Valuation busters revealed

Insurance and lifestyle brand Hagerty has revealed 10 auction sales that exceeded all expectations laid down by its regularly updated price guide in 2021 and speculated what they might mean for the market.

While some of the valuation-busting entries, like a Porsche 959, an Aston Martin DB4 GT and a 1971 Iso Grifo S2, are for more affluent enthusiasts, there were some more affordable entries that could be indicative of changing market trends.

For instance, a 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II that sold at Bonhams for £30,375 – 14.6 per cent above its price guide valuation of £25,500 – aligns with Hagerty’s belief that the very highest-quality 1970s and 1980s Rolls-Royces will continue to increase gradually in value. Likewise, it reckons a 22,000-mile Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupé that beat its price guide value of £29,900 by 25 per cent to sell for £37,356 with Historics is suggestive of an increase in value for the very best DB7s.

Moving on to more traditional classics, a 1961 Morris Minor 1000 saloon in superb condition at SWVA smashed the price guide’s £10,600 top valuation by 41 per cent to make £14,938. Hagerty reckons Morris Minor values have been static for a while now, and while this is unlikely to signify an upward trend, it shows that the very best examples of any car are always desirable.

Elsewhere, a Mk1 Lotus Cortina sold by Silverstone Auctions showed a 52 per cent increase over expectations, selling for £63,000 against a £41,500 valuation. However, this was probably down to being from TV star Mike Brewer’s collection, bucking the trend of a modest fall in Lotus Cortina values. Elsewhere, rarity value pushed a 1965 Ford Mustang GT Fastback at Historics to £51,520 – 27 per cent ahead of its £40,500 price guide estimate.

Finally, Hagerty reckons the sale of two exceptional German classics will have a contrasting knock-on effect. A Mercedes-Benz 190SL W201 that sold for 37 per cent above its £160,000 expectation to reach £219,375 is believed to mark a shift in values for top examples of the model. However, a 1991 Audi Quattro 20-valve that sold for a whopping 61.5 per cent above its price guide estimation of £101,00 to sell for £163,125 is likely to an anomaly due to its sub-10,000 mileage.

Values for the very best DB7s are likely to increase, Hagerty predicts. Lotus Cortinas have suffered a modest fall in values, but this ex- Mike Brewer example bucked the trend.