Car & Classic have revealed to MotorMartin the ten most searched-for models on their popular classified and online auction website in the first half of 2022, and the Ford Escort tops the list once again. RS2000 versions continue to be as popular as they were in 2021: this Portugal-based 1977 Escort RS 2000 X-Pack sold in June this year for £37,500.
BMW’s 3-series searches take the second spot: almost half of those searching for BMW aim for M-models (it was a quarter in 2021), an interest no doubt fuelled by the focus on the M-Division’s 50th anniversary this year. Recently, Car & Classic auctioned a 1999 BMW E36 M3 with very low mileage for £13k. BMW’s increased presence shifts Porsche further down the list.
Whilst the popularity of Triumph Stags, MGBs and Jaguar E-Types is never in question, newcomers can be spotted in the search table: VW’s Beetle, featured in 2021, drops off the 2022 list in favour of the marque’s Golf range, especially the hot hatch GTIs of the ‘80s like this sympathetically restored 1982 Golf MkI 1.6 which sold this month for £25k. Land Rover has also piqued the classic car enthusiast’s interest enough to appear in the top ten, dethroning the Mustangs’ American muscle, one of last year’s favourites. This 1981 Land Rover Series III sold this spring for £31,500, strong money even for a car as beautifully presented and with low mileage.
Unsurprisingly, given the rise in value and demand in the last few years, Ford Cortina also makes it to the top ten with over 20% of its searches focused on the Lotus version.
“Car & Classic’s continuous growth over the last two years, regardless of global challenges and individual markets’ conditions, mirrors a healthy and renewed interest in classic cars,” shared Car & Classic’s head of editorial Chris Pollitt with MotorMartin recently before adding that, “Important milestones like marque or model anniversaries may focus enthusiasts’ attention, but the ‘usual suspects’ are never far off people’s radar, especially if they come with good history, low mileage and great condition. Our increasingly pan-European reach as the continent’s largest classified site for classic and specialist vehicles puts us in the ideal position to keep a finger on the markets’ pulse.”
Car & Classic typically lists around 40,000 vehicles at any one time, with a range of prices from “no-reserve” to £10 million and are well worth checking out.
Top 10 searches in first half of 2022
Ford Escort
BMW 3-series
MGB
Triumph Stag
VW Golf
Porsche 911
Land Rover (Series 1, 2 and 3)
Jaguar E-type
Ford Capri
Ford Cortina