You would have earned a lot of money with these cars in 2023

Drive a Ferrari for a year and earn 200,000 euros at the same time? Is that not possible? It does exist: anyone who bought a Ferrari F 512 M a year ago can now enjoy this increase in value. The classic car valuation company Classic Analytics has calculated that the model from the 1990s is now worth twice as much. But it's not just racehorses from Italy that promise to increase in value, but also workhorses from England or faithful companions from Rüsselsheim. So why not get in, because it's not too late, says Managing Director Frank Wilke. "These models are also likely to continue to rise in value," says the expert. So why not put one of these classics in your garage in the new year. Here are ten cars that could be worth it.

BMW 325i Baur (E36): "Bauer's convertible saloons were under the radar in the scene for a long time," says Frank Wilke. Full convertibles were simply more popular. But now collectors have discovered the special "safety convertibles" for themselves - because they are well made and extremely rare. Not even 400 were built. You have to pay 18,000 euros for a well-maintained example. Not a lot of money for such a rare BMW, but more than three times as much as was paid for it just twelve months ago.

Honda Civic CRW 1.6i - 16: The sports coupé from Japan, built in 1986/87, is a technical treat. The 16-valve engine with 125 hp has it easy with the small Civic, the electric sunroof was standard, the chassis firm and sporty. "The challenge is to find a well-maintained example," says Frank Wilke. Due to the high cost of spare parts, the little runabouts have often been neglected over the years. 13,000 euros are due for a good CRX. A year ago it was 4200 euros.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth: Built in 2500 units from 1992 to 1995, it is a genuine rally car. The motorsport manufacturer Cosworth not only gave the Escort a large rear wing, but also four-wheel drive and 227 turbo horsepower. That was enough for the world championship. The "Michael Schuhmacher" special model is particularly popular. According to Classic Analytics, a well-maintained RS Cosworth is no longer available for less than 50,000 euros. A year ago, it was still 18,000 euros.

Opel Corsa A 1.6 GSi: The popular small car became a hit with its fuel-injected engine and 100 hp. "Cars like this are still fun to drive and not too expensive to maintain," says Frank Wilke. The purchase price is also - still - within reasonable limits: according to Classic Analytics, well-maintained examples cost 8,500 euros. And prices are continuing to rise. A year ago, it was only 3600 euros.

Land Rover Defender 110 Tdi: The classic Land Rover is one of the longest-built cars ever: two million units rolled off the production line between 1948 and 2016. The forefather of off-road vehicles has always been considered cool in collectors' circles. "The Land Rover has been really in for a while now," says Frank Wilke. Prices have developed accordingly: A year ago, a well-maintained example with an economical diesel engine was available for 12,000 euros, but now it is 28,000 euros.

Ferrari F 512 M: After the Ferrari hype of the early 2010s, prices have fallen sharply. But now they are rising again, as the F 512 M shows: "The latest version of the Testarossa is currently rising noticeably in price," says Frank Wilke. Classic Analytics now sees the flat twelve-cylinder from 1995/96 at over 400,000 euros. At the beginning of 2023, it was still available for 195,000 euros.

Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6 (964): The Porsche Turbo from the 964 model series (1992-1994) has not gone quite as far. "Porsche prices had also cooled noticeably," said Frank Wilke. The price excesses of the zero interest rate era were followed by disillusionment. Now prices are rising again, like for this last air-cooled turbo model with 360 hp. The 964 Turbo running Classic Analytics costs 253,000 euros in well-maintained condition, 52,000 euros more than a year ago.

Aston Martin Virage: This Aston Martin from 1989 to 1996 is truly exotic. Just 877 of the eight-cylinder sports car were built. It was not really accepted by Aston Martin fans during the construction period. "It doesn't drive as modern as it looks," says Frank Wilke. But now collectors are discovering the outsider: the price has risen noticeably in the past year, from 72,000 to 89,000 euros. And the trend is still rising.

Lamborghini LM 002: Its unusual angular design and the powerful twelve-cylinder engine from the Countach make this Lamborghini an exotic off-roader. Only 301 of the 2.7-ton vehicle developed for the military were sold - all of them to civilians "The manual transmission car is difficult to drive," says Frank Wilke. Lambo fans have had their sights set on the LM 002 for some time and now pay over 300,000 euros for a well-maintained example - 15 percent more than a year ago.

Peugeot 205 Turbo 16: The rally Peugeot built in 1984/85 only has the type number and the look in common with the French small car. "Under the bodywork is a Group B racing car with a mid-engine and 346 hp. "The car was built for homologation," says Frank Wilke. To be able to compete in Group B, 200 cars had to be built. According to Classic Analytics, such a model currently costs 192,000 euros, ten percent more than 12 months ago.

Conclusion: classic cars can be a good investment in any price category. And you are unlikely to lose money on these models in the future either. (aum)