1954 Volkswagen Beetle
2016 value: £11,675
The big news for the 1954 VW Beetle was a
new engine, which was increased to 1.2 liters and 32 hp. Also new for
1954, an ignition switch and key that replaced the dashboard-mounted
push-button starter. This coincided with upgrades made to key components
including a redesigned crankshaft.
The increase in displacement and power
improved the engine’s free revving capability without compromising
torque at lower speeds. Concurrently, compression ratios were gradually
raised as the octane ratings of fuel was raised during the 1950s and
1960s. The air-cooled engine was installed in the rear, just like in
other Beetles, so its weight provided traction to the rear wheels.
According to Volkswagen’s accounts for the
’54 Beetle, the car was offered as Standard and De Luxe Sedan. Design
cues of the standard model included a heater and vent wings in the front
windows that pivoted so drivers and passengers can control fresh air
ventilation.
Volkswagen said both vintage cars were
designed for long-distance driving, with ‘finger-tip steering’ and an
engine capable of 32 mpg. The De Luxe Sedan added upscale upholstery,
chrome plating, and hydraulic brakes. By the early 1950's, the Beetle was
being sold in 100 countries across the globe.
Aston Martin DBS Vantage
2016 value: £96,650
The DBS is a grand tourer produced by Aston
Martin Lagonda Ltd from 1967 to 1972. The car was prominently featured
in the 1969 James Bond flick “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and in
the 1970s television show “The Persuaders!” as Lord Brett Sinclair’s
ride.
The DBS was meant to be the rightful
successor to the Aston Martin DB6, although both vintage cars were
produced concurrently for three years. It featured four full sized seats
and was a bigger coupé than the DB6, but was powered by the same
4.0-liter mill as the previous car.
Engine output was pegged at 282 hp, although
a vantage engine option used Italian-built Weber carburetors, raising
output to 325 hp. The DBS was designed and developed to have a more
contemporary appeal than the previous series of Aston models.
It also incorporated a squared off front
grille and fastback style rear end, which were atypical for Astons at
the time, but very much then modish and fashionable in automotive design
circles of the late 1960's. Trademark Aston Martin design elements like a
hood scoop, side air vents with stainless steel brightwork, and knock
off wire wheels were however retained.
Mazda MX-5
2016 value: £4,450
The Mazda MX-5, launched as the Eunos
Roadster in Japan and the MX-5 Miata in North America, is a lightweight
two-seater with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration. Built by
Mazda in Hiroshima, the model was unveiled in 1989 at the Chicago Auto
Show.
The MX-5 was conceptualized as a small
roadster with lightweight and minimal mechanical sophistication that’s
only limited by safety and legal requirements, while being reliable and
technologically advanced. The car is essentially the evolution of the
British sports cars of the 1950's and ’60s, like the Austin-Healey 100,
Triumph Spitfire, MG MGA, and specifically the Lotus Elan.
The original MX-5 was powered by a 1.6-liter
dual overhead cam inline 4-cylinder engine, generating 115 hp at 6500
rpm and 100 lb·ft of torque at 5500 rpm. The engine used an electronic
fuel injection system with a vane-type air flow meter and an electronic
ignition system.
Standard transmission was a 5-speed manual, a
unit sourced from the one used in the Mazda 929/Luce. In the U.S. and
Japan, an optional automatic gearbox was offered but proved to be
unpopular. Although it’s still possible to purchase a usable first-gen
MX-5, the best of these vintage cars command a heftier price tag.
Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato
2016 value: £23,225
The Fulvia Sport was a fastback two-seater
built for Lancia by Zagato. It was designed by Ercole Spada and was
based on Coupé mechanicals. Lancia commissioned the Sport to Zagato as a
more sporty and aerodynamic iteration of the coupé. It was meant to be
used both for the road and for track competitions. Not everyone
liked the fastback body, but Zagato certainly turned the Fulvia into a
car with a genuine presence.
Austin Mini Cooper 1275S
2016 value: £25,050
The 1275S was the best Cooper, a definitive
classic Mini, with a matching price tag. It won three Monte Carlo
rallies and was endowed with the uncanny ability to outdo many, more
powerful sports cars. It only packed 76 horsepower, but it was enough to
propel the car to 100 mph.
Datsun 240Z
2016 value: £21,650
The American headline read, “The Big Healey
lives,” as the Datsun 240Z arrived in the United States and barged into a
market that was once dominated by European-made sports cars. The
trend-setting S30 is considered as one of the most successful sports car
lines ever produced and remains one of the finest rides to emerge from
Japan. Its sleek styling, modern engineering, impressive performance,
and relatively low price, certainly struck a major chord with the
public.
Range Rover Classic 2-Door
2016 value: £29,125
The Range Rover Classic is a luxury SUV
series produced from 1970 to 1996. It was the first generation of
automobiles produced under the Range Rover name. For an entire decade,
it was only available in a two-door body style, before a four-door
variant was introduced in 1981. But it’s the original that’s the most
sought after, with values closing on the £30,000 mark.
BMW 2002 Tii
2016 value: £17,000
The reputation of the BMW 3 Series as the
consummate compact executive car can be traced to other vintage cars
like the 2002 Tii. Until the official public debut of the 2002 Turbo,
this was the world’s fastest normally-aspirated ‘02’ car. Power emanates
from an SOHC inline-4, water-cooled engine rated at 140 hp and 130
lb-ft of torque. It is believed that less than 200 copies are left in
the UK.
Alfa Romeo Spider
2016 value: £25,925
The Alfa Romeo Spider is a roadster produced
from 1966 to 1993. It replaced the Giulia Spider and for nearly three
decades it remained in production with only minor cosmetic and
mechanical updates. Pininfarina assembled the first three series in
Grugliasco, while the fourth series were produced in San Giorgio
Canavese. The last Spider was built in April 1993 – it was the last rear
wheel drive Alfa Romeo before the 8C Competizione of 2007.
Ford Escort Mexico
2016 value: £26,975
The Ford Escort Mexico made its debut in
November 1970 and was so named because of Ford’s victory in the grueling
16,000-mile London to Mexico World Cup Rally of 1970. The Mexico was
the most successful of the ‘Rally Sport Escorts’ from the newly formed
A.V.O (Advancd Vehicles Operations) and it became one of the most
coveted vintage cars of the 1970's.
Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC
2016 value: £10,200
The 450 SLC was developed to enable
Mercedes-Benz to compete in the 1978 World Rally Championship. It is
powered by a front mounted 5.0-liter, 8 Cylinder M 117 rated at 225 hp
and 278.5 ft-lb of torque. Among the vintage cars featured in this list,
this one offers the best bang for your hard-earned buck. Just over
£10,000 to drive away with what is undoubtedly a lot more interesting
than anything offered by Mercedes today.
Citroen SM
2016 value: £34,125
The SM is a high-performance coupé
manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1970 to 1975. It ranked third
in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, behind its stablemate
Citroën GS. It also bagged the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year award in
the United States. Values of the SM continue to rise, as the market
realizes that this was one of the coolest vintage cars of the 1970's.
Ford Capri
2016 value: £13,950
The Capri is a fastback coupé produced by
Ford Motor from 1969 to 1986. It was designed by Philip T. Clark, one of
the main designers of the Mustang. There was a time when folks
just couldn’t give a Capri away. Nowadays, even the 4-cylinder vintage
cars command a substantial premium, but its the 6-cylinder Capris that
are attracting the most interest. In March 2016, a Capri 280
‘Brooklands’ sold for £54,000 at an auction.
Porsche 944 Turbo
2016 value: £21,875
The 944 Turbo was the first car to use a
ceramic port liner, new forged pistons and was also the first
car with identical power output with or without a catalytic
converter. As values of 911's continue to skyrocket, it’s logical that
some good tidings will trickle down to other Porsche models. Not too
long ago, you could buy a 944 for a nominal amount. Today, it has
breached the £20,000 mark.
Jensen Interceptor III
2016 value: £51,250
The Jensen Interceptor III reached the peak
of its development between 1974 and 1976. Convertible and coupé body
styles were introduced and progressively updated versions of the
Chrysler 440ci motor were fitted throughout the range. By the end of
1976, a total of 6407 Interceptors had been produced, of which 4255 were
Interceptor III's. This grand tourer has enjoyed a phenomenal 2016, with
values increasing by 36.9%.
Porsche 928 GTS
2016 value: £33,850
The Porsche 928 lived a long life, it
remained in production from 1977 to 1995, but the car was often
misunderstood. Porsche decided to kill the 928 in the restructuring that
spawned the water-cooled 911 and the Boxster, but not before it built
the ultimate version of the 928, the GTS. Its 5.4-liter V8 blasted out
345 hp, enough to propel the car from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds.
BMW 3.0 CSL
The 3.0 CSL was introduced in May 1972 as a
homologation special so the car can compete in the European Touring Car
Championship. The following year it received an aerodynamic package
including a huge air dam, short fins along the front fenders, tall rear
wing, and a spoiler above and behind the trailing edge of the roof. The
complete aero package earned the racing version of the CSL the moniker
“Batmobile”.
Aston Martin Lagonda S1
2016 value: £62,725
Introduced at the 1974 London Motor Show,
the Aston Martin Lagonda S1 was a long-wheelbased, 4-door version of the
Aston Martin V8. The car was based on the DBS and holds the distinction
as the first car to bear the Lagonda name since the 1961 Rapide. Only
seven of these vintage cars were ever built and all were powered by a
5.3-liter DOHC V8 rated at 280 hp and 301 lb·ft of torque.
Peugeot 205 GTI
2016 value: £11,275
The 1.6 liter GTI made its official debut
in 1984 and came with a XU5J engine, generating 104 hp. The 1.9 liter
version came with an XU9JA engine that was good for 126 hp. The 205 is
still often regarded as a benchmark in group car tests of the latest GTI
models or equivalent. According to Hagerty, Peugeot 205 GTIs increased
in value over the summer of 2016, with pristine copies achieving over
£30,000.
Audi Quatrro RR
2016 value: £47,925
Audi launched the Quattro in the European
market in 1980. It featured Audi’s quattro permanent 4-wheel drive
system, and the first to combine 4WD with a turbocharged engine. Audi
Quattro's are referred to by their engine codes: the later 20v being the
“RR” engine, hence, RR or “20v” Quattro. With the car’s growing cult
status and world rally winning pedigree, the demand will surely increase
for many years to come.
Source: legendaryvideos.com
