Normally, cars tend to depreciate over time, but in some rare instances, used cars skyrocket in value. This is mostly true for limited-edition classic cars like the most expensive car ever sold at auction, the Mercedes-Benz SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe that sold for a whopping $142 million. Other than those classic gems, hardcore driver-focussed sports cars also sell for way beyond what they used to cost new, like the BMW 1M Coupe.

For this list, however, we'll be completely changing channels and diving into cars that look like any ordinary car you'd not even give a second glance at on the road that are worth a shockingly large amount of money. We'll be using the auction site, Bring a Trailer to look at some of these cars' past auction outcomes as a point of reference.

9 Citroën SM

Front 3/4 view of a blue Citroën SM
Mecum Auctions

On the outside, the Citroën SM looks like any other old quirky European vehicle, but it was more innovative than many of us realize. The SM was supposed to be a sportier version of the already famous Citroën DS, therefore it came with a variety of Maserati-derived V6 engines, with the most powerful one emitting 178 hp, allowing it to reach 60 mph from a stop in under 9 seconds. This however wasn't its main selling point; its driving experience was.

Rear 3/4 view of a blue Citroën SM
Mecum

It wasn't sporty at all to drive, but thanks to its self-leveling hydro-pneumatic suspension that basically ignored any imperfections on the road like potholes, its adaptive headlights that turned alongside the steering wheel, and complex braking system that would lower the entire car made this one of the most revolutionary cars of all time. The Citroen SM typically doesn't sell for under $20,000 but earlier this year one sold for over $56,000.

8 Honda Civic CRX (Second Generation)

Honda CRX
Via Carsandbids

The CRX is an almost forgotten about Japanese hatchback meant to be a sportier, cooler-looking Civic, but it still blended into traffic as any other car would. There were three different generations of the CRX built, the second-generation Si being the most valuable with some examples selling for up to $40,000.

honda-crx-3
via NetCarShow

These cars weren't miraculously powerful either since their most potent engine—a 160 hp 1.6-liter—could only take the car up to 60 mph in about 8 seconds, but because they weighed only around 2,000 lbs, and came fitted with a 5-speed manual gearbox, true enthusiasts love them to bits to this day, despite them looking like any old Honda to the average person.

Related: Why The 2022 Honda Civic Si Is The Best Entry-Level Compact Sports Car For Enthusiasts

7 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

1963 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia: The affordable sports car of the '60s.
via: Autoweek

Okay, we have to be honest here, the Karmann Ghia isn't subtly styled, it's a very gorgeous vehicle, but because these usually sell for around $20,000 on the used market right now, no one expects them to sell for much more than that. However, as the years have gone by, love for the Karmann Ghia has grown astronomically, and on Bring a Trailer these sell for well over $40,000.

VW Karmann Ghia TC
Via Bring a Trailer

There were three main versions of the Karmann Ghia that excited, the Type 14, the Type 34, and the TC - ironically enough, the most boring-looking one, the TC, is also typically the most valuable out of the bunch.

6 Ford Focus SVT

Auction Dilemma: Ford Focus SVT v Volkswagen R32
via: carsandbids.com

There's one reason, and only reason alone as to why this Focus auctions for $20,000, and it's all thanks to that SVT badge. SVT - which is short for Special Vehicle Team is responsible for such iconic cars as the Ford Lightning pickup truck, and with such a reputation, only good things are expected.

Ford-Focus-SVT
via netcarshow

Not only did it have a special name attached to it, but the SVT was also a rather scarce car since less than 15,000 ever left the factory. Usually, these cars aren't driven with much care, and we can understand why, it's a hot hatch after all, but if you happen to find one with extremely low miles, we can just imagine how valuable it would be.

5 Volkswagen Beetle

VW Beetle - Front
Mecum Auctions

The first-generation is Beetle is one of the most influential cars the world has ever seen, and it's also amongst the top 5 most-sold cars ever with 23.5 million units sold throughout its 81-year lifespan. The Beetle has a rich history behind why it was created, and as a result, collectors are very fond of these gems, especially low-mileage mint examples.

1955_volkswagen_beetle_rear_angular_view
Via: Bringatrailer

Do keep in mind though that there have been a ludicrous amount of these vehicles sold, and you probably know of someone who owns one, so they're not too rare, but as auctions go, it's all about what buyers are willing to pay, not what the car's valued at. Thus, low-mileage Beetles sell for far more than $20,000 today, the highest being nearly $50,000 earlier this year.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About The VW Beetle

4 Jeep Wrangler (YJ)

1987 Jeep Wrangler YJ near the mountains, white
favcars

The YJ generation Jeep Wrangler was meant purely for off-road fun. It didn't come offered with a four-door configuration, nor did it have a luxurious cabin like the Grand Cherokee at the time, it was only meant to tackle, and overcome, any terrain thrown at it.

1989 Red Jeep Wrangler Parked Front 3/4 View
Via Bring a Trailer

However, there have been some examples of the YJ that have probably never seen the light of day, except for when they're moved between storage units, and these sell for more than $25,000. That's almost more than a brand-spanking-new Jeep Wrangler would have cost you by the way.

Related: The Jeep Wrangler Overlook Concept Is The Three-Row SUV We Desperately Crave

3 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43

1978 Land Cruiser FJ43
Via: Bring a Trailer

Okay, we have officially reached absurd amount of money for a car that just looks like a metal box with wheels attached to it. The highest actioned FJ34 we could find that sold in the past year went to its new owner once a hefty amount of $78,500 was paid on Bring a Trailer.

1978 Land Cruiser FJ 43
Via: Bring a Trailer

This specific Land Cruiser (illustrated above) was a '78 and it was powered by a 4.2-liter 2F inline-six which was mated to a four-speed standard transmission and a dual-range transfer case. That seems like quite a lot of money for a car that looks welded together - still cool to see the hardcore fans will do anything to acquire one of the most underrated offroaders ever built.

2 Mercedes-Benz W123 Estate

1983 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbo Estate
Via: Bring a Trailer

The W123 Mercedes-Benz looks like every other old Merc your grandpa probably drove, but there's a cult-like following behind this vehicle, after all, even Lady Gaga owns one. The W123 came in four different variants, a sedan, a coupe, a wagon and a limousine, though the latter was not for the U.S market. And if you know anything about auction-lovers, it's that they can't keep their hands off of a cool wagon.

1983 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbo Wagon
Via: Bring a Trailer

Here's an example: The most valuable W123 sedan sold in the last 12 months was an '85 300D Turbo with just 1,500 miles which fetched a pretty $53,000. However, the most valuable wagon was an '83 300TD Turbo with 38,000 miles which still fetched a whopping $64,500.

Related: 10 Incredible Classic Mercedes-Benz Performance Cars We'd Love To Drive

1 BMW E30 3-Series

1991 BMW 318is
Via: Bring a Trailer

Everyone loves a classic Beemer, whether it be something as extravagant as the 635CSi, or perhaps something more toned down like the E30 3-Series, we all can appreciate the engineering and skill that went into these Bavarian machines. Now, let's address the elephant in the room first, some E30 models look more boring than others; take for instance the M3: it was low to the ground, had a rev-happy four-banger, its fenders were flared, its rear wing grabbed your attention, and because of its successful racing pedigree an E30 M3 can sell for more than $250,000. That set aside, the more tame E30 models that don't have nearly the same visual pizzazz still sell for extraordinary prices nowadays.

1991 BMW 318is Coupe
Via: Bring a Trailer

Take for instance this relatively stock 318is from 1991; it had a 5-speed manual transmission, lowering springs, sport dampers, a stock M24 inline-four engine with its displacement increased to 2.1 liters, and it was refurbished after it was damaged in Hurricane Harvey. Want to take a gander at how much it sold for? $45,000!