UK auction houses are generating record sales in 2015. Here is the exclusive Classic Car Weekly rundown of the leading trends and the top 25 best-sellers.
Once the exclusive preserve of car dealers and dedicated enthusiasts, car auctions are attracting more and more would-be owners. The rise of sales with 150-plus lots really underlines the point.
The popularity of car auctions isn’t surprising: buyers can look at a selection and, if there’s nothing they want, merely walk out, without the awkwardness of having to let a private vendor down without insulting their car. It’s good for the vendor, too, because not everyone likes going face-to-face with buyers to complete a deal.
While auctions are becoming more common even for modern cars, it’s the traditional classics that change hands in the biggest numbers and for the highest prices. MGBs, E-types, Aston Martins, and Triumph Stags are perennial favourites, due to a combination of looks and driving attributes, their availability, spares support and specialists.
To many first-time owners, whether young or old, the thought of acquiring an older car without the spares support and specialist back-up can be a little daunting, and that contributes to the continued demand for the same models month after month, year after year, with the effect of pushing values of certain classic cars ever further into the auction price stratosphere.
Here’s the Top 25 best-sellers in sales halls this year, running down to the most popular. And there’s a change at the top!
1. Austin/Morris BL/Rover Mini
Price range: £3000 - £17,500
It has held classic status for a good few years and even the later, Rover-era cars have developed a strong following. There’s plenty to like about any Mini, not just the Cooper and Cooper S models. Other than very early examples, they’re still not stupidly expensive, plus there’s plenty of spares and specialist support to keep them on the road. Parts aren’t pricey and, for younger enthusiasts, insurance cover isn’t the millstone it is on later hot hatchbacks. Values are still on the rise, so the days of good, bought-for-under-a-grand examples are a thing of the past. Charterhouse sold a 30 limited edition for £2750 and CCA had a similar one for £8162. ACA sold two Mini 30s at £14,910 and £15,225, but they were very low mileage, and a 1960 Morris Mini Minor was off at £6090 at the same sale. Even the once-ignored later 1970s cars are firming up: Brightwells’ 1978 1000 made £3520.
ONE THAT SOLD 1969 Mini MkIII, £3885, ACA
2. Porsche 911
Price range: £15,000 - £150,000
Still climbing the appreciation curve, the 911 has found widespread favour. It’s the sheer driving experience that appeals, whether it’s an early one that makes up for top speed with demanding but endearing handling, or a late-1990s model that offers eye-watering acceleration and long-legged cruising. Build quality is first rate, but avoid any car where the owner has skimped on servicing. Prices vary wildly, with a 1965 911swb drawing £133,875 at Silverstone Auctions and ACA making £14,910 for a 1976 Targa. Historics made £19,600 for a 1984 Carrera convertible, but Bonhams really turned the heat up at the Festival of Speed when it sold a 1973 911S for £393,500.
ONE THAT SOLD 1973 Porsche 911T, £62,720, Historics
3. MGB
Price range: £3000 - £10,000
Unsurprisingly, the ‘B remains a highly popular classic at auction and even those who’d never want one acknowledge its sheer usability. Yes, they crop up everywhere, but with popularity comes great spares support – mostly at sensible prices – along with great clubs. Later, rubber-bumpered cars have a separate following from the chrome-bumpered models and the BGT offers a sufficient amount of space to be useful. It’s possible to buy a GT for around £1500, as H&H’s 1970 car at £1568 and ACA’s 1971 example at £1700 showed, while Historics sold two 1979 GTs for £2688 and £3920. Roadsters are more costly: Barons’ 1972 car was away for £5775, while H&H’s 1971 example was £7280. ACA sold a 1962 model for £7140, while Charterhouse made £5610 from a 1981 Roadster.
ONE THAT SOLD 1979 MGB GT, £2688, Historics
4. Morris Minor
Price range: £1500 - £10,000
Almost as soon as it went out of production, the Minor was part of the classic car movement and has remained here ever since. The multi-model line-up helps ensure its staying power, whether it’s a saloon (in two- or four-door form), an estate, a convertible, a van or a pick-up. For added rarity there are the Morris-badged commercial derivatives as well. Not only are there many body types, but conditions differ greatly. There are plenty of well-restored examples and restoration projects aren’t rare, but the regularly-used, needing-some-improvement models have the greatest potential and need not be expensive. Early, low-light models are the exception, however, being highly prized well beyond Minor circles – a 1950 example in fine order was sold for £5520 at Bonhams’ Oxford sale. Brightwells’ 1969 two-door was OK for £1210 and Historics, which sold a 1958 four-door for £4704, also made £25,760 for a ‘Million’. Barons moved a 1965 Traveller for £4180, while ACA sold perhaps the most demanding Minor project seen in recent years: a 1968 Austin-badged van for £250.
ONE THAT SOLD 1958 Morris Minor four-door, £4704, Historics
5. Mercedes-Benz SL R107
Price range: £3000 - £20,000
If a Pagoda is too pricey or perceived to be too old, the R129 successor fits the bill nicely. A choice of engines and a long production run means there are plenty to choose from, but automatics are better as the Benz manual is not a pleasurable gearbox to use. As always, when there are plenty available, there are plenty of shockers out there, so there’s no need to buy the first one that comes along. Condition is more important than engine size – why have a scruffy 500SL when you could have a fine 300SL instead? And don’t forget the longer, fixed-head SLC, which, in many ways, is the cooler, cheaper alternative. ACA’s 1971 350SL made £4934 and SWVA got a 1979 350SL away for £10,796. At Silverstone, a stunning, low-mileage 1986 500SL was bought for £59,625.
ONE THAT SOLD 1982 Mercedes-Benz 500SL, £7840, Historics
6. Jaguar E-type
Price range: £20,000 - £125,000
As with its XK successor, different body types and engines during production means there’s an E-type for every would-be owner, from the purest Series I to the bigger, more-GT-than-sports-car Series 3. Plenty of classic car enthusiasts still hanker after an E-type and values are always rising. While many buyers have been priced out of the market for 1960s Ferraris and Aston Martins, the Jaguar is an equally glamorous, more affordable proposition. Let’s face it, in Series I form. there’s very little to top the Jaguar’s looks, and that will always attract buyers. For those who can’t afford a roadster, the coupé and the six-cylinder domed-roof 2+2 do the job just as well. Last month, Historics made £79,520 for a 1963 roadster and Bonhams achieved £124,700 for a 1964 coupé. Charterhouse’s nicely-historied 1972 Series 3 2+2 made £33,000, but for strong money look no further than the last-of-the-line 1975 Commemoration model that sold for £203,100 at Bonhams’ Festival of Speed sale.
ONE THAT SOLD 1969 E-type 2+2, £25, 725, ACA
7. Land Rover (all series)
Price range: £2000 - £15,000
In the year the real Land Rover bows out, interest continues to strengthen in what some see as the ultimate practical classic. OK, earlier models don’t offer the comfort of a Range Rover, but they can be dependable and affordable to run, although when it comes to buying, early ones are no longer cheap. Series II and II versions preserve the character of the first-generation models, only with better performance, while spares availability is generally first-class. Later models are still likeable and offer more comfort, so for anyone covering reasonable distances and wanting a regular user, this could be the era to go for. CCA’s 1979 88in Safari was good enough to see £5724 and ACA’s lovely same-year 88in pick-up achieved £11,550. Charterhouse’s pair of 1955 86in vehicles made £4400 and £5940, while Bonhams’ 1967 88in Safari at £29,900 was simply stunning.
ONE THAT SOLD 1951 Land Rover 80in, £12,100, Charterhouse
8. Jaguar XJ-S/XJS
Price range: £3000 - £20,000
There has been plenty of recent exposure in the press as the XJ-S celebrates its 40th anniversary, which has rightfully turned the spotlight on this fantastically-capable GT. Never designed to be a sports car, its aim to be an all-rounded grand tourer was capably met. Its superior performance, ride quality and on-the-road prowess put it streets ahead of far more expensive cars. Early models are scarce now and good examples continue to increase in value, while fine last-of-the-line models are enjoying the same value renaissance. The cabriolet’s idiosyncratic looks don’t appeal to everyone, but the choice of engines – from the AJ6 3.6-litre to the later 4.0-litre six and, of course, the glorious V12 means there’s plenty of choice. At the cheap end of the market, ACA’s 1987 SC V12 went for £2625 and a 1993 4.0 fhc got £5040. Historics’ 1990 XJR-S was good value at £5600 and a 1994 4.0 convertible at Barons sold for £3520.
ONE THAT SOLD 1987 Jaguar XJ-S, £1760, Brightwells
9. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow/Bentley T-Series
Price range: £4000 - £20,000
The slight upswing in Shadow interest seems to have dispersed and prices show no signs of improving soon, meaning that Corniche models in drophead and fixedhead form offer superb value for money at the moment. Shadows – even the lovely early models – just aren’t as popular as the trade and owners might insist. Hefty running costs are clearly putting people off – how many punters have opted for a Rover P5B instead? – and having supporting paperwork is vital. Luckily, thanks to the large numbers built, there are plenty of good ones out there, but there are plenty of sheds, too. The middle ground is highly volatile because it encompasses good, honest, deserving examples that could be improved for not much further outlay, but it also includes tarted-up basket cases. Barons sold an MoTd 1978 restoration project for just £2252, while Historics made £11,200 for a lovely 1972 example and ACA got £18,375 on a 1977 car.
ONE THAT SOLD 1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, £4840, Brightwells
10. Jaguar XK120/140/150
Price range: £30,000 - £85,000
Some might look down on the XK range as being a more affordable alternative to a same-era Aston Martin, but that attitude seriously underrates the capabilities of the E-type forerunner. The 120 is seen as the purest of the XK family, while the 150 is the most user-friendly due to its greater refinement. Whatever the model, the XK delivers in terms of looks and handling. Sadly, they’re no longer cheap and the highly-prized – but once overlooked – S models offer greater performance. A 1959 150S 3.4 roadster from one family’s ownership made £225,500 at Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting. Richard Edmonds achieved £50,000 for a 1955 140 fixed-head, while ACA sold a 1951 120 roadster project for £33,600. Barons’ 1953 120, where the chassis and mechanicals, but not the body, had been sorted was sold for £26,330.
ONE THAT SOLD 1950 Jaguar XK120 roadster, £42,000, Historics
11. MG Midget
Price range: £1500 - £8000
ONE THAT SOLD 1979 MG Midget, £5600, Historics
12. Jaguar Mk1 and Mk2
Price range: £4000 - £15,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1960 Jaguar 2.4 Mk1, £23,362, ACA
13. Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit/ Bentley Eight/ Mulsanne/ Turbo
Price range: £5000 - £20,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1960 1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, £4356, Historics
14. Ford Capri
Price range: £3000 - £22,500
ONE THAT SOLD 1968 Ford Capri 1600E, £5670, ACA
15. Triumph Spitfire
Price range: £4000 - £15,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1979 Triumph Spitfire, £1500, Historics
16. Fiat 500
Price range: £5000 - £17,500
ONE THAT SOLD 1966 500, £5824, Historics
17. Austin-Healey 3000
Price range: £20,000 - £60,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1966 Austin-Healey 3000, £38,080, Historics
18. Triumph TR6
Price range: £5000 - £20,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1971 Triumph TR6, £11,000, Charterhouse
19. Triumph Stag
Price range: £4000 - £15,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1973 Triumph Stag, £10,290, ACA
20. Austin Seven
Price range: £3000 - £20,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1930 Austin Seven Chummy, £13,750, Brightwells
21. Aston Martin DB7
Price range: £17,000 - £35,000
ONE THAT SOLD 2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, £25,200, Historics
22. BMW 6-series
Price range: £3000 - £20,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1989 BMW 635CSi Highline, £7208, CCA
23. Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda
Price range: £25,000 - £80,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL, £81,900, ACA
24. Range Rover
Price range: £3000 - £80,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1992 Range Rover Brooklands, £8960, Historics
25. Ferrari 308
Price range: £40,000 - £90,000
ONE THAT SOLD 1980 Ferrari 308 GTSi, £43,680, Historics