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Covid-19 boosts the prices of all Collectible Cars, used cars, new cars and even trucks !
From the uncertainty of 2020 has come the best times we have ever seen..............
Back on the 2nd of March, 2020 we conversed amongst ourselves in an attempt to determine what Covid-19 was going to mean for our business.
As we saw it, there were three clear options for the Collectible Car Industry going into the future. They were :
Why some current cars are so unpleasant to drive.
Why are Modern Classic's the only cars real car lovers will drive ?.
Because of two words that are rarely found in current cars -- Driver Involvement.
As Tiff Needell states in his editorial article on page 20 of next month's Modern Classics Magazine, "A Chiron (Bugatti) promises 1500 BHP, but a computer will decide".
He goes on to talk of one of the Top Gear shows that he did that featured 4 great cars of the time, which were a Mitsubishi Evo VI, a Ferrari 360, a BMW M Roadster and a Peugeot 306 Gti, and we will publish his words a little later in this Blog Article.
The ever growing stable of "Continuation" cars is becoming more interesting.
As more and more manufacturers "Find" more and more chassis's and/or parts to build new cars from, interest is growing.
There are two distinctive schools of thought on Continuation cars, with some people loving them for their driveability and reliability. Then there are some people that believe that a true classic car is the original one, from the original year.
How could you have done in 2018 ?
How did well could you have done in 2018 ?
Some of the Classic Cars that we purchased across 2017-2018 have now stopped growing, and so will sit level for a while. Most of these cars are sold, and so we are on to the next group of cars with exceptional growth.
The list below shows a couple of examples that we purchased in 2017, and the growth that was experienced by us up to the point of sale 6-12 months later :
"What has happened to us as a Driving Nation"
Jethro has kindly echoed what many are thinking in Europe, as well as Australia
Jethro wrote this column piece, on behalf of Modern Classic Magazine entitled "What happened to us as a Driving Nation ?.
Not too long ago, you used to be able to make decent progress on Britain's motorways. Lane discipline has always been a bit shoddy, but now it's side-by-side bumper-to-bumper at 68 mph. Mirrors unused, indicators untroubled, scorn poured on anybody who'd like to drive a little bit quicker. It's no better on A or B roads. Lines of cars driving at 43 mph come rain or shine. Overtaking regarded as the work of the devil himself.
What will 2019 bring us ?
A world of positivity ahead.
Now that we can look back on the year that was, and look ahead to the great prospects in 2019, it would seem that not all asset classes are set to return anything like our chosen group, some results of which feature later in this Blog.
For example, today's CoreLogic report that Australian house prices have fallen by the greatest amount since the GFC means that housing is out as an option for the next 10 years or so, as Ryde alone has a reported drop of 13.1% throughout 2018 !. Well, as we all know, it had to happen, and now all of our predictions from July 2016 onwards of a 25% drop in house prices are fast coming true.
Click here for today's ABC report on housing
Another example would be the Stock Market which has seen unprecendented volatility throughout 2018, more especially towards the end of the year.
Classic Cars lead the way, with a 242 times Return on Investment
Leading the way in style
We are now all very comfortable with the fact that Classic Cars quite simply offer the greatest returns of any investment. As the attached linked article in The Times Newspaper attests, it is not difficult to see how this has come about. The single most important point to bear in mind is that all of the collectible asset classes are unified by one single fact that sets these investments apart from others.
They are simply not made any more.
Ever wanted a car that looks like a Classic, and drives like a new car ?
The Modified Restoration Movement is growing
As with everything in the Classic Car Industry, the Modified Restoration part of it is growing fast. After all, there are a growing number of younger people entering the Classic Car Market, mainly with the Modern Classic's, which were primarily built in the 1990's, and have ice cold air conditioning, fuel injected engines with advanced ECU's, ABS for those that need it, four wheel drive and doors and windows that open and shut properly.
That said though, there is another way.
How much did our cars rise in value by in 2017 ?.
How did we do in 2017 ?
All of the Classic Cars that we invested in across 2016-2017 have now stopped growing, and so will sit level for a while. We are on to the next group of cars now.
The list below shows what we invested in last year, and the growth that was experienced :
Nathan Quinn wins the 2017 Australian Rally Championship
Passion shines through to secure the win
Rallying often stands slightly apart from other forms of Motorsport, given the degree of difficulty that it takes to triumph over all of the myriad of factors, to become a Winner. This weekend has become testament to some of the challenges that can be faced in Rallying, being the weekend of Rally Australia, the final round of the WRC for 2017.
The Lotus Esprit.........Get one while you can still afford one
As the race to collect the last good Esprit's hots up, the guys at Petrolicious are on the trail.
As this Article suggests, the secret is well and truly out about Lotus Esprit's, and so attention is now turning to obtaining the last great examples. Now that the key people are re-discovering that Lotus's are, and always were one of few cars that offer such an incredible driving experience, the race has really hotted up to obtain the last good ones.
The forgotten Group B classics
The forgotten Group B classics
The amazing Group B era produced some of the world's fastest and most incredible cars, and three of them roll off the lips with ease.............the Audi Quattro, the Peugeot 205 Ti, and the Lancia 037.
Whilst there were two more cars that came later, namely the MG Metro 6R4, the Ford RS200, there are also plenty that were in different stages of development when Group B was banned. There was the Citroen BX 4TC, the Toyota Celica TA64, the amazing "real" Group B Nissan 240RS, the Porsche 961, the Mazda RX-7, and the Ferrari 308 GTB.
https://petrolicious.com/articles/8-most-under-appreciated-group-b-cars
The Japanese way is the new way.......
The Japanese way is the new way.......
As we have so often predicted, Japanese cars are now firmly in the sights of all of our great Collector friends. They have stated their intentions very clearly with regard to specific makes and models of Collectible Japanese cars, and no message is any clearer than with the significant value rise of the sensational Nissan GTR R34 V-Spec NR.
Selection of the right Classic Car make and model critical now
Selection of the right Classic Car make and model critical now
As time goes on, things change. The big change that is occurring now in the Classic and Modern Classic Car world is that whilst ALL of the cars that we invest in are rising in value, and will always continue to do so, some have levelled out, and have in fact fallen in value. The latest figures from Hagerty show that interest in the American market has dropped, as we always predicted that it would, because it only represents a small portion of the market, when looked at objectively.
Lotus Esprit V8 Twin Turbo wins out on driveability in a 6-way battle of ultimate 90's Supercars
Lotus Esprit V8 Twin Turbo wins out on driveability in a 6-way battle of ultimate 90's Supercars
Some Supercars look great.
Some Supercars have amazing engine performance.
Some Supercars have phenomenal handling.
Some Supercars have incredible steering sensitivity.
Only one car has all of these ingredients, and the June edition of Modern Classics Magazine makes this point many times across pages 32 and 33 of the great magazine. As the editorial says "This is a Supercar as they used to be-compromised, but one that simply can't fail to entertain".