Classic car values have been on the rise steadily in recent years. The list below is a good mix of both affordable cars for the average auto enthusiast all the way to the high end collector. it’s an interesting list of automobiles to say the least, whether you agree with it or not! What do you think is missing from this list? What cars shouldn’t be on the list? There are probably a few… but we’ll keep the W113 Pagoda!
Original Articel by Matt Jones – 6 OCTOBER 15 – GQ-Magazine
For the most part, classic cars are a terrifying reminder that drum brakes work as well as drums as they do brakes. But their visual pheromones and cultural connotations make them one of the world’s most compelling alternative asset classes. More so when you consider that they consistently provide better returns than other traditional asset classes, as well as more unusual investments. According to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, wine, for example, offers investors a 3 per cent return over 12 months. Watches, 4 per cent. Coins, 10 per cent. Classic cars? 28 per cent. Even in the last 12 months the market’s shown growth of 8 per cent and 179 per cent over a ten-year period. That outperforms the FTSE 100 by a comfortable margin. To get the skinny on the next big cars to invest in, we spoke to Paul Michaels of London’s Hexagon Classics dealership who gave us suggestions for every pocket. Time to put the (drum) brakes on conventional investments.
£5,000 – Fiat 500 (original)
“At this price, you’ll be looking at a slightly tatty car, but it’ll still be cute and have all that Sixties charm. These are still undervalued, which is surprising given the modern version has been around for a while now and should have cast a spotlight onto it. With a bit of light restoration work you could easily have a car worth up to £10,000. Factor in the 60th anniversary in 2017 and values are only going one way. Really good examples are fetching up to £20,000 already.”
£10,000 – Alfa Spider
“This car has had a mystique surrounding it since The Graduate came out in 1967. Brimming with Italian style, it’s the archetypal classic roadster. A budget of around £10,000 will probably buy a slightly tatty left-hand-drive car from the Seventies, which could easily be worth £15,000 in three years’ time with some love and attention in the meantime. Exceptional cars are changing hands for £30,000 and more these days.”
£10,000 – £30,000 – BMW E46 M3 CS
“There are plenty of E46 M3s around but it’s the special edition cars you need to look out for. Rare models like the carbon-roofed CSL are £50,000 and rising so find a CS. It has the same bigger brake discs, quicker steering rack, revised springs and 19in alloys – not to mention a manual gearbox too, rather than the CSL’s SMG ‘box. A few months ago these were £15,000, they’re now £20,000+ and could be £25,000 in a few years’ time. Wonderful cars.”
£30,000 – £50,000 – Porsche 993
“Last of the air-cooled Porsches, the 993 is the ultimate incarnation of the 911 for me. It’s beautifully made and looks sensational. It’s modern enough to be used daily – although you’ll want to keep the miles down to preserve values – but still wonderfully old-school in the way it steers, stops and goes round corners. You could easily pick up a very good Carrera 2 for £45,000, which may well be worth more than £50,000 in three years time. Always go for coupes with manual gearboxes.”
£50,000 – £70,000 – Mercedes SL W113 ‘Pagoda’
“One of the best-looking convertibles ever from a time when Mercedes made truly elegant cars. For that reason, they’ve had a strong following for many years now but they’re starting to edge out of reach for most with low mileage, fully restored cars well over £100,000. A budget of around £70,000 will still get you a 280SL Convertible with an auto box. Always buy the best you can afford and you can probably expect an uplift of between five and ten percent in five years’ time.”
£70,000 – £90,000 – Jaguar E-type Series 1 FHC RHD
“Without doubt my favourite car of all time, the E-type is still beautiful today and sensational to drive. Everyone loves them too. Series 1 closed headlamp cars in fixed head coupe, right-hand-drive specification can still be had for under £100,000 – but you’ll have to search hard and, when you find one, you better buy it immediately. Values have shot up in the last five years and good early cars with low miles will all be worth six figures by the end of the decade.”
£90,000+ – Ferrari 360 Spider
“Ferrari values have shot up in the last five years, but the 360 has lagged behind its predecessor, the prettier 355. But that makes them a good place to put your money. There are plenty of F1 transmission cars around – but if you want to invest in a Ferrari, find a manual. The most desirable and rarest specification for the 360 is the combination of the Spider convertible with a manual gearbox. A budget of £100,000 will buy a very low miles car in showroom condition, which you can expect to appreciate by at least ten per cent over the next couple of years.”
£250,000-£500,000 – Aston Martin DB4
“Everyone still looks at the DB5 as the ultimate Aston because of its association with Bond, but they’ve cleared well in excess of £500,000 now and the DB4 is, to many eyes, prettier and probably a little bit cooler for those in the know. A budget of around £450,000 will buy an early Sixties coupe in right-hand-drive – a very lovely car indeed. Given the way that DB5s have appreciated, I could see an early DB4 being worth £700,000-£800,000 in four or five years’ time.”
£500,000-£1m – Ferrari Daytona
“Last of the front-engined Ferraris built when Enzo was in charge, absolutely jaw-dropping to look at and powered by one of the greatest V12 engines ever made, the Daytona is deeply desirable. Excellent right-hand-drive early plexiglass-fronted cars are around £650,000 – a huge amount of money, but when you consider that its predecessor, the 275, is worth £1.5m+, these have a long way to go. You could easily see them knocking on the door of £1m in the not too distant future.”
