The most revalued classic cars: from Ferraris to the Lancia Delta Integrale
The time machine hasn't been invented yet, but perhaps, looking at the cars we're about to show you, more than one person will be tempted to try and build one. After all, it's hard to resist the thought of owning a classic car for twenty years only to resell it for 1,000 times the price you paid for it. Of course, with a proverbial crystal ball, we'd all be excellent investors, and everyone feels like a genius in a growing market. Therefore, the best we can do is look back at the past prices of cars that have now skyrocketed , perhaps with a bit of regret at some deals that, in today's eyes, seem almost absurd. Below is the perfect roundup for those who want to "kick their hands" over some of the most sensational missed opportunities. But first, a useful consideration to contextualize the prices for 2005: according to the Bank of Italy, in that year the average individual income for an employee was 20,660 euros , the price list of the Fiat Punto started at 12,100 euros and more generally, according to ISTAT, 10,000 euros guaranteed the same purchasing power as 14,100 euros today.
Around 2005, Pagani Zondas were changing hands for around €500,000 . At the time, this figure made them one of the most expensive cars on the road, while today it's barely enough to put a Ferrari 849 Testarossa in your garage. Times have changed, and spending millions on a car is no longer taboo. So much so that the few, indeed very few, Zondas that have been sold in recent years have all fetched staggering prices. For example, the Zonda LH, the one originally commissioned by Lewis Hamilton , was purchased for over €10 million , and a 760 LM Roadster more recently sold at auction for €9.4 million. Thus, we can estimate the average value of a Zonda to be around €5 million , also taking into account the fact that more and more original examples are being transformed into one-offs by their owners. We can therefore estimate an increase in value of 500% .
Let's start with a car that has never been accessible, but which represents an excellent example of revaluation: the Ferrari F50 . The third member of the legendary family of Maranello supercars , originally presented in 1995, has seen its value increase by 1,127% over the course of twenty years. Around 2005, one could purchase one for around €350,000 , a figure which at the time was a third more than the value of a Ferrari F40 and half that of a new Enzo. At more recent auctions, however, the F50 has reached prices in the order of €4.2 million . A huge amount of money that currently makes it the most valuable of all the "big 6" Ferraris.
There are numerous reasons behind the F50's revaluation. First and foremost, its price ten years after its introduction was negatively impacted by some controversies surrounding the car, which was not always judged to be up to the level of the previous F40 and perceptibly dated compared to the Enzo. Once collectors began to appreciate its qualities, however, the situation changed dramatically. After all, it is a car with absolutely unique technical characteristics: a naturally aspirated V12 derived directly from Formula 1, a carbon monocoque, a manual transmission , and a dual coupé/spider configuration with a removable roof. And to this must be added its extreme rarity: at the time of its launch, Enzo Ferrari's historic rule of "producing one less car than the market demanded" had been interpreted excessively cautiously, to the point that only 349 were built . By comparison, 1,315 F40s were built.
Some former BMW M3 E30 owners are probably still kicking themselves. And not just for having gotten rid of a true classic, with a textbook mechanical setup and a 2.3-liter naturally aspirated 200 hp engine closely related to the world of racing. But also in light of the sharp increase in prices recorded in recent years, with a 260% increase in twenty years. This is because in 2005, it was possible to take home an E30 M3, which at the time was between 15 and 19 years old, without too much difficulty for around 25,000 euros . Today, however, as the first-generation M3 prepares to blow out 40 candles, prices are decidedly different. For a good example, in fact, it is difficult to spend less than 90,000 euros . This price tag is justified by the rarity of the car and also by the numerous differences compared to the 3 Series from which it derives. The only body panels shared are the hood and roof, while every other component has been replaced, making it identical to the racing M3, in order to homologate it in the Group A category. The gearbox is a five-speed manual with first gear at the bottom, the braking system was specially developed and the weight does not exceed 1,200 kg.
It's well known that "Porsche fever" has gripped the world of car collecting for years. However, it's still sometimes surprising to see the prices achieved by models that twenty years ago might have been, if not affordable, at least considered "possible dreams." One example is the 964-generation Porsche 911 Turbo with a 3.3-liter engine . The second iteration of the turbocharged 911, powered by an engine directly derived from the previous 930, could be purchased for around €30,000 in 2005. Since then, however, we've seen a 533% increase in prices, bringing current prices to around €190,000 . And things are even worse for the rarer version with the 3.6-liter engine: it demands a whopping €400,000.
La Gazzetta dello Sport
