The curse of the four doors - a look at Retro Classics Bavaria
12/10/2016
The first Retro Classics Bavaria, a new classic car fair in Nuremberg, opened its doors yesterday. The premiere already shines with a variety and size that some other events of the same kind only achieve after years of development. Of course, there are many Mercedes and Porsches to be seen in Nuremberg, as well as BMWs and Volkswagens of all kinds, but there are also cars to be admired that are rarely seen elsewhere.
As we walked through the halls and looked at the cars on offer, we noticed once again how little influence rarity and provenance have on the price of an old car as soon as it has four doors.
The first example: a Lancia 2000 (marked Lancia Flavia 2000 LX) from 1970. The car, which was apparently in good condition, received a used replacement engine in 2015 and has been driven 500 kilometers since then. The seller would even offer a new MOT if desired. The asking price for the elegant saloon was EUR 6,200.
Second example: A Lancia Appia of the 3rd series from 1960. According to the seller in original condition and unrestored, but with overhauled technology. EUR 14,800 is the asking price for the limousine, which is equipped with double-opening doors.
You are unlikely to find many alternatives on the market, but this is not reflected in the price. The same should also apply to the Alfasud successor, the Alfa Romeo 33 with boxer engine, which could be found in another hall.
These are all attractive cars and if they were sports cars (with similar specifications), they would cost considerably more. However, saloons, especially those with four doors, simply seem to appeal less to the imagination of potential buyers, although they are actually much more practical. This is perhaps one of the reasons for the difference in value, in addition to the former higher emissions.
Of course, there are also counter-examples to the 4-door theory: a Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II is on offer in Nuremberg for EUR 215,000.
A visit to the trade fair in Nurembergis definitely a good opportunity to take a close look at the current price structure in the classic car trade. And to enjoy many cars (from the Audi 60 to the TVR Vixen) that you may never have seen all year.
We will, of course, provide a detailed report on the fair at a later date.
