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  • Hagerty analysts add 196 unexceptionally average cars to the Hagerty Price Guide in latest update
  • Once everyday cars are now rising at a rapid rate year on year, the Triumph 1300 increasing more than 20 per cent over the period
  • Hagerty experts identify the 20 biggest climbers in the unexceptional market – with models rising between 4 and 20 per cent
  • In comparison the Jaguar E-Type Series III increased in value 8.2 per cent over the same period (2020-2021)
  • The 2021 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional takes place at Grimsthorpe Castle on Saturday 30th July, showcasing forgotten vehicles that were once a common sight on UK roads
  • Read the full Unexceptional Hagerty Price Guide report here

Ordinary, everyday cars – affectionately known as ‘unexceptional’ cars – that were once the backbone of Britain are now proving so sought-after that many are rising in value faster than versions of the Jaguar E-Type.

The latest data from the Hagerty Price Guide reveals everyday cars have enjoyed a bumper year of growth, with values rising as much as 20 per cent year on year.

The Hagerty Price Guide actively tracks market values for nearly 2,200 cherished cars so owners, as well as buyers and sellers, have an accurate picture of their car’s worth. The latest update to the guide has seen an impressive 196 once-average models added to the guide, and the Hagerty analysts that compile the data – taking sales results from UK auctions, trade sales and private sales – have compared average value in 2020 with their average in 2021 to date.

Models including the Ford Cortina, Renault 4, Hillman Imp, Austin Princess, and the infamous Allegro have posted the biggest increases in value, so far this year, posting increases in value of between 4.4 and 20.4 per cent for the top 10 performers, at a time when precious few bank savings accounts better a return of 1 per cent. They’re joined by other strong performers that are household names, with the Ford Fiesta, Austin Metro and Vauxhall Cavalier just some of the humble family cars that have become desirable to their fans.

With a healthy rise in value, these cars often offset any associated running and maintenance costs, making them a surprisingly sound investment. Hagerty’s Top 10 best performers are:

  • 1965-1970 Triumph 1300 increase: 20.4 per cent
  • 1962-1966 Ford Cortina Mk1 increase: 19.4 per cent
  • 1973-1982 Austin Allegro increase: 13.6 per cent
  • 1962-1980 Renault 4 increase: 10.6 per cent
  • 1963-1976 Hillman Imp increase: 10.1 per cent
  • 1970-1976 Ford Cortina Mk3 increase: 7.8 per cent
  • 1968-1979 Renault 16 increase: 7.4 per cent
  • 1948-1960 Peugeot 203 increase: 5.2 per cent
  • 1975-1981 British Leyland Princess increase: 5.1 per cent
  • 1987-1994 Alfa Romeo 33 increase: 4.4 per cent

As a yardstick, the latest data from the Hagerty Price Guide shows that the Jaguar E-type Series III has risen by 8.2 per cent in the past year, from an average sale price of £54,988 across all models in 2020 to £59,500 in 2021. The Ferrari 308 GTB has gone from £61,200 to £65,475 too – a gain of 7 per cent. And some affordable sporty classics have gone up too – a Triumph Spitfire is worth on average 4.5 per cent more than it was this time in 2020.

The remaining cars listed in the Top 20 best performers can be found here

For car enthusiasts, these unexceptional classics represent an affordable as well as enjoyable route to owning a special car. The majority identified in the list of top 20 risers cost no more than £4000 but are on the up.

John Mayhead, head of automotive intelligence for Hagerty, says there is a simple reason seemingly ordinary cars are becoming more sought-after by Britain’s car enthusiasts. “These everyday cars are becoming increasingly rare. For decades the vast majority were unloved workhorses that would eventually be sold for scrap at best. Now, with rarity on their side and nostalgia tugging at the heartstrings, enthusiasts are snapping up the remaining examples, sometimes because of an emotional connection and sometimes perhaps because they feel a duty to preserve them for the enjoyment of future generations.”

Many of these increasingly rare everyday cars may be found at the world-famous Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional, the concours event dedicated to unexceptional classic cars which will be staged at Grimsthorpe Manor, Lincolnshire, on 31 July. (Click here to find out more.)

Read the full feature, with detailed model analysis here

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