Classic Car Favourites at Copart

Nostalgic, unique and elegantly designed. When it comes to cars, they certainly don’t make them like they used to….

In a world where vehicles are becoming faster, quieter, higher-spec and more standardised than ever, we thought we’d dedicate the next few weeks to appreciate classic models, so keep your eyes peeled at our news section and social media pages for more updates.  

So, what is a classic?

The description of a classic car also called a vintage car or a period car will vary from place to place. Some say that a vehicle has to be 40 years or older to be classed as a classic, whereas others set the age much lower at 15 years (providing the vehicle has some form of nostalgic merit).

At Copart UK, we class anything 25 years or over as a classic vehicle.

Why are classics so desirable?

Even if you’re a huge modern car buff, the charm of a classic car is undeniable, but what is it that makes a classic car so desirable? We’ve narrowed it down to our top 3 reasons:

Appearance – Let’s start with the most obvious. The appearance of a classic car is unlike any other vehicle on the road today. Each make and model is unique and because classics were predominantly hand-crafted rather than machine built, the style, shape and finish of classics give them their standout characteristics.

Simplicity – Not only are older cars much simpler to use with fewer buttons and controls than you might find on the average modern car. But, they were also constructed differently. Today most cars are controlled by one single unit, but classics were constructed using multiple parts making it easier to get under the hood and start tinkering, this is why classic cars make perfect project cars for motoring novices.

Experience – There’s nothing like the feel of driving a classic, and arguably it can make you a better driver. This is because driving a classic requires much more manual input from the driver, with the lack of power steering, traction control and more, the driver is really at one with the road and has to pay a high level of attention to every action carried out. While this might not sound appealing to the modern driver, for true car fanatics, it's an unbeatable experience.

For more benefits on owning a classic car, please read out previous classics article.

Classic Car Highlights at Copart

With 100s of classic car Lots heading through our Copart UK auctions every year, we thought we’d select some of our top highlights heading to auction in the next couple of weeks:

1989 Lancia Delta

First produced in 1979, the Italian Lancia Delta takes a slightly more modern stance with its boxier lines and inside finish. Met with a warm welcome on its debut, the model went on to win European car of the year in 1980 and become the enemy of its sports car rivals with ClassicCarsForSale commenting “the Lancia Delta Integrale has a sporting pedigree that its rivals could only dream of.”

As well as it’s popular status on public roads, the Delta also had a very successful rally career winning the world championship 6 times, a title that’s made it one of the most successful rally cars of all time.

Auctioning in Wolverhampton, this stunning red Delta has been categorised as a CAT D salvage with just minor dents and scratches. Additional features include a rear spoiler, black wheel rims and 85,489 miles on the clock.

Find out more about Lot #: 47099768. 

Triumph Stag

Styled by famous Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti and produced by British car icon Triumph, this was never a model to be ignored. Described as “achingly desirable to look at, and with a soundtrack to die for” the Stag’s charm never wore off with just over 1/3 of production still on the road (that’s the highest survival rate of all British classics).

Heading to our Westbury auction in a standout purple/red, this CAT S Salvage with front-end damage is sure to turn your buyer's heads, additional features include a soft-top convertible roof and only an impressive 89,105 miles on the clock!

Find out more about Lot #: 48776628. 

Nissan Figaro

The Nissan Figaro is certainly a unique classic. Although the Figaro resembles something similar to a fifty’s roadster with its curved lines and novelty appearance, it was actually produced in 1991 to meet the classic car demand in the Japanese market. 27 years later, the model has now reached cult classic status by combining retro looks with modern mechanics and reliability, a winning mix. Although it never planned to have a wide launch, Nissan eventually went on to build 12,000 cars and in order to get one, prospective buyers had to enter a lottery just to be in with a chance.

Heading to auction in Newbury, the powder blue icon has been categorised as a CAT N salvage with primary damage of vandalism. Additional features include a stylish interior, convertible roof and just 94288 miles on the clock.

Find out more about Lot #: 49147678. 

And our range of classics doesn’t stop there! View our full collection now.

And don’t forget, these cars have been around quite a while so we highly recommend that you complete all of the research listed in “Know-How’s Buyer Checklist” before bidding.

References

ClassicCarsForSale. (2017). 1989 LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE 16V REVIEW. Available: https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/reviews/classic-lancia-reviews-1989-delta-integrale-16v. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

Dat Incredible Chadkake. (2015). 7 Reasons Classic Cars Are Better Than Modern Cars. Available: https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wbpl3om/. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

HonestJohn. (2013). Lancia Delta (1979 - 1990). Available: https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/reviews/lancia/delta/. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

HonestJohn. (2015). Nissan Figaro (1991 - 1991). Available: https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/reviews/nissan/figaro/. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

HonestJohn. (2017). Triumph Stag (1970 - 1977). Available: https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/reviews/triumph/stag/. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

Ian Davies. (2015). Why Do People Still Love Classic Cars?. Available: https://petrolicious.com/articles/why-do-people-still-love-classic-cars. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

Martin Saarinen. (2016). Cult classic: celebrating 25 years of the Nissan Figaro. Available: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/nissan/96257/cult-classic-celebrating-25-years-of-the-nissan-figaro. Last accessed 29/10/2018.

Paul Wager. (2017). ROAD TEST – TRIUMPH STAG. Available: https://classicsworld.co.uk/cars/road-test-triumph-stag/. Last accessed 29/10/2018