OTOF

Motoring: Wheels of fortune Renault Twingo, Citroen XM, Nissan Skyline ...
Michael Booth lines up some rather surprising classics in the making

[The Independent - London via ProQuest · Rcvd: Jan 27, 12:03 PM EST ]

Publication Date: 20010127
By: Michael Booth

Like old sitcoms and cup finals, most cars eventually come to be regarded as classics if they stick around long enough. There's even an owner's club for Ford Sierras.

This makes defining the term "classic", and predicting the classics of the future, about as reliable as a tabloid horoscope. Before the hysterical boom in values of the late Eighties, a classic car was something exceptional. Ferraris, Bugattis and Hispano Suizas were judged classics after an appropriate period of neglect. Now, when a Morris Marina can be cherished, the term loses just about all its meaning. It seems the only accurate definition of what makes a car a classic, is whether it is worth more than a sane person would pay for it.

Of course, some cars still attain classic status (and appreciate in value) quicker than others. How quickly your car will become a classic depends on several factors. First of all, is it a sports car? Most sports cars progress to classichood within a few years, but then again, the Ford Probe isn't likely to make the grade for, oh, at least 30 years. Second, is it Italian? Car fans get all sticky over names like Alfa Romeo or Maserati, although
there was a strangely muted response when I tried to sell my rusty old Lancia that time. Next, is it rare? If there were only a few hundred made, you're probably on to a winner. Though, equally, if you try and sell a 1955 Borgward Isabella through Exchange & Mart you'll soon discover scarcity does not always equal desirability, while on the other hand the pestilential MGB is worshipped. Finally, has it been out of production for
more than 20 years? But even that test is flawed: the Audi TT is, in many ways, already a classic and they've only just started making it, while the Vauxhall Chevette will forever be about as desirable as warts.

To help you navigate your way through these turbid waters I have picked 10 potential classics that ceased production in the last five or so years, but have yet to become openly "cherished". Rather than take the easy route and pick a list of Ferraris, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis, I've gone for slightly more affordable options. They may be worth keeping an eye on over the next 10 years, but don't rush out and buy one of each to lay down in your cellar like a good bottle of wine. I'm working on hunches here and car values will never again boom like they did back in the Eighties. Frankly, if you want a good investment, buy an old painting. These 10, however, should at least hold their values long term which, as you watch the value of your neighbour's new Vauxhall plummet like a bad dotcom stock, should be ample reward. All prices are for decent late models.

Volkswagen Corrado VR6, pounds 8,000 Autocar called the Corrado VR6 "one of the best front-wheel drive cars of all time," and that accolade still stands as far as I am concerned. With blistering performance (0-60 in 6.4 secs and 145mph top speed), joyous handling and urbane looks, the Corrado is one of the great forgotten treasures of the second-hand car market. Values are rock solid and are certain to gently appreciate
over the next decade (except for the ones painted banana yellow).

Mini Cooper, pounds 6,000 The recently deceased Mini has, of course, been a classic for over 30 years but of those built in the last few years, the Coopers, with their pokier engines and snazzy trim, will always fetch the higher prices. The limited-edition Paul Smith Mini (which is currently fetching around pounds 6,000), might be a good bet for future collectability, but a very late, delivery mileage-only Cooper is probably the pick of
the crop.

Citroen XM, pounds 3,500 An XM is never, repeat never, going to be a good investment, but they will almost certainly attain classic status sooner or later. All Citroens do, it's the law. Aficionados consider the XM to be the last true Citroen, by which they mean it looks funny, rides funny and is not really everyone's cup of tea. Prices vary wildly, from a few hundred to several thousands pounds depending on year, specification and condition. Only buy one with a full service history.

Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R, pounds 25,000 Japan has not been the most productive source of classic cars in the past but it more than made up for it over the last 15 years with the likes of Mazda's RX7 and MX5, the Toyota MR2, the Subaru Impreza Turbo, the Mitsubishi 3000GT and this, the mighty Skyline GTR. All of these cars should be worth holding on to for future generations, but the Skyline's status as one of the great performance cars of the last decade, coupled with its relative rarity, gives it the edge.

Ford Escort Cosworth, pounds 15,000 Probably the most notorious car of the Nineties, the Cosworth remains the holy grail for joy riders and ringers, which makes owning one something of a security nightmare. But if you have a good lock on your garage and can afford the insurance, this could be a good bet to hang on to. The Cossie will be a classic quite unlike any other, but at least with that ludicrous rear spoiler and flared arches there'll be no mistaking it for a standard Escort.

Jaguar XJ12, pounds 15,000 Like Citroen, Jaguar is a name that virtually guarantees collectability, given time. And any Jaguar with a V12 engine carries double the kudos. The Jaguar V12 is one of the finest engines ever built, both massively powerful and effortlessly smooth, it saw service in three generations of XJ saloons up until 1997. Though earlier models are already highly collectable, be warned, it usually takes a couple of decades before Jaguar saloons start to appreciate in value.

Renault Twingo, pounds 3,000 Adventurous design is usually a good pointer towards future classic status, and though the left-hand- drive-only Twingo was never officially imported into the UK, its cheeky looks and spaciousness helped build it a significant following here. Of course, you're never going to be able to retire to Bermuda on the profit from a Twingo, but they already hold their values well and people can usually be persuaded to pay a premium to drive something a little out of the ordinary.

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting, pounds 2,400 Italy's answer to the Mini Cooper offers heaps of fun for enthusiastic drivers, with a close- ratio gearbox and nimble handling, and they are eminently practical for city dwellers too. The Sporting's 1.1 litre engine propels this titchy rollerskate along at a fair lick, allowing it to squeeze through motorbike-sized gaps in traffic at hair-raising speeds. Like most Italian cars, Cinquecentos disintegrate rapidly, but then, fewer survivors can only help keep values buoyant.

Lotus Carlton, pounds 23,000 It may look like a minicab with go- faster wheel arches, but this was, and as far as I know still is, the fastest production saloon on the planet. This six-geared, twin- turbo'd, 177mph macho monster was based on a Vauxhall Carlton but built by Lotus. It eschewed namby-pamby gizmos like traction control or four-wheel drive, so it's bound to appeal to the masochistic streak in most classic car fans. Warwickshire police tried to ban it, and in the end only 950 were built. A blue-chip investment.

Lancia Delta Integrale, pounds 8,000 Based on the humble Lancia Delta hatchback and a cousin of the awesome World Rally Championship winning cars, thanks to its limpet- like grip, supernatural handling and 210bhp engines, the four-wheel-drive Integrale is still one of the fastest point-to-point cars in the world. It's the thinking boy racer's wet dream, if you like. "Evolution" models look set to be the best investment. Integrales do tend to get thoroughly abused, so buy with extra care.

hoTTflash1

Thanks for posting--vindication for my beloved 'rado at last! (and TT too!)