

In that same vein is the Ford Mustang Boss 302R. The Mustang has a long history, but the Boss 302R has quickly established itself as one of the rarest versions of the car available, with Ford producing just 50. The car is a track-ready racing vehicle, but those who are looking for a regular highway car can't go wrong with the regular Mustang Boss, which is available in less-limited quantities.

The tuning community has elevated a few cars to classic status, as some vehicles are simply more cooperative with modifications and additions. This year, BMW released its own factory version of the 335i that took a number of cues from popular tuner modifications made on previous versions of the 3-Series. The V6 engine is turbocharged for 320 horsepower, a tweaked suspension improves handling and the company even modified the body to make it appear slightly different from the rest of the fleet. No adjustments necessary – the 335i could be well on its way to classic status.

Finally, there's always a car that flies under the radar before becoming popular in its later years. The Infiniti IPL G37 Coupe could be that car. The model is the first produced by the "IPL" high-performance division of Infiniti, which already gives it a claim to history. If IPL goes on to produce some top cars, people will be able to look back at the G37 and point to where it all began. 

General Motors' Chevrolet Volt has already been a success for the company, with the innovative electric vehicle snagging several "Car of the Year" awards for the company. In order to follow up on that success, GM has announced that it will hire nearly 1,000 electric vehicle engineers for its plant in Michigan.

The new hires will represent a 50 percent increase in the number of engineers with a specialty in electric technology for the company. Early pre-order numbers for the Volt have been high, and the company has increased production totals to 45,000 vehicles for 2012. The new hires could also possibly indicate more electric cars on the way for the company.

"GM is going to lead the industry in the adoption of various vehicle-electrification technologies," CEO Dan Akerson said in a statement. "We want to give our customers energy choices other than petroleum and to make the automobile part of the solution when it comes to the environment."

Early adopters who want to get in on the electric trend may want to wait for the first used Chevrolet Volts to begin hitting the market, as they'll most likely be able to save substantially off of the possibly inflated introductory price for the vehicle. 

One of the big appeals of electric vehicles is the complete elimination of harmful emissions. Yet new technology may mean that emissions will be hanging around for awhile.

IndustryWeek reports that General Motors and Purdue are working on new technology that would allow vehicles to convert emissions into electricity, allowing for increased fuel economy. The device uses a special metal that absorbs heat from the emissions on one side while remaining cool on the other. The massive difference in temperature creates an electric current that can then be used by the engine.

The new material is called skutterudite, and is made up of common metals like nickel and cobalt along with rarer elements like lanthanum, caesium and neodymium.

Researches say that as it stands now, the technology could reduce fuel consumption by five percent. With enough advances in technology, that figure could possibly rise to 10 percent.

Cars aren't the only application for the new technology. The innovation could potentially be used in any application in which heat is wasted, such as home heating and manufacturing facilities.

The research was made possible thanks to a $1.4 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy. 

Anticipation for GM's electric Chevy Volt has been building for several months, but for some car buyers, the moment has been years in the making.

Before the Volt and Nissan Leaf began looking like serious possibilities, GM leased a concept electric vehicle called the EV1 to select drivers. Although the car worked and drove fine, GM ultimately deemed the market for an electric vehicle to be too small. Lessees, who by and large responded positively to the concept, were forced to turn in their EV1s, which were then scrapped. Many blamed GM and oil companies for keeping electric cars off the road, a theory that was propagated by the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

Now, as a way of reaching out to some of those consumers in advance of the Volt's launch, GM has selected a "consumer advisory board" of 15 people to help advise it on any final changes that need to be made on the Volt before it goes to market. The group includes some former vocal EV1 lessees in addition to consumers involved in the alternative energy industry.

The group of 15 will begin to drive the car in October, and will be allowed to keep it for 3 months. GM hopes that the drivers will show the car off and loan it to friends.

Electric cars are slated to hit the market soon, but may be expensive upon launch. Drivers may want to wait until a few hit the used car market before making the switch in order to save some dough.