No slump in classic car prices in 2016

11/23/2016

Ciiroën SM von 1970

Over the past few days, we have compiled and analyzed many figures for our annual magazine. Among other things, we also compared the prices achieved at auctions for popular models with the previous year. And it turned out that the average prices in 2015 and 2016 were at a similar level, and there was no sign of a slump.

Porsche 911 Carrera RS 1973 (© Porsche AG)

For example, the Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring (1972-1973) was even around 12% more expensive in 2016 than in the previous year, while the Citroën SM (pictured above) was only 61% of the previous year's average price in 2016.

However, the SM comparison in particular is statistically relatively shaky because the condition and provenance of the individual cars can produce strong downward or upward swings with only six examples sold.

It is certainly better to compare the prices for the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona or the 288 GTO, for example, as cars in similar (i.e. very good) condition usually appear at auctions in this segment. Incidentally, the Daytona was traded on average 5% higher than in the previous year, the 288 GTO 2% lower. So you could say that the prices for these models remained more or less the same.

Ferrari 288 GTO von 1985 (© Bonhams)

However, this flat trend is of course already a problem for investors, because if you expect 10 or 15% returns per year, value stability alone is not in demand. For the owners of such cars, however, there is at least no need to go to the insurance company again.

The (sortable) table here shows the 30 types compared, their average sales prices achieved at selected auctions in 2015 and 2016 and the increase or decrease in value ("2016:2015"), as well as the number of vehicles traded and the maximum price achieved. This would also allow some conclusions and observations to be drawn, because the further away the maximum price is from the average price, the more different the condition and provenance of the individual cars sold.

Vehicle type	D VP CHF 2016	D VP EUR 2016	D VP EUR 2015	2016:2015	Max VP EUR	Quantity
Alfa Romeo Montreal	75129	71366	77510	0.92	101977	7
Aston Martin DB4	560870	508576	491143	1.04	609500	11
Austin-Healey 3000	71253	67907	62201	1.09	117012	15
BMW M1	430200	392100	469993	0.83	508200	5
BMW Z8	197016	179101	206947	0.87	242880	7
Chevrolet Corvette C1	83587	80188	107131	0.75	111320	9
Citroën SM	43504	39734	64819	0.61	74750	6
Dino 246 GT	350073	324702	333115	0.97	377520	16
Ferrari 288 GTO	2293370	2106945	2141022	0.98	2326500	5
Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina	199715	182283	186384	0.98	328900	9
Ferrari 328 GTS	128218	117067	110776	1.06	173250	16
Ferrari 365 GT4 BB	474450	427700	430396	0.99	455400	5
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona	790347	741946	706228	1.05	1178692	16
Ferrari 512 BB	292058	281423	349187	0.81	318780	13
Ferrari 512 BBi	319608	291199	292408	1	404800	13
Ferrari F40	1245634	1134207	1114039	1.02	1411740	9
Ferrari Testarossa	162508	149471	186576	0.8	290290	24
Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8-Litre FHC	129989	118794	136317	0.87	151800	5
Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8-Litre Roadster	221892	202110	199631	1.01	299794	10
Jaguar XK 120	114198	106450	135566	0.79	132160	12
Maserati Bora 4.9	165969	151358	180480	0.84	172040	6
Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Coupé	221880	215250	257108	0.84	287100	8
Mercedes-Benz 190 SL	123817	114267	136983	0.83	173250	28
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing	1190625	1085163	1232736	0.88	1258400	11
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster	1090431	1020252	1086298	0.94	1515461	14
Porsche 356 A Speedster	425175	388227	356604	1.09	613800	10
Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring	634721	600132	536217	1.12	835835	6
Porsche 911 Turbo	160968	149304	167135	0.89	300300	27
Porsche 959	973884	890025	1134217	0.78	1161600	7
Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser	61900	56340	60492	0.93	75900	10