Aston Martin DB4 + Porsche 912 + Lancia Flaminia - Ones That Got Away 419
Uncle Cliff takes a look back through the Unique Cars classifieds...
ASTON MARTIN DB4 - Advertised May 1995
Given the excitement that manifests whenever an Aston from the David Brown era comes up for sale, cars like this could soon be worth ten times their 1995 value. DB-prefix Astons have for quite some time been ranked among the most productive investments known to mankind and yes there is a James Bond influence. But seriously, just look at the shape of the thing. Designed more than 60 years ago by Italian style house Touring, there are few automotive shapes that carry their age better than a 1960s Aston. Hope it’s still here and pops out occasionally.
Then: $89,500. Now: $750-850k
PORSCHE 912 - Advertised November 1999
Twenty years ago if you had an imperfect four-cylinder Porsche priced at $24,000 it would very likely have been sitting in that street, forlorn and unsold for quite some time. The 912 was one of those ‘good idea at the time’ cars that was meant to deliver the experience of 911 ownership to people who couldn’t afford a 911. Unlike the six-cylinder models, 912s had a relatively brief existence only sold around $30,000. No information on how many came to Australia but probably fewer than 100. They don’t often appear for sale and values haven’t as yet grown to 911 levels.
Then: $23,975. Now: $60-70,000
LANCIA FLAMINIA SPIDER - Advertised May 2002
As one of Italy’s smaller styling houses, Touring of Milan produced disproportionate numbers of utterly beautiful cars. Elsewhere is an example of Touring’s handsome Aston-Martin DB4 and here we have one of the most elegant convertibles of its era. The Spider shares a 2.8-litre V6 and not much else with the fearsomely ugly Flaminia Zagato coupe and during the course of recent years has attracted a following and lots of money. Finding a buyer in the vicinity of $80,000 might in 2002 have proved difficult but today getting much change from $300,000 is unlikely.
Then: $78,000. Now: $240-280k
MINI COOPER S MkII - Advertised April 1993
Back in the 1960s when it took one to catch one, loads of burly NSW coppers did their backs and knees trying to fold themselves into Cooper S Minis of this kind. They were normally painted drab colours and came with metal sunvisors which the speeders could pick from a couple of miles away. A lot of these cars when retired were taken straight from the government auction for a make-over including brighter paint, a radio and flashy wheels before lining up at one of the ‘performance’ car yards that existed back then. Well worth having now.
Then: $15,000. Now: $40-45,000
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