8 cars worthy of your investment

Classic cars can be a wise investment, mostly due to the fact you don’t have to pay capital gains tax on a sale. Knowing what to buy before prices rise to unreachable levels is the challenge.

Here is a list of cars that have the potential to turn a healthy investment in years to come, if you can stomach the costs now. Short term pain for long term gain.

1. The B7 Audi RS4 (2006-2008)

For ultimate cool points, get the estate.

The second generation RS4 is car we’ll never see the likes of again. It’s destined for future classic status due to it’s analogue nature, huge performance and stealthy appearance.

When launched, it was seen as a bit of a lairy design, with it’s big, wide wheels and swollen arches, but now, with Audi’s design language becoming very loud and brash. These older generation RS models, to the untrained eye, blend into the background as if they’re any other diesel rep-mobile.

These inconspicuous looks, hide big performance. The B7 RS4 boasts a 414-horsepower 4.2 litre, naturally aspirated V8 engine, that revs to an ear-ringing 8,250rpm. This is coupled to Audi’s famous quattro four-wheel-drive and, petrol-heads rejoice, a 6-speed manual gearbox.

In a world of turbos and flappy-paddle gearboxes, this will go down as a sweet-spot in understated performance car history. For full stealth-mode, try and find an Avant (estate) variant.

Expect to pay: €20,000-€25,000. Price when new: €70,000

2. Renault Clio V6 (2001-2005)

The Phase 1 Clio V6

The Clio V6 is another car that will never been green-lit for production again. What RenaultSport did, was take a normal Clio hatchback, and then go completely crazy.

From the outside, the Clio V6 was brash, with massive flared arches, and huge air intakes behind the doors. Then as you step closer to the car, you realise there are no back seats. In their place, a massive, mid-mounted 3.0 litre V6 engine, that produced 227-horsepower in early cars, and 252-horsepower in later versions.

Again, to enthusiast’s excitement, the sweet sounding V6 is bereft of turbocharging and mated to a manual gearbox, and all the power is sent to the rear wheels. The Phase 1 cars were built by Tom Walkinshaw racing, who at the time, was also building the Arrows Formula 1 team’s racers. The later Phase 2 cars were built in house by RenaultSport.

The Phase 1 cars are the rarer of the two generations, but apparently the twitchier car to drive over the more refined Phase 2. Both however, are something to behold, and another example of a generation of performance cars at their peak.

Expect to pay: €22,000 to €26,000. Price when new: €30,000

3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI ‘Tommi Makinen Edition’ (1999-2001)

You can have it without the stickers, but you want the stickers.

The Lancer Evo VI is a legendary car in it’s own right, being a 276-horsepower rally-car for the road. It is one of the cars immortalised by the PlayStation Generation due to it’s appearance in Gran Turismo.

The Tommi Makinen edition was released at the end of 1999, to commemorate factory driver, Tommi Makinen’s, then record breaking, fourth World Rally Championship title.(Sebastian Loeb has since won it 9 times!!)

The TME is little varied from the regular Evo VI, but with a lowered suspension set-up, it has slightly sharper handling to the already physics-bending standard car. It also came with different bumpers and optional graphics to make it look similar to the competition car.

Mitsubishi have since killed off their Lancer Evolution models, and this is arguably the best of the breed, of the ten generations produced. A big-turbo, 4 wheel-drive, road going rally car.

Expect to pay: €16,000 to €18,000. Price when new: €30,000

4. Volkswagen Golf R32 (2002-2008)

The MK4 R32

I’m including here, both generations of the R32 Golf produced by Volkswagen, the MK4 and MK5 variants. Volkswagen have always had a huge cult following, especially by those who love a fast Golf, ever since the inception of the GTi in the late 70s.

Knowing this, VW were confident enough to build a Golf, with a 3.2 litre VR6 engine, accompanied to their Haldex four-wheel drive system. Unsurprisingly, the car was a success, which at first was a Europe only model, but the popularity saw it eventually sold in the US and Australian markets.

The R32 produced 237-horsepower in the MK4 generation and 247-horsepower in the MK5, from the gloriously sounding 6-cylinder engine. The car utilised haldex four-wheel drive, which means the car is predominantly front-wheel drive, but will send power to the rear when traction is needed.

Both generations were loaded with every extra in the VW catalogue, most noticeably, beautiful leather Recaro bucket seats. Each generation was available with 6-speed manual gearboxes, and the MK5 had the option of a 6-speed DSG paddle shifter too.

An interesting fact, the MK4 R32, in 2004 ,was offered with a DSG gearbox in Germany only, making it the first production car with a dual clutch transmission, which now is de rigeur .

Expect to pay: €9,000 to 14,000 (MK4) €10,00 to 16,000 (MK5). Price when new: €30,000

5. Toyota MR2 Turbo W20 (1990-1999)

The Japanese Ferrari…kind of

This one may reap this most rewards in years to come, as they are relatively cheap to buy and run, but they are hard to find.

The turbo variants of the second generation MR2 were never officially imported into Europe, but have made it over to our shores through grey-imports. The Turbo MR2 was a 2.0 litre, mid-engined sports car, with 218-horsepower (up to 238 in revised versions) powering the rear wheels. 0-100kmh can be achieved in around 5.5 seconds, which is a staggering performance figure, even by today’s standards.

Toyota spent endless time developing the MR2, with help from ex-Formula 1 driver, Dan Gurney. These revisions came throughout the cars lifespan, with four revisions of the turbo generation cars (Rev 2 to Rev 5 models). The car was available with a 4-speed auto, but that’s best avoided. Thankfully most cars came with the 5-speed manual, and that’s the one to have.

A lot of MR2s fell victim to the aftermarket modifying scene, due to the healthy base performance that could easily built upon, but it’s the untouched, standard models that will be sought after as future classics.

Expect to pay: €7,000 to €12,000. Price when new: €26,000

6. BMW 850CI Manual (1990-1999)

The one everyone really wants, the 850CSi, but there is an alternative

The BMW 8 series never sold particularly well in period. During it’s 10 years in production, there were just a little over 30,000 built in it’s various guises. Since then however, it’s garnered serious cult appeal.

The near 28-year old design has aged like a fine wine. That low, sleek nose, fitted with infinitely cool, and now outlawed, pop-up headlights, that flow into a swept coupe body, that encompass pillar-less doors and wide rear haunches.

The top of the 8-Series pile was the 850CSi, which had a V12 engine that was fettled by BMW’s M-division, and closely related to that of the V12 in the McLaren F1 hypercar. The 850CSi came with a manual gearbox, increasing it’s cool points ten fold. The prices for those however, have already skyrocketed, with good examples nudging a hundred grand.

There is a much cheaper alternative though, the 850Ci. The 850Ci also came with a V12 engine, all 5.0 litres of. It was about 50 horsepower down on the CSi, but it still packs a healthy 322-horsepower. Although available as an automatic, it’s the rarer manual gearbox cars that are the one’s sought after.

BMW are bringing out a new 8-Series next year, which will certainly increase popularity, and therefore prices of the original cars, so now is the time to buy.

A manual, naturally aspirated V12 sports car with pop-up headlights, what more could you ask for?

Expect to pay: €20,000 to €25,000. Price when new: €70,000

7. Audi TT MK1 (1998-2006)

The 1.8T quattro Sport is the one to have.

Ok, bear with me on this one, I know it’s controversial, but hear me out.

Beauty is subjective, but the MK1 Audi TT, or the 8N to give it it’s official nomenclature, will go down as a revolutionary piece of design. It’s still eye-catching today, when the design is approaching 20 years old. The newer generations have become less bold, with sharper angles and fussy lines.

There were several front wheel drive variants, but these one’s are best avoided. The models worth investing in are the sportier versions, equipped with the VW group’s infamous Haldex 4-wheel-drive system.

The two specific models to browse the classifieds for are, the 1.8T quattro Sport, and the 3.2 V6 quattro. The 3.2 is actually a VR6 engined machine, a legendary motor that has been present in VW group machinery for decades. The 3.2 TT was in production from 2003-2006, and produced 247-horsepower from it’s sweet, free revving, sonorous 6-cylinder engine

The 1.8T Sport, despite only being a four cylinder, is the more lusted after model. There were only 800 left-hand drive versions built, adding rarity into the mix. The turbocharged engine produced 237-horsepower, just ten down on the 3.2, via a 6-speed manual. It also had the exact same torque figure as the 3.2, with 236lb/ft, but it came in earlier in the rev-range, and for longer. It was also quicker than the 3.2, due to it’s lighter weight.

Expect to pay: €6,000 to €14,000. Price when new: €35,000 to €40,000

8. Honda Integra DC2 Type R (1995-2001)

The first non-JDM only Type R

The DC2 Honda Integra Type R is the epitome of the Japanese bands Type R philosophy, before it had to succumb to pressure and go turbocharged.

The DC2 Type R is lightweight, focused, with a high revving VTEC engine. It was the first Type R produced that wasn’t solely for the Japanese market, so it had the task of introducing the Type R brand to Europe, no pressure then.

It impressed. The 1.8 litre VTEC, although not the most powerful machine, with 190-horsepower, loved to rev, and when the VTEC would kick in (yo!), and climb on to the engines second cam, it would scream to it’s 8,000 rpm redline.

Although the Integra Type R was front-wheel drive, it had a trick limited slip differential, making it arguably one of the greatest handling front-wheel drive cars ever produced.

The trick to finding one to invest your money in, is to find one that hasn’t been modified, as like most performance Japanese cars, many fell into the aftermarket tuning scene. Unfettled examples will be sought after in years to come.

Japanese performance cars of the 90s are not far from having there day in the sun. They were immortalised by the PlayStation generation, with thanks to Gran Turismo, and those who were playing those computer games are now growing more mature, and will lust after the machines the idolised in their youth. The DC2 will be one of those cars.

Expect to pay: €10,000 to €15,000. Price when new: €25,000

This list is by no means comprehensive, and my words are not gospel. If I had the expendable cash (which I very much don’t) to invest in a future classic, I would definitely consider one of the above…until I can’t think of others to add to the list.

Don’t complain to me when you lose all your money.