These days, just about every old car seems to attract the ‘classic’ tag, but you’ll need to do a little homework if you want to spot the cars that are ripe for investment. That’s where the HPI Future Classics car valuation tool comes in. Using data from real-world used car adverts from around the UK, it pinpoints the cars that might be worth a punt. The tool can even show you how many adverts there are for each car and where in the UK each is based. Read on to discover the cars that have made the HPI shortlist.

Alfa Romeo 155 Twin Spark – £10,444

All of the cars listed by HPI have two things in common: they were made in limited numbers and they were desirable from the moment they were launched. Not all of the cars were expensive when new, with the Alfa Romeo 155 Twin Spark representing a relatively modest outlay for the family guy who was preferred to think outside the box. For us, the 155 will forever be associated with BTCC, Gabriele Tarquini, Giampiero Simoni and the controversy surrounding adjustable aerodynamics.

Aston Martin Virage – £98,873

The Virage made its debut at the Birmingham Motor Show in 1988 and was the first truly new Aston Martin in nearly 20 years. “We wanted a car that was a new form. Fresh, exciting, purposeful but unquestionably Aston Martin,” said Aston’s chairman and chief executive. Customers placed deposits in 1987 before taking delivery in the summer of 1990. The price for the charismatic V8? £125,000. Today, you’ll spend around £100,000 for the pleasure.

Bentley Turbo R – £18,229

The Bentley Turbo R was the replacement for the Mulsanne Turbo, with the R suffix standing for ‘Roadholding’. Responding to criticism of the earlier car, Bentley revamped the suspension, fitted low-profile tyres and new alloys, adjusted the power steering and modified the front air dam to create a much-improved car. In 1985, a Turbo R would cost around £69,000, or around £200,000 in today’s money. Which makes the HPI figure look like an absolute steal for this rocket-propelled version of Blenheim Palace.

BMW 1M Coupe – £43,864

The BMW 1M Coupe is the absolute definition of a modern classic. Within a year of its launch, after 6,331 units had been delivered, the spiritual successor to the E30 M3 was being proclaimed as an investment and values began to rise. Power was sourced from a 3.0-litre straight-six engine developing 340hp, enough to propel this firecracker to 62mph in just 4.9 seconds.

BMW M3 CSL – £55,074

Just 1,400 BMW M3 CSLs were built, including 422 right-hand-drive cars for the UK. Two colours were offered: Black Sapphire Metallic and Silver Grey Metallic. To create the CSL, BMW took the ‘standard’ M3, tuned the engine to 360hp, fitted a quicker steering rack, stiffened the chassis, beefed-up the brakes and stripped out 110kg of weight. Hence the name: Coupe Sport Lightweight.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano – £154,620

Since 1972, all Ferrari road and race cars to emerge from Maranello have been tested on the famous Fiorano test track. The 599 GTB Fiorano was Ferrari’s way of honouring the track – a V12-engined GT unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. When tested against the iconic F40 in 2006, the 80s hero set a fastest speed of 324kph (201mph), while the young upstart hit 330kph (205mph) to become the fastest Ferrari yet. Future classic status: guaranteed.

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti – £113,848

Another Ferrari named in honour of something or someone, this time Sergio Scaglietti and the body shop bearing his name. The 612 Scaglietti of 2014 saw Ferrari returning to the 2+2 formula – the first was the 250 GTE of 1960. Commenting on the Future Classics tool, HPI says: “Originality is essential and so is a low mileage, while the general rule is the more options fitted, the better.”

Fiat Coupe Turbo – £6,383

HPI continues: “Any crash or corrosion repairs will make the car far less appealing and the same goes for any hint of tattiness with the interior or bodywork – while all of the mechanicals must be in rude health. That’s why some Sierra RS Cosworths will fetch over £100,000 while others are worth less than half this; the more boxes they tick for the collector, the greater the value.”

Ford Escort RS Cosworth – £38,487

Speaking of Cosworths… You don’t need a crystal ball or an online valuation tool to know that fast Fords are hot property, but HPI reckons the Escort RS Cosworth will continue to increase in value. You wouldn’t bet against it.

Honda NSX – £80,395

“The NSX is a breakthrough, a supercar that furrows new ground. How can a car with so many compelling virtues be anything other than the best?” questioned Car magazine in 1990. It failed to win the group test against the Ferrari 348tb, Porsche 911 Carrera 2 and Lotus Esprit, though, with the reviewer noting a lack of theatre and drab styling. Harsh? We think so.

Jaguar XK8/XKR – £16,639 – £23,326

HPI has grouped three Jaguars together here, referencing the XK8 convertible, XKR convertible and XKR coupe as future classics worthy of an investment. We reckon these cars will become all the more appealing when the world wearily peers out from behind its net curtains and looks upon streets lined with F-Paces, E-Paces and I-Paces.

Mercedes-Benz W124 cabriolet – £10,180

The W124 was built at a time before Mercedes-Benz went through its patchy period, only for it to emerge having discovered questionable aesthetics and crossovers. The W124 looks to the manor born and is suitable for any occasion. Whether you’re young, middle-aged or preparing to draw your pension, this is the drop-top for you. Who cares if it doesn’t increase in value? You’ll own the streets in this thing.

Mercedes-Benz W124 coupe – £15,484

For the W124 coupe we’ll refer you to our previous comments about the convertible, but offer the words with added roof. Note that it’s a proper coupe, with two doors and a sloping roof. No four-door SUV nonsense to be found here.

Nissan 350Z GT4 – £8,577

In 2005, Nissan unveiled the 350Z GT4 to coincide with the launch of Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2. For a £2,500 premium over the standard 350Z, buyers were treated to more power, five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels, a numbered plaque and a gift box containing a PlayStation 2 and the game. Only 176 were offered in the UK, 76 of which were finished in Ultra Yellow, with the others painted Kuro Black.

Porsche Boxster Spyder – £43,746

Remember the Boxster Spyder? Porsche ditched the folding fabric roof and subjected the car to a slim-fast diet in order to save weight. The result: a Boxster weighing just 1,275kg, making it the lightest car in the Porsche range. At the time, this was the sharpest and most focused Boxster you could buy, but everyday practicality was limited. Still, the figure quoted by HPI is near enough the same as the original list price in 2010.

Subaru Impreza P1 – £7,514

Launched in 2000, the P1 – or Prodrive One – was Subaru UK’s answer to the raft of JDM-spec Imprezas arriving from Japan. It featured the 280hp from the WRX STI and a two-door coupe body shell. Just 1,000 examples were built, each one finished in Sonic Blue and fitted with 17-inch OZ Racing alloy wheels.

Toyota MR2 TF300 – £6,962

The TF300 was the final Toyota MR2 sold in the UK, with just 300 offered, each one built to order. It featured custom leather and Alcantara upholstery, stainless steel TTE sports exhaust pipes and a choice of five exterior colours. The position in the production run was stitched into the back of each seat and authenticated by a special certificate signed by the chairman of Toyota GB.

Vauxhall VX220 Turbo – £16,056

HPI’s final choice is the Vauxhall VX220 Turbo, built alongside the Lotus Elise in Hethel. It has always lived in the shadow of its more illustrious sibling, which means prices are lower. Good news if you’re prepared to look beyond the badge. All values supplied by HPI. For more information, visit the Future Classics valuation tool.

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The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has launched a Brexit Readiness Programme to help UK automotive firms in case of a ‘no-deal’ exit from the European Union.

The support package will help guide firms, especially smaller ones, through the ‘planning minefield’ of a so-called cliff-edge Brexit. The SMMT has worked with five specialist legal and accountancy firms to provide advice focused on the automotive industry.

“A ‘no-deal’ Brexit could have devastating consequences,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes. “With the clock ticking on negotiations, businesses must plan for all eventualities, including the worst.

“Our new support package seeks to mitigate the threat of ‘no-deal’ by helping businesses navigate the complex trade realities of a post-Brexit landscape.”

Brexit helpline

Small and medium-sized enterprises form the backbone of Britain’s automotive supply chain, says the SMMT. Almost 7 in 10 companies employ fewer than 10 people. Many such firms will not have the resources to prepare for a dramatic no-deal Brexit, which is why the SMMT has devised its Brexit Readiness Package.

Areas covered by the online programme for SMMT members includes:

• How to value and prove the origin of goods
• How to cope with delays moving goods in and out of the UK (including extra warehousing arrangements)
• Extra paperwork involved in new customers arrangements
• How to fill in more complex customs declarations
• Cashflow implications through tariff payments and other taxes

There will also be an automotive Brexit helpline.

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Such help is vital said Hawes, because the UK automotive supply chain supports more than 80,000 jobs and contributes almost £5 billion to the UK economy. It has thrived thanks to frictionless trade with the EU: the SMMT wants to help this continue whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

The organisation also repeated its call for an orderly withdrawal and transition deal, to minimise the need for key parts of its Brexit Readiness Programme…

Jaguar Land Rover says it will start selling self-driving vehicles to customers within a decade – and its claim has become a little more believable after one of its test cars completed a full lap of the challenging Coventry Ring Road fully autonomously.

Many human drivers struggle with the compact and complicated urban ring road; for a self-driving vehicle to master it is a real feat. 

The test Range Rover Sport wasn’t crawling around getting in everyone’s way, either. At speeds of up to 40mph, it was able to change lanes, merge with traffic and even exit at junctions. 

“The Coventry Ring Road is known for its complicated slip roads and exits,” said Mark Cund, JLR’s autonomous vehicle research manager. “It makes for very challenging conditions, especially when under pressure in the rush hour.”

Enter one of the key advantages of an autonomous vehicle, he says. “Our self-driving car is not impacted by the same pressure, frustrations or fatigue that a driver may experience, and so it’s capable of turning a potentially very stressful situation into a completely stress-free one.”

The Range Rover Sport’s own Adaptive Cruise Control was modified for the trials, with more sensors plus a radar and LIDAR system. 

The trials have been run as part of the £20 million government-funded UK Autodrive project. It ends this month, after three years, and has seen autonomous cars transfer from private test tracks onto public roads in Milton Keynes as well as Coventry.

JLR bosses reckon the project has helped accelerate the development of its self-driving tech, which is why it’s confident it will be on sale within 10 years. 

Not only that, the Midlands region could emerge as “a hub of mobility innovation” and JLR claims its self-driving vehicles will be the best “in the widest range of terrain and weather conditions” – that’s off-road as well as on…

Watch: self-driving Range Rover Sport vs Coventry Ring Road

Candice Brown, 2016 winner of The Great British Bake Off, has teamed up with Skoda to pay tribute to one of the coolest TV ads in modern memory.

Remember the life-size Skoda Fabia cake from 2007? Well, Candice isn’t quite baking an entire car. Today’s iteration is a tad more manageable – and you can even bake it yourself.

Candice’s miniature replica is comprised of six layers of fluffy lemon sponge held together with citrus-infused buttercream panelling. Fondant icing is used for the new LED headlights, wheels, windscreen wipers, front grille and Skoda badge. Read on for the full recipe.

Video: Candice Brown bakes a Skoda cake

“Everyone remembers and loves the original ad, so when I got the challenge through to recreate the new Fabia out of cake, I jumped at it” said Candice.

“We’re encouraging everyone and anyone to have a go to see if they can recreate the car.”

“The beauty of baking is that it doesn’t matter how good or bad you are, regardless of what it looks like cake is always delicious, so you can’t go far wrong…hopefully.”

Recipe: how to bake your own Skoda Fabia

Here’s the recipe for your very own Fabia, as seen on the Skoda website:

Baking the cake

• Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4). Grease and line six 25cm cake tins 
• Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the butter, sugar, baking powder, eggs, lemon zest and juice. Mix together until smooth, fluffy and combined 
• Divide the mixture evenly between the six cake tins 
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until the sponges are risen and golden 
• Remove from the oven and turn out the sponges on to a wire rack to cool 
• While your cake is cooling, make your lemon buttercream 
• Combine the sifted icing sugar with the butter and add the juice and zest of one lemon 
• Mix together until smooth and creamy 

Decorating the cake

• Sandwich each layer of sponge with your buttercream to create six layers 
• Carve the cake to create a rectangle. Looking at the top of the cake find the middle point and start to carve down in a curve to roughly the third layer to create the windscreen and bonnet shape of your car 
• Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream 
• Roll out the fondant icing in the colour of your choice 
• Drape the fondant over the cake and smooth down 
• Using different coloured fondant carve out the shape of the windows, headlights, front grille, tyres and Skoda badge, and stick to the cake using a dab of water 
• Add your finishing touches 
• Share your bake using #FABIACake

Lastly, as a timely reminder, here’s the original Fabia cake advert…

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Toyota has opened online reservations for the new Supra sports car in the UK – but eager buyers had better be quick because just 300 order slots are available for 2019 delivery.

The firm is asking for a £1,000 deposit to secure a reservation for a Supra, and is taking bookings online via its customer website.

Those who place an online reservation will get the chance to place an official order when they open in early 2019.

Prototypes of the new A90-generation Supra have already appeared at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and Goodwood Festival of Speed. Interest has been ramping up accordingly.

Toyota GB marketing director Andrew Cullis says that “with only limited numbers available, we want to give people the earliest opportunity to secure their vehicle”.

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To reserve a car, Toyota is asking for personal details as well as the £1,000 deposit – but it adds the sum is fully refundable if customers change their mind.

That’s why it says that, once all 300 places have been reserved, additional customers will be placed on a waiting list.

Official ordering will then take place in the New Year, when buyers will fully secure one of the first 2019 Supras.

Those who don’t fancy doing it online can also do it via their local Toyota dealer – and Toyota adds that full prices and specifications will be “announced soon”… with everyone who places a reservation “kept fully up-to-date with information as it is released”.

Launched last week for the Microsoft Xbox One console and Windows 10 PC, Forza Horizon 4 is the latest offering in the racing game franchise.

With a flashy launch event at Goodwood House, and the promise of a truly immersive driving experience, there is a lot to live up to. It’s a tough life, but we spent time on the sofa to work out whether it matches up to expectations. This is what we found.

Britain is apparently smaller than you think

After America, Europe, and Australia, the fourth iteration of Forza Horizon is set in Great Britain. With areas including the Cotswolds, to the Lake District and even the centre of Edinburgh, it’s geographically diverse.

Yet travelling from the Scottish Highlands, to the stereotypical English countryside, is thankfully only a few minutes drive. Horizon 4’s map is packed with the kind of driving roads British drivers love, but without the hassle of getting to them.

The landscapes are truly breathtaking

The locations chosen by developer Playground Games were not by accident. Britain itself, and the areas featured, were handpicked to create a dramatic backdrop to the racing action.

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Combined with dynamic lighting, there are moments where the scenery can prove almost distractingly impressive. Should you be so inclined, you can also destroy large amounts of the landscape too. Thankfully, the organisers of the Horizon Festival seem skilled at rapidly repairing dry stone walls.

Seasonal changes matter

One of the most talked about features of Horizon 4 is the ability to experience all four seasons. Modelling an open-world map of this scale is an impressive feat in the first place, but to have it span an entire year of climatic changes is genuinely worthy of praise.

Progressing deeper into the game will see the season change on a weekly basis for all players. Competitions and challenges will be tailored to the current season, and your choice of car may well be influenced by the calendar.

The weather is classically British

It wouldn’t be Britain without weather. From torrential rain, to dazzling sunshine, or dense fog, no day in the Horizon Festival is the same as the next. Other cars kick up giant roosters tails of spray in the wet, making the neatly animated windscreen wipers a necessity.

Winter brings ample amounts of snow and ice. Crunching new tracks through freshly fallen snow is oddly satisfying, especially without the worry of whether you’ll get stuck or not.

You can be the King (or Queen) of the Castle

A new feature for the latest Horizon game is the option to purchase houses for your chosen character. These act as a base to tune and modify cars, plan your next challenge, or just as a backdrop for Forza’s photography mode.

Some homes are bigger than others. The above pictured Bamburgh Castle, a Grade II listed building in Northumberland, is one of the pricier purchases. At least in a video game there is no need to worry about the heating bill…

Barns are stacked with abandoned cars

If you’ve been to a car auction in the UK recently, you’ll know that every other lot seems to be a special ‘barn find’ or discovered classic. Things are no different in Horizon 4, with British barns seemingly stocked with priceless machinery that has been forgotten about.

Playing and hide and seek around the countryside can be rewarding, if a little frustrating. But these expeditions do deliver rare cars and exclusive motors to add to your collection.

You need to be an influencer

Mirroring the emergence of social media starlets, progress in Horizon 4 is measured by your influence. Win races, pull epic stunts, and see your follower count go through the roof. Thankfully you don’t have to start each race with “Hey guys” or ask them to “smash that like button” at the end.

For some the cheesy presentation of the Horizon Festival experience will start to grate. Countless cut scenes and staged dialogue can be a pain when all you want to do is drive. It’s a small, but annoying, price to pay for the giant open world on offer.

Speed cameras can be celebrated, not feared

Horizon 4 may be set on normal public roads, but the fictional organisers have seemingly made use of legislation to allow for high speeds on the highways. However, there are still speed cameras dotted throughout the landscape.

These form part of the myriad of additional challenges on offer, goading drivers to try to set the fastest speed through them. Other features include gigantic jumps and zones dedicated to pulling lurid drifts.

There are car choices to suit every taste

In common with previous Horizon titles, the motoring choices range from humble superminis through to flame-spitting hypercars, and ridiculous off-road weapons. These fit the core classes of Horizon competition, split between tarmac and loose surfaces.

To progress throughout the Festival series, you’ll need to become a master of all types of racing. Fortunately, there are hundreds of beautifully detailed cars to choose from, all of which can be customised to your individual preferences. Oh, and you can damage them, too.

Racing a Unimog is as exciting as it sounds

One of the most pleasing aspects of the Horizon series of games is finding pleasure in something truly crazy. Charging around the countryside in a Mercedes-Benz Unimog – with a top speed of less than 80mph – is as ridiculous as it sounds.

This is ultimate escapism 

Very few people will get to drive a Lamborghini Countach at full speed across moorland roads in real life, but here is the opportunity to recreate it. The same goes for drifting a Chevrolet Corvette along Princes Street in Edinburgh, or drag racing a muscle car along an empty beach.

The presentation may grate at times, but fundamentally Forza Horizon 4 offers the opportunity to drive and race cars through familiar environments. There are no speeding fines to worry about, petrol to pay for, or even the need to wash your car afterwards.

Which optional extras do you value most? Following the 68-plate transition, Go Compare investigated which boxes buyers are most keen to tick. The results are interesting…

Parking sensors are by some way the most popular add-on, according to the survey of 2,000 drivers. Sixty-five percent of drivers said they’d pay extra for them. Oddly, tyre pressure monitoring came second, with 58 percent saying they’d specify it.

A total of 45 percent and 44 percent respectively said they’d choose automatic headlights (third) and windscreen wipers (fourth). Automatic emergency braking came fifth, on 42 percent.

In sixth is cruise control, at 34 percent, because we’re all about doing as little of the driving as possible. Lane-departure warning follows in seventh (31 percent).

Climate control, memory-adjustable seats and self-parking take eighth, ninth and 10th places respectively.

Matt Oliver from GoCompare attributes our sweetness on parking sensors to the increasing size of our cars: “According to Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency data, reverse parking is one of the main reasons people fail their driving test, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that technology which makes reverse and parallel parking easier is so popular with drivers.

“In recent years, the size of cars has grown considerably – both in width and length, while the average size of parking spaces hasn’t changed – making parking even more of a challenge.”

The challenge of driving more generally is perhaps what motivates the ‘driver assistance’ theme in the options top 10.

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European Union ministers are discussing proposed CO2 targets for 2025 and 2030 tomorrow (October 9th) and they’re likely to be gunning for even more ambitious reductions. 

The knock-on effects of the diesel cheating scandals of the past three years have been exponential. As people have lost trust in carmakers, so too legislators have lost faith in their ability to regulate the internal combustion engine and meet tumbling CO2 targets.

The feeling, then, is that the suspected doubling-down on target reductions  will act as an incentive to develop zero-emissions cars. A quick way of reducing CO2, after all, is to make sure most cars don’t emit it.

At present, electric vehicles have a 1.5 percent market share in Europe. Contrast that with the fact that cars account for more than 10 percent of the continent’s CO2 emissions.

Ambitious targets

Previously set-out targets of 15 percent and 30 percent reductions in automotive CO2 output by 2025 and 2030 respectively have already been increased to 20 and 40 percent. The percentages relate to the 95g/km target for 2021. 

Since this ongoing conversation on emissions reduction in cars began in 2008, the automotive industry has kept a firm grip of the reigns, letting governments know when a proposal isn’t what it would call realistic. The 130g/km target of 2015 was originally intended for 2012, but was pushed back after pressure from carmakers. The 2021 target was originally 2020 before it was extended, again following industry pressure.

The EU is keen to get on-track in the fight against climate change – and the cheating of emissions tests has made its governments less inclined to offer leeway. 

Knock-on effects

Innovation, however, is expensive. If research and development aren’t spread out across periods of profit, the prices of products go up. And what we’ll wind up with, warn car manufacturers, is clean cars that cost a lot more. There could also be a knock-on effect in terms of jobs.

One way or another, the EU is keen to drag the industry, compliant or otherwise, into 2021, 2025, 2030 and beyond. Let the kicking and screaming commence…

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Nissan has introduced a new 1.3-litre DIG-T turbo petrol engine that replaces not one, but two outgoing motors: the 115hp 1.2-litre turbo and 163hp 1.6-litre turbo.

Offered in both 140hp and 160hp guises, the new engine represents a fair step up in power over the strong-selling 1.2-litre DIG-T. It’s also useful more economical, averaging up to 53.3mpg and emitting 121g/km CO2.

The previous lowest CO2 figure for a petrol-powered Qashqai was 129g/km.

Even better, the new 1.3 DIG-T engine has been tested to the stricter new WLTP fuel economy regulations, meaning that 53mpg should theoretically be more attainable in real-world driving.

It also has 36lb ft more pulling power and service intervals have been extended from 12,500 miles to 18,000 miles.

The engine is a Renault-Nissan Alliance motor, and is fitted with a gasoline particulate filter for reduced NOx emissions (downsized turbocharged direct injection petrol motors can produce surprisingly high levels during certain situations). Nissan says because it has more pulling power at lower revs, it’s quieter than the sometimes hard-worked 1.2. Acceleration and overtaking shove are better, too.

It follows Nissan’s recent upgrade of its 1.5 dCi turbodiesel, to which it’s added NOx-reducing exhast aftertreatment tech.

Alex Smith, MD of Nissan Motor GB Ltd, noted the importance of the new engine as buyers move away from diesel: “The launch of this all-new 1.3-litre unit is the right response to changing market conditions, meeting customer demand for a highly effective petrol engine that delivers outstanding driving performance and fuel efficiency.”

Prices start from £19,595 for a Qashqai Visia 1.3 DIG-T 140, up to £28,595 for the top-spec Qashqai Tekna 1.3 DIG-T 160. All cars get a six-speed manual gearbox, with a seven-speed DCT auto set to follow from November.

The launch of the new engine is also good news for Qashqai retained values. CAP HPI says a 1.3 DIG-T 140 Acenta Premium will be worth 50.1 percent of its list price after three years and 30,000 miles, which should be good news for competitive PCP payments.

The fact that even high-tech petrol engines are generally cheaper than their diesel equivalents should also help here. Nissan’s indicative pricing suggests the 1.3 DIG-T is around £1,500 cheaper than an equivalent-spec 1.5 dCi turbodiesel.

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