A new auction world record was set for a Vauxhall Astra Mk1 GTE as CCA enjoyed a strong finish to 2022 at the Warwickshire Event Centre on December 10

CCA had a strong finish to 2022, with its Christmas Classic Car Sale seeing 245 different lots offered, 80 per cent of which found new owners. Pre-sale publicity had helped to generate interest in a number of Mercedes-Benz modern classics, with a 2007 CLK 63 AMG Cabriolet nearly doubling its estimate to sell for £30,375 (including fees), while an ‘R230’ SL55 AMG smashed its own by selling for £22,250.

CCA’s tagline of ‘Everyman Classics’ ensured there was a good crop of more modest cars in the sale. A 1969 Morris Mini Mk2 made £19,125; and a 1977 Mini Mk3 1000 wrapped in Louis Vuitton-style vinyl sold for £3600. Other small cars included a Citroën 2CV ‘ripple bonnet’ that changed hands for £8325, with a 1985 Ford Fiesta Mk2 Popular Plus selling for £8775.

Jaguars put in a strong showing, too. A 1965 Mk2 3.8 with a manual gearbox and overdrive made £32,000, while two similar cars with the 2.4-litre engine went for virtually half as much at £15,187 and £14,062. A 1998 XK8 Convertible made a similar £14,400, and one of its predecessors in the form of a 1996 XJS 4.0 Coupe sold for £9000.

Among the MGs that found buyers were a low-mileage 1980 MGB GT (£5062), a 1993 RV8 (£19,687), and a pair of early Midgets – a 1098cc Mk2 that seemed a bargain at £5400, with a no-reserve 1275cc Mk3 coming in at an even more modest £3262. Hot hatchbacks that changed hands included a 1982 Ford Escort XR3 that sold for £11,250, a 1988 example of the later XR3i which made £21,375, a £6750 1990 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6, and a 1983 Vauxhall Astra Mk1 GTE (an ex-Wheeler Dealers TV star) that closed at £25,650.

Overall, the sale seemed to confirm the continuing trend that cars with modest values, specifications and running costs are still performing well in terms of both sales rates and prices earned, while higher-value examples of prestige cars or those carrying hefty servicing and running bills are perhaps less consistent.

To see the sale prices of every car sold in the pre-Christmas sale, head to classiccarauctions.co.uk.

  • This 1983 Vauxhall Astra Mk1 GTE had been fully restored as part of a Wheeler Dealers episode. It closed at an impressive £25,650, seeting a new auction record for the model in the process.
  • Examples of the original Subaru Impreza in good, unmolested condition are still increasing in desirability. This Japanese-market WRX STI estate with the early-style dashboard and badges sold for £5288, having been recovered from dry storage and being in need of a full service and an MoT.
  • This 1960 example was one of two 2.4-litre Mk2s with the desirable manual-overdrive gearbox. Both were in good condition, with this one boasting a low mileage since its thorough (and thoroughly recorded) restoration – yet it still went for a rather low-ball £14,063.
  • Big values recorded by ‘Series’ Land Rovers in recent years tended to be earned by long-wheelbase Station Wagons, leaving this short-wheelbase Hard Top Series IIA with a petrol engine to come in at a top-end-of-average £8606.
  • Deep-freeze weather conditions didn’t deter bidding on this Lotus Esprit 2.2 Turbo, the ultimate development of the original four-cylinder Esprit. It sold for £33,862.
  • The inclusion of a hardtop with this 1968 MGC probably helped it to a strong sale price of £21,938. The bonus of a history file dating back to the 1970s and the fitment of desirable suspension and steering upgrades also made it an attractive buy.
  • This late 1.6-litre Peugeot 205 GTI had been previously owned by Ferrari GT-series racing driver Matt Griffin. In lovely condition all-round, having been restored in 2015 and in original specification, it made £6750.
  • The rare ‘3P’ hatchback coupe version of Fiat’s gamechanging 128 saloon is a very rare beast these days. This 1977 1.3-litre example had covered under 50,000 miles and was mostly original. Featured in numerous magazines over the years, it changed hands for an impressive £14,625.
  • There were two examples of the run-out Ford Capri in the sale, with this one by far the stronger performer. Hardly surprising, as it was a recent garage find with fewer than 3000 miles covered. It was in need of cleaning and recommissioning, but that didn’t stop it reaching a sale price of £39,938.
  • Some may recognise this 1969 Morris Mini as Margo, the Mk2 Super Deluxe that was restored by Lancaster Insurance in 2016, with the process featured in Classics Monthly. It sold for an impressive £19,125.