The market analysts at Hagerty UK have revealed the eight classics they tip to take off in 2024. The annual Hagerty Bull Market uses the company’s market data to check rising values against demand and the results are determined only after months of number- crunching. The company stresses that the results are not just about the potential to make a quick buck, however, and that all eight of its chosen cars offer a ‘great ownership experience’.
A spokesman said: ‘While the Hagerty Bull Market is aimed at people who want to find, buy, and drive a classic or modern classic vehicle, the recommendation is always to choose a car the buyer likes first and foremost. If the car later delivers a healthy return financially, that should be considered as an added bonus.’ Wise words.
First on the 2024 list are the Alvis Speed 20 and 25, the 3.5-litre pre-war Coventry straight- sixes having been long undervalued against contemporaries. While you could expect to pay anything from £50,000 to 100,000 for one of the Alvises, at the other end of the scale is the 1994-97 4.0-litre Daimler Six, which can still be snapped up from just £1500.
A pricier contemporary alternative that is likely to get caught up in the fad for Fast Fords is the 1985-91 Escort RS Turbo. With banner headlines over the £722,500 paid for Princess Di’s old runabout, current prices start at just over £8000, which is sure to change. Hagerty predicts: ‘The Escort RS Turbo has so much going for it – a homologation special, the Blue Oval on the bonnet, and now a record sale.’
Other modern classics on the list include the high-revving Honda S2000 and TVR Cerbera, in particular the Speed Eight Red Rose, while the youngest car on the list is the rather more expensive (at £290,000-560,000) Porsche 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0. The petrol-powered tips are rounded out by the Maserati Indy, but one rather unexpected inclusion for 2023 is a pedal car, the Hagerty team saying that events such as the Settrington Cup at Goodwood have cemented the Austin J40 as an increasingly valuable ‘car’.
John Mayhead, editor of the Hagerty UK Price Guide, said: ‘The Bull Market is a highlight of my year. Working with our Hagerty analysts around the world to identify what we forecast will rise in value and is interesting and fun to own is really rewarding. This year’s UK Bull Market list is the most eclectic ever, and I think it reflects the diversity of the classic and collector market here in the UK.’