The often misjudged geeky world of classic cars used to be a haven for desirable older cars at bargain prices. Plenty of loot for gearheads who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Those days are long gone, classic cars of all kinds are on the rise, European brands are skyrocketing when they are affordable.
In the last twenty years we had become accustomed to stupidly expensive Ferraris, the record for a classic still belonged to the legendary 250 GTO. More recently, however, it’s the turn of regular cars to rise to dream car status. Auto’s des Volkes, Volkswagen’s longstanding association with air-cooled engines, brought the early VW Beetles and buses up to par with modern sports cars, quite an achievement considering the Beetle was intended by the Nazis as a cheap speedster.
At the other end of automotive reality, supercars are now considered classics that are expensive new and produced in such small numbers that prices would only ever go one way—a safer investment than gold.
10 Mercedes 190SL/W121 ($115,500 – $228,000)
About Mecum Auctions
Perhaps it’s because of the association that the Mercedes 190SL is currently hotly sought after, a visual connection with the coveted 300SL forcing higher and higher values. Launched in 1955 and produced until 1963, this two-door roadster will baffle collectors, bet on a cheaper auction car or pay premium values at a dealership.
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Aside from insane collector prices, the 190SL is a sold everyday driver, however performance expectations should be scaled back a bit, even when new the 1.9 liter engine was a little on the weak side at just 104 hp.
9 Jaguar XK140 Roadster ($90,000 – $130,000)
About Mecum Auctions
Around the same time that Mercedes was launching the 190SL, Jaguar was looking into the gorgeous XK140, which was both more powerful and faster, and most importantly, carried a lower price tag.
About Mecum Auctions
Cheaper from new is also reflected in used prices, new specimens, although hard to come by, have not reached the stratospheric level of the Mercedes but are on the rise. Under the bonnet of this British classic is Jaguar’s proven and race-bred 190PS 3.4-litre inline-six XK.
8th Porsche 911S Targa ($125,000)
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Older is better here, Porsche’s 911 sports car was launched in 1964 with an odd non-turbocharged rear engine that bucked the trend of a growing number of mid-engined competitors, and yet sixty years later Porsche is still going strong.
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Not particularly powerful or fast, a 1971 Porsche 911S Targa in its purest wingless form with a 2.2 liter flat engine developing 180 hp and a top speed of 200 km/h. Unlike other classics, auction and dealer values are balanced, with restored examples fetching prices in excess of $125,000.
7 Volkswagen Type 2 / Samba 21-Window Bus ($250,000+)
About Silver Arrow cars
Volkswagen’s mechanical Type 1, a Beetle-based people mover on the cheap, functional bus (and van) makeover, produced one of the most desirable VW vehicles ever made. First appearing in 1950 and mobilizing generations of travelers and free spirits alike, the Samba’s visual appeal and low-maintenance engineering remain popular to this day.
About Silver Arrow cars
Any gearhead in the market for a slice of ’50s air-cooled nostalgia is in for a shock, prices for early split-window or splitties can easily top $250,000 or more for restored examples. Beneath the cool retro body with 21 windows, air-cooled VW Beetle engines of up to 1.6 liters sluggishly deliver the kind of reliability you’d expect from a people’s automaker.
6 BMW 2002 Turbo (over $175,000)
About Classic Trader
The BMW 2002 sneaks under the radar in 1973 and is one of the first production cars to undergo turbo treatment, producing more power from smaller displacement engines. Ironically, the idea of smaller, more efficient engines came at the wrong time when the oil crisis hit and BMW dropped the turbo a year later.
About Classic Trader
BMW’s first turbocharged production car, the 2002 Turbo with a 2-litre KKK supercharged four-cylinder engine is highly sought after as production has been slashed at 1672 cars it is a hot commodity matching car value reaches for the right collector $175,000+ .
5 De Tomaso Pantera GT5-S ($225,000)
About DD Classics
De Tomaso, a wedge of the seventies who refused to die, produced the Pantera in progressively more powerful and faster variants through 1992, the last GT5 S-spec cars capable of 174 mph. From the start Ford V8 engines powered this Italian supercar/muscle car, Cleveland engines were replaced by 4.8 liter Windsor in 1988.
About DD Classics
A total of over 7,000 Panteras were produced, with later cars attracting more interest, a well-stocked GT5-S fetching up to $225,000 is not uncommon.
4 Renault Series 1 R5 Turbo ($125,000)
About WSupercars
Just another ’80s-era hot hatch? Take a closer look, those vents in front of the rear arches aren’t just for show, they’re air intakes for Renault’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder mid-mounted engine and gearbox. With a Garret AiResearch T3 turbo for added oomph, the R5 turns up the heat further and boasts 158 horsepower.
About WSupercars
Designed for both road and rally use, the R5 is all about the maximum performance of a small car, switched to a rear-wheel drive design at the expense of courtesy and the sudden onslaught of deceleration-induced boost underestimated, which often leads to a skid or two. In all, Renault produced three generations of the R5, the rarest and most desirable Series 1 cars, grossing well over $120,000.
3 Fiat Dino Spider ($180,000 – $240,000)
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Powered and built by Ferrari, adorned with Fiat branding, even with the Italian supercar manufacturer’s “lesser” Dino name, this classic is worthy of gearheads’ attention. The entire project arose from Ferrari’s need to homologate its 2-litre V6 Dino engine for racing. A Ferrari for Fiat money.
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Unfortunately, Ferrari’s involvement is no big secret, combined with the Dino Spider’s Pininfarina bodywork, the prices have inflated in recent years, even the slower 2-litre engined Dino’s are among collectors willing to fetch over $180,000 Original cars to pay, highly sought after.
2 Aston Martin DB5 (over $800,000)
About CarPixel
The Aston Martin DB5 has always been a cherished classic, film appearances have kept the classic British coupe firmly in the back of collectors’ minds as the one they should really buy before values skyrocket. In 2006, average prices hovered around $200,000, a level that would have been a steal compared to recent sales, $800,000, the starting point for restored originals.
About CarPixel
Produced from 1963-65, the DB5 wasn’t particularly fast despite its gorgeous Carrozzeira Touring Fastback body, powered by a 288hp 4-litre straight-six, resulting in a sprint to 60mph in 8.5 seconds, with the weight here the enemy was. A total of 1059 DB5s were produced, reinforced by a small contingent of 25 continuation cars in 2020.
1 McLaren F1 ($20,000,000)
About NetCarShow
When it was launched in 1992, people balked at the prospect of spending more than $800,000 on a car, but the McLaren F1 wasn’t just any car, it was arguably the best supercar ever produced. In total, McLaren produced 106 F1s, including some special and track versions, all fitted with the same naturally aspirated 6.1-litre BMW V12 centre-stage.
About NetCarShow
Classic car or icon? Approaching its 30th anniversary, the F1 remains the fastest non-turbo car, and despite being superseded by both the P1 and the newer Speedtail, it’s the supercar that serious collectors crave. In 2015, used prices hit the $5 million mark and have been rising rapidly ever since, breaking through the $20 million mark last year.
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About the author
Jason Garbutt
(430 published articles)
Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age, he sparked a keen interest in all things automobile. primarily an F1 fan but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background, in recent years he has worked closely with an established British supercar manufacturer.
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