I was discussing this with a friend the other day (obviously it was a very quiet moment with nothing much exciting to talk about!! lol)

OK so there are very rare cars around, and some of these were because they were one-offs, very small productions runs, or very limited market cars in the first place

 

But out of all these mass produced cars we all remember (depending on your age) from the 60's 70's 80's and even later.... are there any models now that are so rare they are actually extinct (there are none left on the road at all)?

 

Google didn't help much (or perhaps I was searching the wrong terms) I just found rare one-off or supercars. I'm thinking cars which were once a commonplace sight (not like a specific variant of a model like Granada GXL1.6i or some such) but just a specific model

 

We couldn't make up our minds.

 

Rich

Edited November 5, 201312 yr by dicky96

I doubt you'd ever be able to tell with any degree of accuracy as cars always seem to get 'found', plus there are multitudes of cars that have been off the road under long-term restoration or have been scrapped and the V5 not been sent off. There just is no way of telling....and what would you class as 'rare'?

Don't know about specific models but I'm stunned at the "classic" pricing given to cars that in their day were the laughing stock of British motoring, it seems only rarity is a precursor to being sought after in a market that has made most decent classics too expensive for most everyday enthusiasts!, I'm thinking Vauxhall Viva's, Hillman Avengers, even humbers and Princesses!, thankfully even the classic market can't justify value being placed on Metro's and Allegro's.....perhaps because they all rusted away!

morris marinas are rare because top gear destroyed them all

Sierra's are now advertised as resto projects as they were all taken apart for kit cars

There is actually an Allegro owners club!

http://www.allegroclubint.org.uk/

 

Though apparently it started as a joke.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/austin-allegro-fan-club-sparked-3407580

 

 

Maybe even both members log in at the same time occasionally lol

Edited November 5, 201312 yr by dicky96

Any car pre-1990 could be considered rare these days, even a lot of early 90's stuff.

think I was showing my age with the examples used...Lol

Don't know about specific models but I'm stunned at the "classic" pricing given to cars that in their day were the laughing stock of British motoring, it seems only rarity is a precursor to being sought after in a market that has made most decent classics too expensive for most everyday enthusiasts!, I'm thinking Vauxhall Viva's, Hillman Avengers, even humbers and Princesses!, thankfully even the classic market can't justify value being placed on Metro's and Allegro's.....perhaps because they all rusted away!

 

Have you looked at the prices of metros now?

The cavalier is a good example. I'd say they were rare now, but that was seriously mass produced.

And then there's the nova

The cavalier is a good example. I'd say they were rare now, but that was seriously mass produced.

And then there's the nova

 

Cavalier convertible even rarer, don't know why anyone would want one though.

Renault Fuego.

Hey I think I found an example from the mid 80s!

 

Firstly does anyone remember those ads on the telly for Swithland motors who I think had the dubious honor of being the only Yugo distributor in the country?

 

I think they were only shown in the midlands area - but had Sam Fox in them

 

The cars were advertised with having 'Trendy white paint job' 'spoiler' and 'sun roof'. There was no mention of concepts such as 'safety', 'performance', and 'residual value'

 

In one of the ads the neighbour 'Wally' faints when her hears low the (whispered) price of the car is

 

The catch line 'find out why Wally feinted by going to Swithland motors'

 

In another you were urged to 'Follow the Fox down to Swithland motors'

 

I am sure there were a few more of the adverts too.

 

Anyway does anyone remember those adverts? ... and I just checked on 'how many left' and quite a few of the models appear (The Yugo Zastava 311, 313, 314 and 413) now appear to be completely extinct and some have been for 15 years or more!

 

I believe quite a lot of these reconstituted Fiats assembled in Yugoslavia were sold at the time in the UK so it would class as a mass market car.

Yep only 20 odd Renault Fuego's around, 8 of which are Turbos!

 

They do have an owners club forum though (don't look very busy)

Edited November 5, 201312 yr by dicky96

OK to add to this fun then.... can anyone find a (once) common place car that does not have an owners club?

Maestro, montego ,must of made a few of them haven't seen one for years .

Maestro, montego ,must of made a few of them haven't seen one for years .

 

Because (thankfully), they've turned back into the ferrous ore from whence they came.

 

 

Sierra's are now advertised as resto projects as they were all taken apart for kit cars

 

Or used for banger racers....where they belong (apart from the obvious high performance models).

Cars I consider as retro classics that I think 'are' worth are all of the high performance Fords, the MK1 & MK2 Astra GTEs, (Nova GTE to a lesser extent) and all of the early high powered coupes like the Monza, Manta and such like, Merc 190s, BMW E30s and then all of the 'period' RWD Japanese coupes.

I used to have a Celia Supra 2.8i, loved it, they do turn up on ebay in good nick occasionally they were really bad for rust in the rear wheel arch and boot lid. Ive not seen one on the road for many years now.

A good mate of mine has a too.black Manta GTE coupe with 34k on the clock in his centrally heated garage its near showroom condition too.

I am a BIG fan of the Monza and always fancied doing a Lotus Carlton engined project Monza. These are SERIOUSLY cool cars IMO.

 

Cars I consider as retro classics that I think 'are' worth are all of the high performance Fords, the MK1 & MK2 Astra GTEs, (Nova GTE to a lesser extent) and all of the early high powered coupes like the Monza, Manta and such like, Merc 190s, BMW E30s and then all of the 'period' RWD Japanese coupes.

 

Yup - I'd agree with that.... Cars like the Mk1 and Mk2 Escort RS models were w@nkers cars back in the 1980s; but they are retro-cool now!! Just like the Capri...:cool:

 

And as for mass produced cars which are so scarce now, how about some of the early Datsuns like the 180b; 1970s Renaults like the Renault 4; Ian has already mentioned the Yugo - but what about the Fiat 127 upon which it was based? They have probably nearly all rusted away now!!!

 

I haven't seen a Wartburg since about 1979. Nor a Skoda Estelle or any Lada for that matter!

 

I have only seen 1970s Hillman Hunters and Minxs at classic car shows; never on the road.

 

And what of the Talbots which replaced Hillmans in the 1980s - eg the Alpine saloon along with the Solara, Horizon and Sunbeam (not the collectable Lotus version though; they're still around)....?

 

Richard:yes:

I remember the Talbot cars. The Horizon had the LOUDEST timing gear in the entire world. Hateful vehicles, more rattly than a CVH powered Ford!

Vauxhall Viva two door estate with skin ripping vinyl seats and a massive 1.3L engine...Lovely :)

I would seriously love a Droopsnoot Firenza!-rare as hens teeth,although there is an active club,you never see the cars come up for sale...................

Fiat x19 and the uno turbo

Fiat x19 and the uno turbo

 

you and your gay fiats mate :lol: