Modern classics

[Konan555]

only the Cosworth RS500 (big rear wing, bonnet vents and extra fuel injector rail)

Only gonna be a couple of hundred of those left now? I'll see if I can find a figure somewhere.

If you're on about just normal classic status like the VW beatle, the XR4i has started going up in value now.

[Konan555]

I think you are missing the whole point about classic cars, they don't *have* to be performance vehicles.

http://ijwk.ath.cx/sierra.mp3

[Taz]

I agree with many of the choices so far. Here's my list:

Mazda MX-5 (open top motoring for the masses)
Mazda RX-7 (the RX-8 will never be as good!)
Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec (R33 model - Gran Turismo afficiandos still have wet dreams about this car!)
Nissan 200SX (hugely underrared RWD car - very rare though!)
Possibly the Ford Puma (trounced the Vauxhall Tigra, it's main competitor)
Porsche Boxster (still going strong 9 years after its launch - an affordable proper Porsche)
Audi TT (a true icon - timeless design)
Honda NSX (a poor mans Ferrari - again, hugely underrated)
Astra GTE 16V (one of the daddy's of the GTi ilk)
Scoobies and Evo's (love them or hate them, they are hot!)
BMW M3 (still the benchmark for £40K performance cars after all these years)
Mercedes CLK (Finally, a good-looking coupe for dads!)
Audi A4 Cabriolet (Hollywood wives stylee!)
Golf GTi (the original hot hatch)

I must also disagree about the Vauxhall Calibra. It was a Cavalier with two doors. Sure, it looked quite nice but that's about it!

@Knoxville: Do you mean the Peugeot 406 Coupe?

[schmunk]

Nissan 200SX (hugely underrared RWD car - very rare though!)

Rare? When you're aware of them, you see the buggers everywhere...

[Knoxville]

Aye thats the one I meant.



Tasty little so and so back in the day that was, although that pic doesn't really do it much justice.

[Butuz]

Rare? When you're aware of them, you see the buggers everywhere...

Aint that the truth! Only just over 5000 S14/S14a's ever sold by Nissan UK, and thats over a 10 year span. How many have been written off in 10 years? Thats reasonably rare!

Butuz

[Knoxville]

Not that I know a great deal about the numbers but wouldn't grey imports bump that number a fair bit, I do see them quite often round here tbh

[schmunk]

I must see at least one a week, and it isn't always the same one or two cars. Now that's not Focus or Vectra, but I wouldn't exactly call it rare either...

[Butuz]

Maybe you live near the largest 200sx import garage in the UK?

Butuz

[Rave]

I agree with many of the choices so far. Here's my list:<snip>

I largely agree, but:

Audi TT (a true icon - timeless design)

Yeah, and also common as muck, and ridiculously heavy- it's a 2+2 with a small boot and no real practicality and it weighs basically as much as the Golf it's based on. Might as well buy the damn Golf as far as I'm concerned- at least you'll be able to give three mates a lift back from the pub if necessary.

Mercedes CLK (Finally, a good-looking coupe for dads!)

Finally, a way to spend £5-10k more than a Scooby for a slower car with two fewer doors/less space and less performance. Looks nice though.

I must also disagree about the Vauxhall Calibra. It was a Cavalier with two doors. Sure, it looked quite nice but that's about it!

It's all about the models as far as I'm concerned. Yeah the base models were nowt special but the 4x4 turbos really were- and still are, assuming some chav knobhead hasn't screwed up the centre diif through ignorance.

My latest nomination for instant classic status: Mk1 Focus RS. Great car and they never made many of them. People will make money on them in the future if they buy at the right time, you mark my words.

[Russ]

dont know if theyve been said.

but

S1 & S2 106 Rallye
and 106 gti, such a masterpeice..

[[GSV]Trig]

Yeah the base models were nowt special but the 4x4 turbos really were- and still are, assuming some chav knobhead hasn't screwed up the centre diif through ignorance.

Having my 4x4 not working atm I can vouch for the arseyness of this system, however mine wasnt the normal TXB failure (and its a viscous coupling not a center dif) but the 4x4 ECU died, might go down the locked box route but they have a tendancy to spin all 4 wheels and theres no ability to disengage the rear wheels from the front so if u have to brake hard mid corner then theres chance of swapping ends....

[Konan555]

I was under the impression the disengagment of the wheels on that system was to preserve the life of the transfer box.

Plenty of the older 4x4s about that can't unlock their centre LSD under braking, but I suppose they tend to have ABS designed around the fact.

[[GSV]Trig]

Nah, the 4x4 disengages under braking so the car corners like a fwd car under braking

The ABS on the cav/cally 4x4's is front left, front right and rears as a whole so the system doesnt cope well with a locked box under heavy braking/steering.

Theres a diagram somewhere around I'll try n dig it out with a proper explanation.

[Konan555]

Nah, the 4x4 disengages under braking so the car corners like a fwd car under braking

The ABS on the cav/cally 4x4's is front left, front right and rears as a whole so the system doesnt cope well with a locked box under heavy braking/steering.

Theres a diagram somewhere around I'll try n dig it out with a proper explanation.

Permanent 4x4 cars tend to operate more like FWD under the brakes (understeer in, oversteer out). These are oftern based on cars that started life as RWD though.

Again, most cars of the era brake the Fronts on an individual basis and the rears as a whole.

[[GSV]Trig]

Explain it better?