Auto Express – August 20, 2019

SpecialIssue 49

Rolls-Royce

Silver Spirit

Years produced: 1980-1999

Price range: £1,500-£30,000 Rarity:★★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

MINI Clubman

Years produced: 2007-2014

Price range: £2,500-£10,000 Rarity:★★★★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

LOTUS ELAN

Years produced: 1989-1996

Price range: £2,000-£12,000 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

ACARthatoriginallycostmorethanafamilyhousecan

nowbeyoursforthepriceofaweek’sholidayinSpain.

TheSilverSpiritwasoncethepreserveofcaptainsof

industryandcelebrities,prizedforitsextremecomfort

andhandbuiltquality.Itsboxylooksareunfashionable

nowandtherunningcostsarepotentiallybankrupting.

It’salsotoobigtofitinmostgarages,butchoosewell,

joinanowner’sclub,findaspecialistmechanic,and

SilverSpiritownershipcanbeaffordable.

WHILEbuyerslovedtheideaofthenewMINI,thefact

itwasonlyavailableasathree-doorhatchbacklimited

itsappeal,especiallyforanyonewhohadkidsandthe

correspondingluggage.MINI’sanswerin2007wasto

createaminiatureestate,withbarn-stylereardoors

insteadofahatch andabizarre‘ClubDoor’arrangement

ontheoffside,whichgaveaccesstotherearseats.The

carwasn’tahugesalessuccess,butithasgotacult

followingnow,meaningfutureclassicstatusisassured.

LOTUSmaybeablue-chipclassiccarbrand,but

thereinventedElanhasneverreallybeenseenas

desirableamongcollectors.Thisismainlydueto

snootinessaboutitsfront-wheel-drivelayoutand

characterlessIsuzuengine.Thegoodnewsisthat

thishaskeptpricesdowntoalevelwheretheyare

affordable,soyoucouldownoneofthebest-handling

carsintheworldforlessthan£5,000.Butdosome

researchfirst,becauserepairscanbeexpensive.

JAGUAR XJ6

Years produced: 2003-2009

Price range: £1,500-£15,000 Rarity:★★★★★

Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★

WHENJaguarbuiltanall-newXJin2003itmadeit

lookalmostidenticaltotheoldone,justtoavoid

upsettingloyalcustomers.Yetitwascompletely

different–andhighlyadvanced–underneath.

Today,thoseXJ6s(codenamedX350)offerclassic

lookswithmoderndrivingdynamics.Analuminium

bodyshellmeansrustisn’tanissueandit’spretty

light,soyougetbettereconomy.We’dgoforthe3.0

V6foritsblendofperformanceandrunningcosts.

50

MODERN

CLASSICS Britain

expertview

TheXJ6isanintriguing

combinationofhi-tech

aluminiumconstruction

andclassyretrolooks.

Itdefinitelycouldbe

afutureclassic.

John McIlroy

Deputy editor