Years produced: 1996-2004
Price range: £1,000-£8,000 Rarity:★★★★★
Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★
INtheSLK,Mercedeshadacarthatcouldmakeyou
looklikeamillionaire,evenifyoulivedbyrelatively
modestmeans.IthadapartytrickthateventheSL
couldn’tmatch:afoldinghard-topthatmadeitas
secure,weatherproofandrefinedasacoupé,while
allowingthesunshineinatthetouchofabutton.
Itdidn’tmattertotheeagerqueueofbuyersthat
theearlycarshadwoodenhandling,awheezyfour-
cylindersuperchargedpetrolengineandaslow
automaticgearbox,becauseitlookedgreat.
Itstilldoes,too,ifthedreadedrustthatplagues
Mercedesofthiserahasn’ttakenhold.That,and
gremlinsinthecomplicatedroof,caneasilywriteoff
anearlySLK.Wewouldlookoutforaslightlylater
V6thathasledashelteredlife.Ensurethefoldingtop
stillworksproperly,andyoucanposeforapittance.
SpecialIssue 61
Va uxhall
Calibra
Years produced: 1989-1997
Price range: £1,000-£10,000 Rarity:★★★★★★★
Maintenance:★★★★★★Investment:★★★★★
CALIBRASwereoncesocommonthattheclassified
adpageswerefullofthem.ButnowaCalibraadvert
isararityandenthusiastsaresnappingthemup,
perhapssuspectingthattheywillmirrorthe
successoftheFordCapriintheclassiccarmarket.
Underneaththesleekexterior,theCalibraisnothing
butaCavalier,whichmeansitiseasyandcheap
tomaintain;justdon’texpectexcitementfrom
anythingexceptthesuper-rare4x4Turbomodel.
AUDI A4
Years produced: 1994-2001
Price range: £300-£6,000 Rarity:★★★★★
Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★
WHENitwasnew,theadforthisA4pokedfunat
theyuppiebuyersofrivalbrands,suggestingAudi
driversweremorecaringandthoughtful.Itworked,
andcustomersflockedtobuythesmart-lookingA4,
cementingthemarque’ssuccessintheUK.While
thebarmyRS4wasaninstantclassic,therestof
therangeisgraduallybecomingcollectable,too.
We’dseekoutacared-for2.4V6Avantinabright
colourforaclassicyoucoulduseeveryday.
50
MODERN
CLASSICS Germany
Va uxhall Carlton
3000 GSi24v
Years produced: 1987-1994
Price range: £1,500-£8,000 Rarity:★★★★★★
Maintenance:★★★★★Investment:★★★★★
THE177mphLotusCarltonmighthavegrabbedthe
headlines,butthe3000GSi24vonwhichitwas
basedwasalsoaveryhighlyregardedcarinits
time,beatingtheBMW5Seriesincontemporary
roadtests.Itproducedasizeable204bhpand
wascapableoftopping150mph,allincomplete
comfort.Whilethey’rerarenow,thecarshavealoyal
followingandarestartingtorapidlyriseinvalue.
Goodexamplesaresellingataround£5,000;that’s
aboutatenthofthepriceofaLotusversion.
MERCEDES SLK
