How is the coronavirus crisis affecting classic car prices?

Bruno von Rotz
05/23/2020

Auswirkungen von Corona auf die Oldtimerpreise

One question that many classic car owners (or prospective owners) are currently asking is whether prices for old cars are likely to rise or fall due to the coronavirus crisis. Of course, we don't have a crystal ball at our disposal either, but we have taken a look into the past, more precisely into the time of the financial crisis that shook the world around 2007/2008. In order to determine the influence of the financial crisis on classic car prices, we compared 100 Classic Data valuations (according to condition 2, i.e. very good condition) from 2006 with those from 2010, i.e. before and after the financial crisis.

The analysis shows that, despite this certainly difficult period, prices have risen rapidly, on average by a total of 47 percent! Only one car became cheaper, all the others became more valuable. The differences between the periods, i.e. pre-war, post-war, sixties and seventies, are small on average in the selected examples. Particularly rare and legendary cars certainly rose in price more than less rare and better-known vehicles. That was already the case back then.

Can this insight now be easily applied to the current situation? There are a few differences that certainly come into play here. Firstly, we were in a phase of slightly falling prices before the coronavirus crisis, after the peak for many cars was probably reached around 2015/2016. The coronavirus crisis and a potential subsequent recession will have a much greater impact on more people than the financial crisis. On the other hand, investments in tangible assets are particularly popular in times of recession. And then there is the issue of changing environmental awareness and its impact on the usability and attractiveness of the automobile as such. The extent to which new laws and changes in lifestyle will affect classic car prices also remains to be seen.

Classic car owners can certainly be encouraged by the fact that old cars have held their value well in past crises. And as many classic car drivers assure us, driving an old car has been particularly enjoyable in recent weeks, regardless of its value.

What do you expect yourself? Will classic car prices tend to rise or fall as a result of the coronavirus impact? Answer our "question of the week"on this topic and join in the discussion.

Here is the table we have compiled for our brief analysis:

Brand	Type	Years of manufacture	Period	2006 Z 2	2010 Z 2	Increase in %
AC	Cobra 289 Mk II	1963-1965	60s	155000	360000	132
Alfa Romeo	6C 1750 SS	1919-1932	pre-war	290000	380000	31
Alfa Romeo	Giulia Super	1965-1971	60s	10600	14800	40
Alfa Romeo	Spider 2000 Veloce	1974-1983	70s	10200	12200	20
Alpine-Renault	A110 1600 S	1970-1972	70s	29000	46000	59
Aston Martin	DB4	1958-1963	60s	86000	185000	115
Audi	100 Coupé S	1970-1971	70s	9000	14000	56
Austin-Healey	100/4 BN1	1952-1955	50s	34000	48000	41
BMW	328 sports two-seater	1937-1939	pre-war	192000	370000	93
BMW	507	1956-1959	50s	270000	530000	96
BMW	Isetta 300 Export	1956-1962	50s	10400	14500	39
BMW	3.0 CS	1971-1975	70s	11600	18600	60
BMW	2002 Turbo	1973-1975	70s	18000	29500	64
Borgward	Isabella Coupé	1958-1961	50s	20400	26100	28
Cadillac	Series 62 Convertible	1959	50s	44000	68000	55
Chevrolet	Corvette C2 Coupé	1964-1966	60s	27000	38000	41
Chevrolet	Camaro Coupé	1967-1969	60s	12200	15300	25
Citroën	11 B Légère	1947-1952	50s	11000	15200	38
Citroën	2 CV 6	1969-1976	70s	4300	6900	60
Citroën	DS 19 Pallas	1965-1968	60s	12300	14900	21
Citroën	SM	1970-1972	70s	18000	23000	28
Citroën	DS 21 Pallas	1968-1972	60s	11200	13900	24
Datsun	240 Z	1970-1974	70s	12300	15400	25
De Tomaso	Pantera	1971-1978	70s	32000	40000	25
Dino	246 GT	1969-1974	70s	65000	120000	85
DKW	3=6 Monza	1956-1958	50s	21700	31000	43
DKW	AU 1000 S Coupé	1959-1961	50s	7300	9500	30
Ferrari	250 GT 2+2	1960-1964	60s	67000	115000	72
Ferrari	275 GTB/4	1966-1968	60s	310000	700000	126
Ferrari	365 GTB/4 Daytona	1968-1973	60s	148000	240000	62
Fiat	500 B Topolino	1948-1949	50s	10500	13700	30
Fiat	500 D	1960-1965	60s	5500	7200	31
Fiat	6000 Multipla	1955-1960	50s	7500	9800	31
Fiat	1500 convertible	1964-1965	60s	9900	13500	36
Fiat	850 Coupé	1965-1968	60s	4100	7000	71
Fiat	124 Abarth Rally Stradale	1972-1975	70s	15400	20000	30
Fiat	130 Coupé	1971-1976	70s	10500	13700	30
FMR	Tg 500 Tiger	1958-1961	50cc	29000	62000	114
Ford	Taunus 12 M	1959-1962	60s	5900	8300	41
Ford	Capri 2600 RS	1970-1973	70s	11700	17300	48
Ford	Capri 3000 GXL/GT	1972-1973	70s	6900	9700	41
Ford	Escort RS 2000	1973-1974	70s	9300	21000	126
Ford	Mustang Convertible	1964-1966	60s	22500	28500	27
Glass	Goggomobil T 250	1955-1969	60s	4000	5500	38
Glass	1300 GT Coupé	1964-1965	60s	13300	17000	28
Heinkel	Cabin 154	1957-1958	50s	7000	7700	10
Iso	Grifo 7 Litri	1968-1970	60s	66000	135000	105
Jaguar	XK 120 OTS	1949-1954	50s	52000	68000	31
Jaguar	XK 150 S DHC	1959-1961	50s	59000	101000	71
Jaguar	E-Type Series 1 3.8 Coupé	1961-1964	60s	39000	53700	38
Lamborghini	Miura P400 S	1968-1971	60s	114000	310000	172
Lancia	Aurelia B20 GT Coupé	1953-1957	50s	61000	95000	56
Lancia	Flaminia Convertible 3C 2.8 Touring	1963-1965	60s	33000	41800	27
Lancia	Fulvia 1.6 HF	1969-1970	60s	17500	41000	134
Lotus	Elan S2	1964-1966	60s	22100	26700	21
Maserati	Ghibli SS Coupé	1969-1972	70s	47000	66000	40
Mercedes-Benz	170 Va	1950-1952	50s	18000	23400	30
Mercedes-Benz	300 SL Gullwing	1954-1957	50s	290000	410000	41
Mercedes-Benz	190 W121	1956-1959	50s	12300	17200	40
Mercedes-Benz	190 SL W121	1955-1963	50s	45000	59000	31
Mercedes-Benz	220 SEb W111 /3 Coupé	1961-1965	60s	21000	30400	45
Mercedes-Benz	280 SL W113 Pagoda	1968-1971	60s	32000	48000	50
Mercedes-Benz	280 E /8	1971-1976	70s	7600	10500	38
MF	TF 1500	1954-1955	50s	34000	36700	8
MG	TA	1936-1939	Pre-war	30000	38800	29
MG	TC	1945-1949	50s	29000	31300	8
MG	A 1600 Mk II Roadster	1961-1962	60s	22300	26100	17
MG	B GT Mk II	1967-1971	60s	9700	10900	12
Mini	Cooper S 1275 Mk I	1964-1971	60s	15900	25400	60
Monteverdi	High Speed 375 S	1968-1976	70s	44000	51500	17
Morgan	Plus 8 4 speed	1972-1976	70s	29000	37700	30
NSU	Wankel Spider	1964-1967	60s	12100	16900	40
NSU	TT	1967-1972	60s	9700	17500	80
NSU	Ro80	1969-1977	70s	6400	9300	45
Opel	Captain 54	1953-1955	50s	11300	15100	34
Opel	Rekord 1500 P1 4 doors	1959-1960	60s	7500	10500	40
Opel	Kadett B 1700 S Coupé	1967-1970	60s	4400	5900	34
Opel	GT 1900	1968-1973	70s	10500	13100	25
Opel	Manta A GT/E	1974-1975	70s	7500	10800	44
Opel	Commodore GS/E Coupé	1970-1971	70s	6400	8000	25
Peugeot	404 convertible	1966-1968	60s	16400	20500	25
Porsche	356 1500 Speedster	1954-1955	50s	63000	113000	79
Porsche	356 A 1600 S Coupé	1955-1959	50s	38000	52000	37
Porsche	911 Carrera RS 2.7	1972-1973	70s	68000	190000	179
Range Rover		1970-1981	70s	9200	11400	24
Renault	4 CV	1947-1961	50s	6300	8200	30
Rolls-Royce	Corniche Convertible	1971-1977	70s	51000	48000	-6
Saab	92 B	1953-1956	50s	7100	9800	38
SS	Jaguar 100 3.5	1934-1940	Pre-war	168000	220000	31
Toyota	2000 GT	1965-1970	60s	140000	210000	50
Toyota	Celica GT	1973-1977	70s	5600	8500	52
Triumph	TR3A	1957-1961	50s	22100	27500	24
Triumph	TR6 PI	1972-1976	70s	17700	22000	24
TVR	3000 S	1978-1979	70s	19800	22500	14
Volvo	P1800 S	1966-1968	60s	10300	14700	43
VW	Pretzel Export	1949-1953	50s	12500	15400	23
VW	1200 Export	1964-1965	60s	4900	6100	24
VW	1303 LS Cabriolet	1972-1980	70s	11400	14200	25
VW	Karmann-Ghia Coupé	1955-1960	50s	9900	13100	32
VW	Type 2/T1 Samba 23 F	1955-1963	50s	33000	40000	21

Current valuations of the vehicles, which in almost all cases are significantly higher than at the time, can be found here. And yes, a BMW 2002 Turbo for EUR 29,500 in condition 2, the phone would be ringing off the hook today.

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How is the coronavirus crisis affecting classic car prices?

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