25 modern classics that could make you money

Cars we think will appreciate

The enthusiasm for ‘modern classic’ cars shows no sign of abating. Cars that could be bought for pocket change not long ago are now championed in magazines and change hands for five-figure prices. However, there are still plenty of interesting and desirable older cars available for our maximum budget of £15,000 – or indeed a lot less. Remember, there’s no guarantee these cars will go up in value, and that the prices given here are for guidance only.

Ford Fiesta ST200

Price guide: £9,000 – £15,000

The Ford Fiesta is arguably the greatest hot hatch of the modern era. Sadly, Ford has now stopped making it, and while there are plenty of examples on the used market, the limited edition ST200 – sold in 2016 and 2017 – looks the best bet for investment potential. The upgrades included a power boost to 215hp, unique Recaro seats and a thicker front anti-roll bar.

Reviewing the ST200 when new, we said: ‘The Fiesta’s party piece is its handling. On twisty, bumpy, broken British roads, there’s very little that’ll keep up with the ST200. It’s an absolute hoon. It feels like an old-school hot hatch, with true throttle adjustability and compact dimensions that make it really easy to hustle along.’

Alfa Romeo Alfasud

Price guide: £6,000 – £20,000

A cast-iron classic car, it’s just a shame the Alfa Romeo Alfasud wasn’t built with such rock-solid foundations. When it was launched in 1972, the Sud revolutionised the small car sector. It’s still revered as one of the best front-wheel-drive cars in history.

Rust has killed many of these little gems, and today there are fewer than 100 Alfasuds enjoying active service in Britain. Top Gear once heralded it as the best car of the 1970s. And as Alfa Romeo had effectively taught the world how to deliver a sweet-handling front-driven car, they probably had a point.

Audi TT

Price guide: £1,500 – £14,000

Nearly decades on from its debut as a concept car at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Audi TT still looks box-fresh. Many would argue – and we’d agree – that it looks better than the outgoing, third-generation TT. Three years after its debut as a concept car, it became a production reality, with only minimal design changes.

Its bold, Bauhaus-inspired exterior was matched by a delightfully individual interior, and early cars were powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine, either in 180hp or 225hp guise. Good examples have already become very sought-after

BMW 3 Series E36

Price guide: £2,000 – £10,000

The ‘E30’ 3 Series of the 1980s is now fetching serious money, but the ‘E36’ model – on sale from 1990 to 2000 – is still a relative bargain. It’s a great-looking car, particularly in two-door coupe guise (nobody had ‘invented’ the four-door coupe back then) and its interior is wonderfully simple and driver-focused.

We’ve excluded the pricey M3 from this round-up, although six-cylinder 325i and 328i petrol versions are the next best thing. The convertible is a bit of a looker, too. Just steer clear of any cars that have been modified.

Citroen AX GT

Price guide: £4,000 – £10,000

James May once called the Citroen AX GT “the best car in the world”, and while his tongue was firmly in his cheek, he may have had a point. They simply don’t make cars like the AX GT any more.

It was light – just 710kg – so its 1.4-litre carburettor engine was perfectly capable of giving the tiny French hero a mighty turn of pace. And with no power steering or other electrical nonsense to get in the way, it provided the kind of engaging drive that modern hatchbacks can only dream of.

Citroen GS

Price guide: £3,000 – £11,000

With the possible exception of the C6, the XM was the last truly eccentric Citroen. Highlights included an otherworldly interior and super-comfy hydractive suspension. It was only appreciated by a minority of motorists, while a reputation for unreliability and complexity didn’t help its cause.

However, prices seem to be on the up, and a strong following in Citroen circles will ensure good examples are highly prized.

Citroen XM

Price guide: £3,000 – £11,000

With the possible exception of the C6, the XM was the last truly eccentric Citroen. Highlights included an otherworldly interior and super-comfy hydractive suspension. It was only appreciated by a minority of motorists, while a reputation for unreliability and complexity didn’t help its cause.

However, prices seem to be on the up, and a strong following in Citroen circles will ensure good examples are highly prized.

Fiat 126

Price guide: £2,000 – £10,000

Some would say a rear engine and rear-wheel drive puts them in mind of the Porsche 911, but we’re looking at something a lot smaller: the Fiat 126. Launched in 1972, it lived on in Poland – badged as the Polski Fiat 126p – until 2000.

The 126 is an everyday miniature hero you can park anywhere. It’s surely a classic to invest in, especially when viewed alongside values of the original Fiat 500.

Ford Focus Mk1

Price guide: £1,500 – £7,000

Fast Fords are a law unto themselves when it comes to prices, so we’ve excluded the Focus RS here. Still, even the regular Mk1 Focus is brilliant to drive. With radical styling and multi-link ‘Control Blade’ rear suspension, it was the moment Ford upped its game, a complete step-change after the woeful Mk5 Escort that came before.

The Focus was Britain’s best-seller for many years, so there are still plenty around – although numbers are dwindling fast. The ST170 ‘warm hatch’ isn’t that exciting, so we’d go for a 1.6 petrol in Zetec spec: budget motoring at its best.

Ford Puma

Price guide: £1,000 – £7,000

Rust (check the wheelarches) has decimated the Puma population, pushing up prices. Yet this cute Fiesta-based coupe is still a bargain – and a joy to drive. Find a tidy 1.7-litre Puma, ideally with the early ‘propellor’ alloy wheels, and revel in one of the greatest front-wheel drive cars ever built.

As with the Focus RS, we’ve not included the go-faster Racing Puma for fear of blowing our budget. If you can afford one, though, it’s one of the most underrated fast Fords. Don’t get your wires crossed with the modern Ford Puma: a likeable if somewhat dull crossover.

Honda Accord Type R

Price guide: £3,500 – £10,000

The current Civic Type R hot hatch has helped renew the market’s interest in hot Hondas, and the prices of good Civics have risen accordingly. The Integra Type R coupe already commands a strong following and there are few bargains to be had. So how about the subtle-looking Accord Type R saloon?

It’s often forgotten, which means the prices are easily the lowest of the three. Ask anyone who has owned one, though, and they’ll tell you the Accord Type-R is a properly sorted performance car.

Mazda RX-8

Price guide: £2,000 – £8,000

All three generations of the rotary-engined Mazda RX-7 are quite pricey. Not so the newer RX-8, a four-seat coupe sold from 2003 until 2012. It boasted shapely styling, perfect weight distribution, rear-hinged ‘freestyle’ doors and a high-revving rotary engine that developed up to 241hp.

The reason RX-8s are so cheap is their reputation for poor reliability. In fact, the unusual 1.3-litre engine is capable of high miles if maintained properly (oil changes every 5,000 miles), so service history is essential. Do budget for hefty fuel bills, though.

Peugeot 309 GTI

Price guide: £3,000 – £15,000

Here’s the thing. The Peugeot 309 GTI is essentially a 205 GTI in a different frock. And we all know how expensive, and how brilliant, those are. Whisper it, but the less-snappy 309 is arguably better to drive.

Far too many were stripped for their mechanicals, including the 1.9-litre engine, which means there are just 50 or so left on UK roads. Fortunately, many more are listed as SORN (off the road). Fancy a new project?

Peugeot 405 Mi16

Price guide: £3,000 – £15,000

Good luck finding one of these. But if you do, you’ll be rewarded with one of the very best performance saloons of the 1980s and 1990s. Far too many have been lost to rust, or for their engine to be transplanted into a modified Peugeot 205.

The earlier cars are quicker and lighter, and it’s also worth hunting down the rare, four-wheel-drive Mi16x4.

Peugeot 505

Price guide: £4,000 – £11,000

Don’t let the relative anonymity of the Peugeot 505’s styling put you off, this is one special car. Not only was it Peugeot’s last rear-wheel-drive model, it was also rather good to blast down a back road in.

Numbers are dwindling fast, which is a shame, because the seven-seat estate is brilliantly practical and the super-rare 505 GTI is a convincing performance car that could give the Germans a run for their deutschmark. Sorry, euro.

Porsche 944

Price guide: £5,000 – £35,000

A few years ago, we might have featured the 924 here. However, prices for the ‘poor man’s Porsche’ have risen to such an extent that the beefier 944 now looks better value. And while you can pay far more, a usable 944 is still within reach at £15,000.

We love the very ‘1980s’ styling of the 944, and it’s a far less predictable purchase than a 911. The later S2 version is our pick if you have the budget. It offers very similar performance to the full-fat 944 Turbo.

Renault Avantime

Price guide: £2,000 – £14,000

Talk about making an entrance. Exactly 20 years after the Renault Avantime made its debut, it still looks like a concept car that could be unveiled in 2021.

It wasn’t particularly brilliant to drive (you’ll find an Espace underneath), but the Avantime is all about its bold, coupe-styling and brilliantly eccentric, four-seat interior. Naturally you’ll want the 3.0-litre V6 engine, but any Avantime is a guaranteed future classic.

Renault Fuego Turbo

Price guide: £3,000 – £10,000

The Renault Fuego was the French answer to the Ford Capri, famed for its ‘bubble’ tailgate and sleek styling. It wasn’t especially quick and it wasn’t the sharpest drive, but it was practical.

And – three years after the Fuego was introduced – Renault invited us to enter ‘the turbo zone’ with the new Fuego Turbo, complete with huge 1980s-style side decals. Very few remain today.

Rover 200 BRM

Price guide: £5,000 – £11,000

The Rover 200 BRM is unfairly dismissed in classic car circles, presumably because a) it’s a Rover 200, b) the interior is a bit, well, challenging, and c) that orange grille. But hang on a minute, because it’s actually far better than you’d think.

The 200vi upon which it was based was a thoroughly decent car, it has a Torsen differential, and that Brooklands Green paint gives it a timeless appeal. Grab one while you still can.

Saab 9000 Turbo

Price guide: £1,000 – £5,000

The Saab 9000 Turbo is destined to follow in the footsteps of the super-desirable 900 Turbo by becoming highly collectable. The 9000 was built to Saab’s exacting standards and designed to cover long distances. The seats are amongst the comfiest you’ll find in any car.

The 2.3-litre 9000 Turbo is the one to have and prices are looking strong. Compare its survival rate to that of the Lancia Thema, Alfa Romeo 164 and Fiat Croma – three cars that shared the same platform.

Suzuki Cappuccino

Price guide: £2,000 – £15,000

Thanks to its cult status and neat packaging, the Suzuki Cappuccino is a car that will, at the very least, hold its value. Rarer than the majority of roadsters of the same era (just 1,110 cars were officially imported), the Cappuccino was built to Japanese Kei-car standards.

This means it’s incredibly small and, at 725kg, very light. Go on, you know you want to.

Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSI

Price guide: £5,000 – £13,000

Right, we know what you’re thinking, but bear with us on this one. Without the Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSI, there wouldn’t be a Lotus Carlton. And while you can’t afford the Lotus-badged version (not without selling a kidney), you can stretch to the 3000 GSI.

It’ll be hard to track down a good example, but with a top speed of 150mph and rear-wheel drive, the 3000 GSI makes for an interesting alternative to the cars more commonly spoken about.

Volkswagen Corrado

Price guide: £7,000 – £15,000

What we have here is not only one of the greatest cars Volkswagen has produced, but it’s also another of the best front-wheel-drive performance cars of all time. Naturally, the pick of the crop is the properly quick VR6, but you shouldn’t rule out the supercharged G60 or indeed the humble 16V.

The Corrado is a rare thing, in that it was a classic even before it went out of production. Amazingly, Volkswagen struggled to sell it, so a few tears were shed when the VR6 Storm version signalled the end in 1995. Usable everyday then and now, the Corrado has aged like a fine wine.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk5

Price guide: £4,000 – £9,000

The Mk1 and Mk2 versions of the Golf GTI are already cast-iron classics and there are very few bargains to be found. Meanwhile, Mk3 and Mk4 models look dull and are disappointing to drive. The Mk5 is a different story, however. It marked the point where the Golf GTI rediscovered its mojo.

Yes, it brought back red stripes and tartan trim. But the Mk5 was also great fun (VW poached some of the team who’d worked on the original Ford Focus), while remaining just as usable every day. It’s one of the all-time great hot hatchbacks.

Volvo 240 Estate

Price guide: £4,000 – £23,000

Have your green wellies and National Trust window sticker at the ready, because here is the venerable Volvo 240. For a generation of car enthusiasts, this is where it all began – being transported to school in the back of a 240 Estate.

So well engineered was the Volvo 240, you could still press one into daily service and it wouldn’t even flinch. Loved by the well-to-do and antique dealers, it boasted a huge load area and rear-wheel drive. Prices are already rising, with the Turbo version commanding big bucks.

Volvo 480 Turbo

Price guide: £3,500 – £12,000

The elegant P1800 is out of reach and the C30 is too new to be considered a classic. But somewhere in between you’ll find the 480. As the first front-wheel-drive Volvo, it has secured a place in history, but this oddball hatchback was never universally accepted.

That means values plummeted and it fell head first into bangerdom. But look, it has pop-up headlights, individual styling and – in Turbo guise at least – a bit of poke. One for the long-term future.