Of course our title is somewhat misleading to the passer-by, but our readers will know this is the last of our 13 car blogs. In it, we’ve reminisced about the old and celebrated the new. Ever wanted to know what cars appreciate in value? Well we hope that our articles have given you an insight, and better still, shone light onto what marques and models have the potential to become the classics of the future!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our journey through the world of automobiles, and give you this article as a summary of our motoring whimsies from the last couple of months.

That Classic Argument

Many people consider classics to be the cars with true value. In a loose sense they are right. In the same way that we might say, “did you see that latest Quentin Tarantino – it’s a classic”, cars that stand out from the crowd can all be considered classics in one way or another.

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And yet, when we talk in a strictly purist sense, classic cars are those from a specific period. For our definition, we settled on all those cars from after the war, but of at least a few decades old, uncovering some amazing motors in the process! From the unbelievably rare Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa [pictured above] to the more commonplace, but none the less era-defining, Mark 1 Mini, we’ve uncovered some absolute beauties in our quest for value.

Our guide to Car Value

And speaking of value, what were our findings?

Well, what was evident, was that there are no set rules for measuring the value potential of a car, merely guidelines. To give an example, we would generally say that the better the condition of the vehicle, the higher the value. Yet despite that sound logic, there are always exceptions to the rule, taking this rather bedraggled looking Mini as an example:

[picture to be uploaded]

Now, although it looks a wreck, one must look deeper into its history, for this is believed to be the oldest surviving unrestored Mini around. Added to that, it is a surviving vehicle of the Mini’s 1959 launch year, which is actually quite rare these days. And it sold… wait for it… for £40,250.

Now whether this price fits in with the current state of the market, and demand for that particular car, we aren’t too sure. But it does just go to show that anything is possible when it comes to cars.

Our top tips

Over the last few weeks we’ve given you tips on vintage, classics, modern classics and even potential future classics. These common points have all had an impact on price, so when investing or loaning against your car, bear these key criteria in mind:

1. Age – certain ages of car are more sought-after than others, perhaps because that year only a few were made, or, as with the above example, it was the inaugural year of that particular vehicle model
2. Condition - while our Mini proves that there is no definite must-have list for value appreciation, 9 times out of 10, the better the condition of your car, with the more service history and manufacturers data available, the better
3. Style – there is no substitute for style. Whether a square Lancia Delta Intregrale or a sleek Jaguar E-type, design is a key facet of collect-ability.

borro and Cars

This blog has been brought to you by Ed Hallinan, who writes for borro, an innovative loan company. We have won numerous alternative lender awards and set out to write these informative blogs for your enjoyment, as well as to give you all our latest and greatest tips on valuing your vehicle. If you feel you could add to the conversation and further help the motoring community, please feel free to leave a comment – we love nothing more than interacting with our readers, after all we write these articles for you!

As a loan company, borro lend against all sorts of assets and so have also written another series of blogs about watches. If this is something that interests you, or you’d like to know more about why wristwatches can be so expensive and which brands to look out for, then why not have a read of our introductory watch blog here.

Motoring on!

Ed and the borro team.

Our last blog gave an insight into how and where you might be able to sell your prestige car. Today’s piece aims to provide you with all the inside knowledge on prepping your vehicle for sale. Whether through classified ads or on eBay, sticking to our top tips should help you achieve the full value potential of your luxury car.

What Will I Achieve?

Our past blogs have covered the very best in luxury and classic cars. In the process we’ve done our best to predict the cars that could go up in value, of course including those that have set records for their value appreciation.

However, it is common knowledge within this industry that appreciation is rare. The cars we have covered represent just a very small fraction of the used car market. Realistically, you will be lucky if your vehicle’s value holds its value, and are almost never guaranteed to get back more than you paid for it.

Bear this in mind when you sell, using sales of similar vehicles to gauge an achievable price. Also remember that classic cars become rarer as they get older. Time allows models of a certain car to be damaged or even destroyed. The longer you can keep your car in pristine condition, the rarer it becomes and the more chance you have of it appreciating. As a result, you may want to consider a short-term loan if you need access to cash rather than wanting to sell your car.

Top Tips

1. Take your time: frankly, if you have to sell quickly, you’re not going to get the best price. In this circumstance, a direct to dealership strategy would work best (perhaps you could use dealerbid.co.uk to do this online). However, if you want to get value from your vehicle, specialist loans companies can give you cash within 24 hours of application.
2. Homework is crucial: we touched upon this in the first section of this article, but knowing your market will help you tremendously: firstly because you can set a realistic price which will entice buyers, secondly because you won’t be deflated when too-high expectations aren’t met, but perhaps most importantly, you will fully understand your vehicle’s worth, giving you great haggling advantage!
3. Spruce it up: cars that are clean inside and out with no or minor damages are much easier to sell, fact.
4. Condition is key: spotless used cars with higher-end, hard to find features, can command a lot more money than the more common base models. But more crucial still is condition. Large dealerships often spend £100s per vehicle to get them show-ready. If you can do that for the dealer, you’ll already be in a position to knock off would-be valet costs.
5. Update your filofax: ensuring all your paperwork is gathered together in a file will show promise to buyers. The more in-depth the service history, and the more transparent you are able to be, the more viable the car to a buyer.

Summary

A lot of what we have touched on in this article might seem fairly obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people neglect the finer details and suffer a big loss on their car as a result. Make sure you put yourself in the best position possible to sell your car. The same also goes for obtaining a loan against a prestige car.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

So far on our automotive journey, we’ve found out about all sorts of prestige cars, including antique, classic and high-performance. Now we have a much better idea of the value we can expect a vehicle to achieve, we’ll use this blog to talk you through how to sell your car.

Whether selling through classified ads or on eBay, sticking to this guide should help you achieve the full value potential of your luxury car.

Where Should I Sell?

There are 4 main options when selling your prestige car:

• Specialist classic car dealerships

Advantages:
-knowledge of current market
-will do all the work for you (preparation/paperwork/sell)

Disadvantages:
-this is a business – salespeople will look to sell your vehicle on for a profit
-not appropriate if you are not prepared to haggle

• Auctions

Advantages:
-least labour intensive way of selling
-quick payment following sale

Disadvantages:
-submission fees can be costly
-risk of vehicle not selling (costs time and a re-submission fee)

Car magazines (classifieds)

Advantages:
-you are selling privately, so cutting out the middle man
-choose who you sell to – every part of the sale is in your hands

Disadvantages:
-can be a waiting game, potentially slowest way to sell
-time and effort in submitting advert information

Online (e.g. eBay)

Advantages:
-you are selling privately, so cutting out the middle man
-potential to exceed market value if you get into a bidding war

Disadvantages:
-takes time to set up advert (pictures, blurb etc.)
-danger of selling for less than market value

Our view

Over recent weeks, we’ve discussed auction results and used them to indicate potential for a vehicle’s value. With an everyday car, auctions are hit and miss. You might get what you want, but there’s a big chance you won’t. However, with desirable prestige cars that you are confident people will want to fight over, an auction could get you the best result.

Put it this way: if you had a car that there is a vehicle appreciation society dedicated to, perhaps a rare Ferrari, or mint condition vintage car, would you rather buyers got into a frenzied bidding war, or go with a one-off offer from a classified ad.? This is why sought after cars are better off sold at auction.

Alternatively, if you don’t think your vehicle quite has the kudos for a real-life auction, dealerbid.co.uk offers an enticing Plan B. They let you pitch your car to dealers, who then come back with offers. Instead of going to individual dealerships, you can effectively visit hundreds within a single click.

Next Time

So you now have a better idea of options for selling. Tomorrow, we’ll be letting you into our top tips for prepping vehicles for sale, helping you to get the very most out of your prestige car.

Until then, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

Continuing on from yesterday’s post, we are trying to look into the future, using our past blog discoveries to predict what will make it as a future classic in decades to come.

We have already confirmed that style and cult design have a huge impact on a vehicle’s chances. Here are a few more categories:

Eco Warrior

Perhaps this is a bit of a long-shot. But remember the Ford Model-T? Undoubtedly that vintage car became a ‘classic’ (in the literal sense of the word). It was even voted the greatest car of all time.

Now I’m not saying the release of the Toyota Prius was as game-changing as the first production line car. However, in 50 years time, when we’re all driving our manure-powered eco-machines, we will surely look back at the first mass-market hybrid as a catalyst for this new breed of super-economical cars.

Priuses (or Prii) have their haters, but they also have a number of fans, as proved by the recent figures claiming numbers now exceed 5,000,000. And while this goes against our principle that rarity is key to future value, Model Ts were also made in the millions, and look how iconic they still are today.

This picture shows the first generation Prius, which, at its launch became the world’s first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid car.

Rare breed

Our second Japanese import is the Nissan Skyline R34 GTR. It only made it to the UK in very limited numbers, and as we have seen from previous examples, rarity has a huge impact on a car reaching classic status.

Watch this space.

Speed Junkie

Petrol heads like style. They fall weak at the knees for power. But what really go crazy for is speed. Going down the years, the true classics are those that have broken record after record. Go back 90 years and you’ll be looking at the 5-time Le Mans winner, Bentley 3-Litre. Fast forward 30 years and we are introduced to the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa – style icon and 3 times Le Mans winner.

Today we have some very, very fast cars. But is there anything to compare to the superstar status of the Bugatti Veyron? The Super Sport version which, according to Fox Sports Speed, shattered the landspeed record for a production car with an unbelievable 267.8mph. If only Bentley’s drivers of the 1920s could see it now – this car can’t be anything other than a classic.

Next Week

Come back next week to see our guide to selling your prestige cars. Do bear in mind though, that borro can help unlock a vehicle’s value without the need to sell, making sure you keep hold of your prize asset and future investment.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

Do you remember that scene in Back to the Future where the notorious Biff gets hold of a list of horserace winners from the future? Of course, he went on to win millions of dollars betting on these sureties. Adapting that to the world of cars, wouldn’t it be great if we could look into the future to nail down some surefire classics, cars that are destined for iconic status?

Unfortunately, we all know it’s impossible to guarantee what the future holds, but with our past blogs we think we’ve uncovered enough pointers to give us a fair idea. In this post we’ll be using our automotive crystal ball to unearth the classic cars of tomorrow.

Style Guru

There is just no substitute for style. Whether it’s the jaw-dropping sleek of an E-type Jag or the stubborn angles of the Lancia Delta Integrale (both of which we’ve covered in previous articles), design undoubtedly plays a huge role in defining classic status. With that in mind, could you get any more eye-catching than this beauty?

Alfa Romeo 8C struts its stuff - our odds on favourite for 2040’s vintage pin up.

Cult Hero

Nothing screams desperation like taking an old classic, ‘sup’-ing it up, adding patio doors to its rear end and ripping out its soul in the whole messy process… mentioning no names of course (Mini Clubman). However, when done in the right way, as with the new breed of Fiat 500s, classic cars breathe again with new life. Indeed, the Abarth versions of the little maestro develop the car into somewhat of a lovable, but feisty terrier. The best way to think of it is this: would Mr Austin have approved of the hideous monstrosity that is the Clubman? I think not. However, would Mr Agnelli have given the new 500 the thumbs up? Well, what do you think:

The first new generation Fiat 500s were unveiled in 2007. We see their undoubted class carrying them through for decades to come.

Relevance to Value

As always, these borro blogs aim to your thirst for all things motoring. However, we are a company that look to shed light on the value of cars too. As with any prediction, we can’t guarantee these cars will be excellent investments for the future, but we think they stand a fighting chance.

To find out more about borro and how we can help unlock a vehicle’s value without the need to sell, click here.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

Following on from yesterday’s blog, here are our top 3 classic cars of the modern era. We didn’t intend them to be rally cars, but there have just been so many iconic off-road racers from the last 20 years that it was impossible to rank them anywhere else.

Do you agree? We’d welcome you to join in the debate. In the meantime, have a look for yourself:

Number 3

• FORD Escort RS Cosworth: 1992-96

There was a time when the very notion of an Escort becoming a classic car would have been laughable. There are that many clapped-out bangers or ridiculously ‘suped-up’ versions to give the car a bad name. However, the original 2 litre Cosworth RS became a tour-de-force of the rally car world, winning 5 events at the 1993 World Rally Car Championship. The king of all boy-racers, EVO Magazine named it “iconic, indomitable, Britain’s Integrale assassin, nemesis of the hot hatchback and, by any reasonable definition of the term, the Real Deal” – now who’s laughing?

Price today: some well-maintained models will go for >£20,000 – not bad for a twenty year old motor.

Number 2

• LANCIA Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II: 1993-94

Forget the Golf GTI, this is the hot hatchback you need to have. Described by motoring journalist Quentin Willson as having “the road manners and performance to shame a supercar…[it is] quite simply sublime”. The little rocket won the World Rally Championship 5 times between 1987-91 under a number of different guises. However, the crème de la crème has to be the Evo 2: with a 0-100 kmh time of 5.7 seconds, it’s no wonder no other car could touch it. A true modern classic.

Price today: providing you have a full dealer service history, and survive a professional inspection, expect a decent one to set you back £30-40,000+

Number 1

• Impreza WRX STi “22B”: 1998

Never mind Ferrari red, it’s that unmistakable Subaru blue which makes the top of our modern classics list. The Impreza first arrived on UK shores in 1994, and after a slow burn, soon earned cult status. Its all wheel drive was perfect for wet weather days, it was powerful and it wasn’t particularly expensive. However, it was Colin McRae’s World Rally Championship win with the Impreza 555 that really put the car on the map. There were a number of variants we could have opted for, but we’ve chosen the 22B as our pin-up. Made to commemorate Subaru’s 40th Anniversary, it is reported that only 424 of this 2.2 litre 400bhp monster were made. It’s probably the one and only time you’ll ever long for an STi.

Price today: the problem with Imprezas is their popularity. We Brits loved them – and so the Japanese gave us a whole host of variations. You can expect to pay £20,000 for one of the better good quality, low milage Imprezas. However, certain models, such as the P1 have reached £40,000.

Summary:

Historical provenance, style and speed have all influenced our list of the top 5 modern classic cars. In terms of value, one must remember that owning one of these does not automatically guarantee a good investment. However, with a sub-100k milage, full service history and limited/no modifications, you could well be onto a vehicle of considerable monetary worth.

Have you considered securing a loan against the value of your car? If you believe you own a classic, you could well pocket a tidy sum, perfect for a short term loan.

Next Week:

Tune in next Wednesday as we attempt to predict which of today’s cars has the legs to make it as a future classic.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

So far in our blog we’ve had a good look at vintage and classic cars, paying specific attention to their value today. Not only have we have proven that not all cars depreciate, but that even everyday cars have the potential to become iconic and appreciate overtime – certain early Minis being a case in point.

But what of modern classics? We’re talking cars around 10-20 years old that have gradually built up classic status. Taking recent sale prices, historical significance and production numbers into account, this week’s blogs sees us delve into our top-5 list of modern classics.

Number 5

• PORSCHE 964 RS: 1992-94

Let’s be frank, Porsche 911s are classics in their own right. They have an excellent pedigree and are instantly recognisable. But we thought we’d refine the list a little bit to this 90s version, dubbed by Porsche 911 Magazine writer, John Boggiano as his “favourite 911” of all time. A car for 911 lovers then, this model is just one of several variants of the iconic sports car. While they are sold and referred to as ‘911’s, each reinvention of the vehicle is given a different number within the offices of the car manufacturer (e.g. our 964). Although the first 964s (commonly known as Carrera 2 [RWD] and Carrera 4 [AWD]) were first manufactured in 1989, the super-lightweight RS version was unleashed in 1992. Deemed too aggressive for the American market, only 2,282 were produced. That’s just 3.7% of all 964s ever manufactured, making it very rare. Add the fact that it goes like the clappers, this car has since become a classic.

Price today: £70,000+

Number 4

• BMW E30 M3: 1985-92

In a similar way to the Porsche 911, generally speaking most M3s are classics – even 10-year-old standard versions will fetch over £15,000. However, the first version to pull on petrol-headed heartstrings was the E30 model, introduced back in 1985. This high-performance version of the BMW 3-series has since won accolades such as being named in Automobile Magazine’s “5 greatest drivers cars of all time”. With kudos like that, it’s no wonder the M3 is still in production today.

Price today: circa £20,000. However the limited edition Evo 2 (only 500 made) has been seen to sell in excess of £40,000.

Till tomorrow:

Despite having seen these cars on the road for the last decade and more, we never fail to drop our jaws when we see a mint condition modern classic rolling on by. For those of you who like speed and off-roading, tomorrow’s blog is a must read, where we’ll be unveiling our top 3 modern classic cars.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

Yesterday saw us delve deep into the history of ‘classic cars’. To that end, we created our ultimate top-5 list of cars, taking history, looks, provenance and value into account. In this blog we’ll conclude that list with these 3 icons (they just happen to be British!…):

EVERYDAY CAR:

BMC Mini (Mark I) – 1959-67
In February 1997, a jury of 132 professional automotive journalists from 33 different countries, under the presidency of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, came up with a 100-car shortlist for the title of ‘Car of the Century’. The list included an E-type Jaguar, Volkswagen Beetle and a Porsche 911. And while our previously mentioned Ford Model T was announced the winner 2 years later, it was the Mini which came a close second. Although manufactured between 1959-2000, the original Mark I Minis, made under the banner of the British Motor Corporation, have the most potential for value – an iconic everyday family car.

Value: Mark I Minis in good condition can sell for £10,000+. In our industry blog, we recently covered the case of a 1967 Mini Cooper S, which sold for £29,400. Even more surprising is a dilapidated old 1959 Mini, believed to be the oldest surviving unrestored model, which sold last year for £40,000!

4X4:

Land Rover Series 1 – 1948-58
A stalwart of the British off-roading tradition, this was the first Land Rover ever made. Inspired by the American Jeep, these cars were sturdy and functional, a testament to the fact that they have now become synonymous with the worldwide-farming industry, as well as the British military.

Value: A mint condition Series 1 can fetch anywhere between £20-30,000. Interestingly, an unrestored model, formerly owned by Sir Winston Churchill, sold for a whopping £140,000 in 2012. This was purely due to that particular vehicle’s heritage, but it just goes to show that a good story can seriously add value to a classic car.

SPORTING ICON:

Jaguar E Type – 1961-74
One could argue that with the Land Rover and the Mini, we’ve already covered 2 stalwart British motoring icons. But neither come close in beauty or desirability to this classic 1960s pin-up. Cars like this often seem rare – but in fact more than 70,000 E-Types were sold during its lifespan. With a top speed of 152mph and acceleration of 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds, this Jaguar model was ranked first in the Daily Telegraph’s poll of the “100 most beautiful cars” of all time.

Value: Models frequently sell in excess of £70,000. A Series 1, particularly one of the first 500 ever made, featuring flat floors and external hood latches, can fetch in excess of £100,000.

Summary:

In today and yesterday’s blog, we’ve brought you 5 examples of classic cars, from the ridiculously rare, to fairly simple everyday vehicles. And regardless of the various conflicting definitions of ‘classic’ cars, there is a running theme that connects all these cars: they marked a historic change in car manufacture and were built to last.

In our next blog, we’ll be looking at this formula as a way to evaluate modern classics.

In the meantime, why not explore the value of your own classic car, by giving our experienced team of experts a call on: 0808 163 9537.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

As we covered in a previous blog, the definition of a ‘classic’ car is subject to serious debate for two reasons:

1. Date of manufacture – some believe a classic car to have clearly defined dates. Although you will hear that a classic dates between 1925-1948, in other circles a classic car is one which is over 40 years old, and a vintage one which is over 60 years old. Meanwhile, some insurance companies are prepared to label cars merely 15 years old as classics.
2. Personal taste - are all cars of a certain age classics? Using the broader definition of the word, surely there’s more to reaching classic status than age alone?

At borro, we try and take all these arguments into account when valuing our cars. We have already covered some of the greatest vintage cars from the UK and USA, taking us up to 1931. After this time, the ‘Great Depression’ of the 1930s, as well as WWII, seriously stilted growth of car manufacture worldwide.

We would therefore define cars of at least 15 years of age, but manufactured after 1945 as classics. The newer of these we would refer to as ‘modern classics’.

borro’s top 5

Next week we’ll take a closer look at these modern classics. In the meantime, we’d like to take today and tomorrow’s blog to show you who’d make our list of all time classic cars!

ALL-TIME RARITY:

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa – 1956-61
We couldn’t help but start the ball rolling with a Ferrari. But somehow, we know what you’re thinking – why not go for the 250 GTO, of which only 39 were ever produced? Well, because at a manufacturing total of 34, the Testa Rossa trumps that. And with three Le Mans wins (’58, ’60 & ’61) compared to the GTO’s zero, there is the argument that this car was actually more of a proven racer.

Value: the first Testa Rossa ever to be built came up at auction on 20th August 2011. It sold for $16,400,000.

AMERICAN MUSCLE:

Ford Mustang – 1964-73
The American motoring industry is synonymous with its muscle cars, in particular the Ford Mustang. In their day they were well-built, relatively cheap, and went like stink. As a result they were featured in numerous movies and became film-stars in their own right.

Value: Mustangs aren’t particularly rare – by 1965, Ford had already sold 418,812. However, limited edition models, such as the Shelby GT350 have made in excess of $150,000.

Until Tomorrow

We’re going to leave you hanging as to the other 3 iconic classics that make our top 5, featuring an everyday masterpiece, a cross-country trooper and a true sporting pin-up.

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.

There’s no hiding away from the fact that the USA was undoubtedly the tour-de-force of the vintage car making era. That said, the UK did produce some of their own cars and, certainly in today’s market, that does pay off. Where the American production lines were putting out 90% of World production during the roaring 20s, British car manufacturers held less than 10% of market share. As a result, those cars that have made it through to 2013 are in much shorter supply, and consequently have a greater potential for value.

Bentley 3-litre (1927)

A Brief History of British Cars

Britain has a long-standing tradition for luxury and sports cars. Notable names include Aston Martin, Jaguar & Rolls Royce, but it all started with Daimler. Now somewhat of a forgotten marque, Daimler were the founding car making institution of the UK, and made a number of prestige vehicles. Such was their associated luxury, that they were given British Royal patronage as early as 1898, as well as being named official providers of Prussian and Spanish state cars shortly after.

By 1913, the market was dominated by Ford, who had built a factory in Manchester, and 4 all-British producers in Wolseley, Humber, Rover & Sunbeam. That year Ford produced 7,310 cars with 9,000 manufactured between the UK quartet. Understandably, production of commercial vehicles came to a standstill between the Great War years. However, fledgling companies, such as Austin, utilised this period to create cars and machinery for the military. As such they were able to grow exponentially and by 1929, the height of the vintage era, it was Austin and Morris who led the British automobile market.

The Value of UK Vintage

Car of the People:
The king of the road during the vintage era was undoubtedly the Austin 7. Between 1922-1939, over a quarter of a million of these ‘Baby Austins’ were made, effectively making them the UK’s answer to the Ford Model T. And anyone aged between 15-25 might be more familiar with the little car than they realise, as a scaled down version was used for the popular children’s TV show ‘Brum’ in the 1990s. Despite the large production figures, one of these in mint condition can reach anywhere between £10-£20,000.

Sports Icon:
Was there ever an icon to rival the Bentley 3-Litre [pictured above]? Introduced in 1919, this classic was Bentley’s first, and went on to win the prestigious Le Mans race 5 times! A sports car for sports men, “it was not the means whereby the 3-Litre Bentley performed, but the manner in which it did it” wrote the well respected magazine, Classic Sports Cars. And with only 1,622 ever made, these cars are hard to find, a famous model (formerly the property of Sir Malcolm Campbell) selling for £212,800 last June.

Rare Breeds:
Rolls Royce is to cars as Rolex is to watches – a brand with worldwide recognition, synonymous with luxury. The manufacturer began producing cars in 1904, and by 1907 had been described by Autocar magazine as the “best car in the World”. This was mainly down to the unveiling of the 1906 ‘40/50 hp’, of which one particular model has gone down in history. Although 7,874 were made, only one was officially named the Silver Ghost. Intended as a showcar to demonstrate the reliability of the brand, the model soon gained World-wide recognition and all other 40/50s were unofficially donned with the same name. And while a 1920s model has recently sold in excess £500,000, the real treasure remains the original showcar, with registration number AX 201. Reported to be the most expensive vehicle in the world, it was insured in 2005 for $35 million.

Novelty Value

We’ve all seen old cars that have been stripped down and rebuilt. And then there are cars that have been extensively modified and turned into ‘hot rods’. But if you think this is a purely modern phenomenon, think again!

This lawnmower was crafted from a 1924 Austin 7 back in the late 1950s. We bet you’ve never seen anything like this before and thought we’d finish today’s article with something a bit out of the ordinary. Capable of a slightly alarming 30mph, it was sold at auction last year for £11,025, which just goes to show: considerable value can be found in the strangest of places!

Until next time, Ed Hallinan and the borro team.