Japanese car values rising

Japanese classics from the 1970s and 1980s are finally rising after years in the doldrums, according to industry experts.

While performance cars such as the Mazda RX-7 MkIII and special edition Subaru Imprezas have always achieved good prices at auction, earlier Japanese models have now seen substantial rises. Toyota Celica MkI values, for example, have rocketed.

‘Good Celica MkIs are now fetching up to £20,000 whereas two years you’d be looking at about £5000-6000. It’s the same story with a lot of 1970s and 1980s Japanese cars,’ says Malcolm GrahamJones of the Toyota Enthusiasts’ Club.

CCW contributor and market expert Russ Smith says a factor behind this trend is the Playstation generation. ‘They’ve grown up playing with these cars on Gran Turismo and are now in a position to afford the real thing,’ he says.

Classics Central managing director Justin Lazic adds: ‘It’s a lot to do with how the market perceives them – for years they’ve been seen as cheaper counterparts to the