Study names the top 10 classic cars in the world - based on popularity, rarity & ROI

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV (Crédit-photo: Wikipédia)

CONFUSED.COM - New research reveals the best classic motors across the world. 

The study by Confused.com compared 200 classic cars on factors such as value, rarity and popularity to reveal the world’s greatest classic cars, as well the best classic cars to invest in and the most popular classic cars around the world. 

You can view the research in full here: https://www.confused.com/car-insurance/classic-car-report

The top 10 classic cars in the world 

Rank	Car Make/Model	Annual Google Searches	Rarity (Number Produced)	May 2019 Value (USD)	Current Value (USD)	Percentage Difference	Total Classic Car Score /10
1	Lamborghini Miura	1,461,000	764	$925,000	$1,850,000	100.0%	8.58
2	Ferrari F40	4,081,000	1,311	$1,300,000	$2,600,000	100.0%	8.51
3	Ferrari 250 GTO	1,545,000	36	$68,750,000	$70,000,000	1.8%	7.89
4	AC Cobra	910,500	998	$1,750,000	$1,950,000	11.4%	7.42
4	Lamborghini Countach	4,827,000	1,983	$1,300,000	$1,450,000	11.5%	7.42
6	Datsun 240Z	2,394,000	543	$64,750	$90,600	39.9%	7.20
7	Bugatti EB 110	413,400	139	$1,000,000	$1,650,000	65.0%	7.02
7	Lancia Stratos	1,117,000	492	$587,000	$644,000	9.7%	7.02
9	Plymouth Superbird	642,000	1,935	$390,000	$467,000	19.7%	6.98
10	Jaguar E-Type	1,896,000	67,300	$232,000	$298,000	28.4%	6.69
10	Nissan Skyline GT-R	8,207,000	1,268	$90,000	$115,000	27.8%	6.69

The top-ranked car overall is the Lamborghini Miura. The Miura faired well across the board, scoring particularly highly for its value increase, having doubled in worth over the last three years, and by over 1,500% since launching. 

It’s no surprise that so many Ferraris populate the list of greatest classic cars, but the highest-ranking vehicle from the Italian automakers is the F40. The popularity of the Ferrari is still apparent to this day, with the F40 being amongst the most searched classic cars (with over 4 million searches). Alongside this, its estimated value has also grown by 100% in the last three years, hence why it scored so well.

Another Ferrari takes third place, the Ferrari 250 GTO. The 250 GTO is extremely rare, with just 36 being made, with each original buyer being personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. This rarity has made the car extremely desirable for collectors and sales have repeatedly broken price records. The current valuation is estimated at over £50 million, far more than any other classic car, with the 250 GT also scoring highly for its rarity.

Further insights: 

• The classic car with the highest return on investment is the Ferrari F355. The car's value has grown from $65,000 to $204,000 (214%) since launched in 1994. 

• The most popular classic car is the Nissan Skyline GT-R which saw 8.21 million searches in the last year.

• The most popular classic car on social media is the Lamborghini Diablo with over 150,000 posts on Instagram and 14.6 billion views on TikTok. 

Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at Confused.com, comments:

“Classic cars are becoming an increasingly popular purchase among car enthusiasts and investors alike, with the price of rare models increasing faster than the price of gold! This means that investing in a classic car cannot only be a dream purchase for car fanatics, but also has the potential to be a lucrative investment for smart buyers. Although, it isn’t just the initial cost of the car they need to consider, as even the cheapest models could cost a lot more to run over time.

“When choosing which classic car to purchase it is important to note the cost of car insurance, as even if you don’t plan to drive your classic motor, by law it still requires insurance. If you are in the market for a classic car, we recommend comparing car insurance quotes to calculate how much you could be paying to insure it before making the commitment.”