I think cars have to get to a certain vintage before they are regarded as classics or restoration projects. In Germany, the H plates apply to cars in good condition that are over 30 years old (e.g.Golf mk III) and vehicles newer than that are just old cars.
For me certain cars attract a following. That then drives a whole side industry of modifications, restorations and so on. They become desirable and collectable.
To my knowledge, there isn’t a desire for a mk1 Toyota Rav 4. But a mk1 Ford Escort, VW Golf, early VW vans, Ford Capri, Sierra Cosworth and so on have a following and in cases increase in value.
Rally or racing success plays a part in this. As does lifestyle stuff i.e. camping or surfing for the vans. The dawn of the hot hatch era too.
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Yes, I suppose it’s possibly icon status. The VW Beetle and Bulli van have that association with hippy culture. The Austin Mini is swinging 60s. Things like the Escort, Capri, Cortina were working class icons.
My old mechanic in Scotland used to restore old cars as a hobby/downtime in the garage, and he had some unusual ones on the go. A Vauxhall Victor, for example, which is maybe not ultra desirable, but is still of interest historically.
I found an article here about popular UK classics:
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Some of these had racing / rally pedigree too. Escort Mexico for example is worth an absolute fortune now, if you can find one. There was the Lotus Cortina too I think. That relationship spat out the Lotus Carlton too. Oh my what an beast of engineering that was.
I’m more into the VW bus side where people are prepared to pay thousands for the shell of a mk1 split screen. When the T5 came out, the market shifted, and honestly while you still see them on the road, I can’t see many restoring them in 10 -15 years time, not sure they’ll last either for that matter.
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I have a Honda CRV hybrid, perfect for my needs. I would get a hybrid and do away with range anxiety. I like the driving position and a bit more room, hence the CRV, but a Camry hybrid is a great option too if you want a car.
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Yes, but which Corolla? I don’t know about abroad but in Japan there’s quite a range of Corolla cars. There is the standard Corolla saloon and the current version does look pretty good, but I’d go for the Corolla Cruising which is called the Corolla Touring Sports in the UK. I also like the Corolla Commercial (the Fielder in Japan) but I get laughed at for saying that.
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