Market indicators
As the top end of the market weakens, the right cars lower down can still bust their estimates
1989 Peugeot 205GTI 1.6 £13,163 Silverstone Auctions, NEC, November 10
This looked like the bargain of the sale to us. A genuine 27,800-miler backed up by every scrap of paperwork back to the day it was ordered. It was perhaps only let down by being in nondescript, unflattering silver – that’s the only explanation I can offer for this otherwise cracking car getting nowhere near its £15,000£18,000 estimate. The market has slipped for these, but this still looked a very astute buy.
1969 Jensen FF £72,000 Historics, Mercedes-benz World, November 23
What’s not to like about a Jensen in periodperfect Mango? Which makes the result here, for a three-owner car that has only done 2500 miles since being restored ten years ago, quite a surprise. Values for these cars have been flying, in recent years and somewhere nearer the £80k top estimate looked fair. So it seems even rarity and lairy colours aren’t enough to escape the weakening high-end of the market.
1967 Mini Traveller £16,240 Brightwells, Leominster, November 27
Proof that modifying a car doesn’t mean you’ll wreck its value – if it’s the right mods to the right car. This Surf Blue Mini had the common 1275cc running gear upgrade, along with Cooper S disc brakes and alloys, so it both looked gorgeous – thanks to a long restoration by a Mini specialist – and also promised a lively driving experience. In standard form I’d have expected it to beat our top book price of £15k, so this was a good result.
1991 BMW 325i Sport £51,188 Silverstone Auctions, NEC, November 9
You’ll find this sale referred to in this issue’s Epic Resto feature, because the M3-level price paid has to be a new record for a 325i Sport and was way above the £35k top estimate. Then again, the likelihood of finding another 6794-miler in a special-order one-year-only colour has to be slimmer than this immaculate car’s panel gaps. An epic price, but more than one BMW nut wanted it in his collection.
1956 Volkswagen Beetle 1200 £16,875 H&H, Buxton, November 27
No-one saw this result coming. This sub-60,000-mile oval-window Beetle in wonderfully original condition with two-familyowned history had endured a long period in storage and needed a proper recommissioning regime. H&H applied an £8k-£10k estimate, fair given that the very best show-going examples make the high-teens. The price paid leaves little wriggle room, but what a cracking car.