Thinking of buying a classic sports car? Well, you have certainly picked the right year to do so because some of the coolest classic sports cars have lost value in 2021, so this is a good time to get them cheap. In fact, there are quite a few muscle cars that have lost value in 2021 too. And it's not as if we are talking about the unpopular sports cars here because when it comes to classic sports cars, we only list the coolest here.
There’s nothing better than a beautiful classic sports car that makes you the cynosure of every eye on the road, and one that lets you feel the breeze in your hair when roll down that top. So sure, the modern sports cars have all the tech and the features but it’s the classic sports cars that bear tons of character and glamor.
If you too are a fan of classic sports cars and feel 2021 is the year to get one, here go 10 gorgeous options that are losing value in 2021 and may come to you at a bargain.
10 1972 Porsche 914 2.0: Not A Boxer
So yes, we know, the Porsche 914 has to be the strangest of all the Porsche, because it eschewed the Boxer engine for Volkswagen 1.7-liter and 1.8-liter mills. When sales started plummeting, they got in a 2.0-liter engine that restored some of the shine to the Porsche name.
The 2.0-liter engine models are the most popular today and while prices have gone up and down over the past few years, 2021 is seeing another dip, and is easy to find one of these in mint condition for $10,000-15,000.
9 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia: Beetle Insides
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, the Type 14, was basically coach-built over and above the chassis of Type 1, as in the Beetle but came wearing stunning looks and a more aerodynamic output.
1967 is a favored year for this classic with the engine now giving more than 40 horses, and there was the new use of front disc and rear drum brakes. From a top-notch sale of $35,000 in July 2020, the Karman Ghai is losing flavor with a recent sale in 2021 begetting only $14,000.
8 1971 Datsun 240Z: Time For Japanese Power
The Datsun 240Z entered American in 1969 and suddenly changed the perception of Japanese cars on its head. Now, Japanese cars meant power and accuracy, along with a pleasing, aerodynamic form and this car trounced all European sports car competition, all by itself.
1972 is one the last years of good performance till the 1975 model took emission control to heart and became better again, so it’s a favorite year for classic car aficionados. In 2020, auctions of this nifty sports car crossed well into six figures, now, you can have it for $20,000-40,000.
7 1990 Nissan Skyline R32: The JDM Classic
We don’t really think of the ‘90s when we say classic car, but heck, it's been 31 years of the Nissan Skyline R32, and it’s definitely become a cult classic, if not a classic, per se. Also, this is a JDM, and so in the US, we have had to wait to get it for a good part of our lives.
But today, many JDM import specialists have been bringing a steady stream of this car into the US, and while prices have remained high, 2021 is seeing them slip. Has the supply exceeded the demand? Today, you can have one for less than $40,000, easily…
6 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza: “Unsafe At Any Speed”
In 1965, automobile critic Ralph Nader published a book and called the only rear-engined American car, the Corvair, “unsafe at any speed”. The damage and fallout were fast and furious and the Corvair became reviled, for no major fault of its.
Later studies found it to be no more unsafe than any other rear-engined car of its time, and slowly, over the years, its value as a classic has grown, enough for it to even touch six figures in the past. That said; the year 2021 is not showing much love to this classic sports car, and you can have one for as low as $10,000 today.
5 1972 Triumph TR6: The Brit Roadster
Triumph was doing fairly well with sports cars and the TR6 carried the good name on. Then they brought out the TR7, and things went awry with the wedge-shaped disaster of a car. The TR6 meanwhile was an excellent sports car, and even today it's easy enough to find parts for it.
But you can never really guess when a classic sports car is going up in value, or down. In 2019, for example, Triumph TR6 sold for as low as $9,000, and by 2020, they were selling for almost $50,000. Today, you can have them for less than $20,000.
4 1963 Studebaker Avanti: The 40-Day Car
When we call it the 40-day car, it's because Raymond Loewy’s team of Tom Kellogg, Bob Andrew, and John Ebstein created the concept in the same number of days, back in 1962. The Avanti is basically an Italian exclamation for “forward”, much like the English battle cry, “charge”.
So it's perfect for a sports car and has the looks to match, which is why it still finds favor with collectors alike. Today's average sale prices fall under $25,000, though there have been times this stunning car, from the very eccentric Studebaker, did fetch over $100,000.
3 1986 Ferrari 328 GTB & GTS: The Perfect Collectible
The Ferrari has to be on top of every sports car lover’s list but mostly, it comes way too expensive new, or as a classic sports car to be affordable for just about anyone. When it comes to the classics, you don’t get better than the 328, the natural descendant of the 308.
The 328 comes in GTB, as in Berlinetta coupe form as well as the Targa-top Spyder, the GTS forms, and both are equally popular. Prices for this have almost touched six figures in the past few years, but today they have come down to the $50,000-70,000 range.
2 1963 MG MGB Mk 1: A Minor Morris Hit
A traditional British sports car, with a separate chassis and no door handles, the MGB Mk 1 was a cute little sports car back then and catches the eye as a classic today. While you cannot expect a ‘60s classic like this to keep up with the current sports cars, it does have an elfin charm about it.
While this sports car did have its fans a few years back, and we are sure it still does, the values have gone down over the last few years, and today you can get this beautiful car in good condition for around $10,000.
1 1966 Honda S800 Roadster: An Absolute Delight
The Honda S-series Roadsters were a veritable delight to drive and the S800 came out into 1966 as the final “model” with power reaching all the way to 70 horses. The S800 may have lacked actual engine power, but made up for it in looks and cool factor.
Prices fell in March 2020, down to almost $10,000 but have slowly risen. However the advent of 2021 is seeing the prices take a downward dip again, and an average of $25,000 or thereabouts is pretty cool for the car.
Sources: Classic.com, Hagerty