The classic car market has proved to be a fascinating area of investment over the last couple of decades. Rather like the art world, or fine wines, cars have proved to be a fantastic investment portfolio for those with spare cash. From the humblest of origins to top marques, cars can both be an enjoyable past-time, to a very lucrative way to spend both your time and money.

British and bullish

Car & Classic has  been tracking and analysing  the trends and the winning cars over the last few years. It reveals that the Ford Escort (from the humblest £1,200 1993 Escort Cabriolet to the custom and rare 1971 RS1600 MKI, sold for £66,000 last year)  still tops the most searched-for list of classic cars in 2022.

Ford is still the most-searched brand, but whilst the Escort, Capri and Cortina are still making up more than 50% of overall Ford searches. These less glamorous models put the likes of the star studded Mustangs in thew shade. Even the starter model, the Fiesta has seen a resurgence that looks to overtake the American muscle machine. This may be because of the model’s discontinuation announced in 2022.

Old rivals

Classic British motors are still a big draw here. Interest in Triumph, with the usual Stag and TR6 the most popular models across both 2021 and 2022. Looking at the overall picture, they remain steady in second place.

BMW, third in 2021, settles for sixth place in 2022, after Jaguar (third in 2022, up from fourth in 2021) and the other two main German brands, Porsche (fourth) and VW (fifth). Interest in the classic BMW E30s is everlasting, if not even stronger. This desirable 1987 325i sold for £17,250 at the end of 2022, and estate versions like this 1989 325i Touring are not far behind.

There is a pattern in the volume of searches. “Original, low-mileage cars with good history continue to draw attention and will command a premium,” says Pollitt. “As the E30 M3s become increasingly out of reach, alternatives will be sought. For example, BMW 316s (like this 1987 316 two-door, sold for £14k) are good starter classics, demanding low maintenance and still securing a fun driving experience,” Pollitt continues. “E46 model prices continue to rise, in the wake of E30 models’ popularity.”

Purring performance

Jaguar still leaps high into the mix, particularly the  E-type and Mk2. They are confirmed as first and second most searched-for models from the company in 2022 as in the previous year.

Porsche models will always be popular. The surprise is that the 924 has come from behind to be the marques third most-searched after the usual 911 and 944; in 2021, that spot was taken by the 356. “The Porsche community seems to agree that the 924, for a long time the underrated model, is now enjoying a resurgence. You can get good Porsche driving fun for as little as £7,100, as this 1985 Porsche 924 shows.”

The rugged looks multi-tasking abilities of Land Rover can be appreciated in the  Defender and Range Rover. However, despite their four wheel drive systems, their popularity is slipped. Neither are as popular in searches in 2022 as they were in 2021. Pollitt explains: “Increasing fuel costs may have a bearing on people’s interest in acquiring a classic; perhaps Land Rover’s bigger engines are not as desirable as the smaller, 2l diesel units moving older Land Rovers; series 1, 2 and 3 models are still the top 4×4 searched-for.”

Investment opportunity?

All the indications are that the market remains buoyant despite the economic woes of the time. Of course, with stock and shares slipping in value so wildly over the last twelve months, and housing prices struggle to tread water, despite being on wheels they may actually seem like a wise investment.

“Car & Classic’s own data show that, despite the current global economy’s challenges, there continues to be an obvious interest in classic cars. It could be due to their dual appeal: never just a hard-nosed investment, classic cars pull at the individual’s heartstrings because of the emotive connection they may carry, as a memory, a piece of history, or simply something which – coveted at a younger age – is finally attainable later in life, when the individual is more financially comfortable,” concludes Pollitt.

Top 10 marque searches in 2022

FORD
TRIUMPH
JAGUAR
PORSCHE
VW
BMW
MG
LANDROVER
ROVER
TOYOTA

Top 10 model searches in 2022

Ford Escort
Triumph Stag
Jaguar E-type
BMW 3-series (mainly E30)
VW Golf
MG MGB
Land Rover
Rover Mini
Toyota MR2