Bargain classics you can buy for less than £15k this week

Affordable motors abound at CCA’s May Sale

Shopping for a summer classic? If you’re in the market for something affordable, look no further than CCA’s May Sale.

Taking place on Saturday (25 May) at the Warwickshire Event Centre, the diverse auction is a veritable smorgasbord of retro motors that won’t break the bank.

And don’t go thinking these are merely cut-price bangers: from pristine Porsches to rare Capris to, yes, a handful of E-types, there’s plenty of good stuff on offer with lower estimates of less than £15k.

Not sure where to start? We’ve selected our favourites from the catalogue to kick you off.

1987 Porsche 944S

Rear-wheel drive? Check. Naturally aspirated, dual-overhead-cam 16-valve engine with 187bhp? Check. Zero to 60 in 6.5 secs? You bet.

Porsche’s late-’80s sports car might have divided opinion among marque enthusiasts back in the day, but who needs 911 styling when you have good looks of your own – not to mention grip for days?

This 1987 example of the 944S heads to auction with an extensive service record, fewer than 50,000 miles on the clock and an estimate of £9-12k. You know you want to.

1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5 16V Cosworth

If you’re shopping for a super saloon this Saturday, you’ll struggle to beat this fearsome four-door – a restored example of Mercedes’ late-’80s autobahn warrior.

Equipped with low-drag body kit, five-speed manual gearbox and that all-important 2.5-litre, 16-valve engine, it’s just about the most fun you can have with four-doors and a relatively subtle shell.

Kept in dry storage for six years, in 2018 the Benz received an overhaul that included fresh brakes and tyres. It heads to the block on 25 May with an estimate of £11-14k.

1978 Volkswagen Beetle

From one German to another, this bonny Beetle is no performance wagon, but it’ll certainly turn heads if you take it to the beach.

A 1.2-litre example from the late ’70s, this silver Bug is reported to be no. 301 – the last original Beetle delivered new to the UK.

With an estimated 28,000 miles on the clock, a comprehensive history file and an impressive condition report (scoring 109 out of a possible 135, according to CCA), there’s every chance the iconic motor will meet its £12k upper estimate.

1988 Renault 5 GT Turbo

Here’s one you might struggle to enjoy sensibly: a stunning example of late-’80s hot-hatch legend the Renault 5 GT Turbo.

Made famous by Jean Ragnotti, who slung its competition cousin around countless rally stages, the Renault 5 was a little less nutty in GT Turbo guise – but hardly sedate: a 1.4-litre turbocharged motor and 850kg kerbweight meant 60mph came up from standstill in just 7.5 seconds.

Crossing the block complete with those distinctive side skirts and, presumably, all the turbo lag it had in its heyday, this 1988 number cuts a dash in pearl white and is a picture of originality. Yours for £15-18k.

1999 Jaguar XKR Convertible

You’ll find a slew of Jaguar machines from the turn of the millennium at the CCA sale – including a raft of XK8s – but the nicest of the bunch is this XKR from 1999.

A rear-wheel drive drop-top with a supercharged 4-litre V8 under the hood, the Royal Blue roadster is a fine way to get the wind in your hair this summer and, with a competitive estimate of £10-12k, shouldn’t break the bank.

What’s more, it goes to auction with just 29,000 miles on the clock, having recently emerged from a period of ‘hibernation’ with the same owner who bought it from new.

1970 MGB Roadster

For a less powerful but no less bonny drop-top, try this MGB from 1970 – one of ten machines from the British marque on offer at the CCA sale.

Finished in a dashing shade of red and equipped with a capable 1.8-litre engine, the attractive sports car received a fresh heritage shell in the ’90s and spent the past 20 years with the same owner. Yours for £9-11k.

Happy to tackle a project? There’s also a hard-top example of the model from the same year that’s in need of some love, with an estimate of £6-8k. Or you could always buy both.

1960 Austin-Healey Mk1 Frogeye Sprite

Sticking with the Brits, this plucky number won’t set your world on fire with its 0.9-litre engine, but there’s no denying the charm of that friendly Frogeye face.

Finished in 1960, this handsome crimson example of the darling Sprite was imported to the UK in 2001 and, in 2017, received a thorough once-over and several electrical upgrades, including the addition of a radio.

Now up for auction with an estimate of £12-15k, it’s a lovely slice of mid-century style with plenty of open-top appeal – though perhaps not one to take on the motorway, eh?

1971 Ford Capri Vista Orange Special

A fastback pony car for the European masses, Ford’s seminal Capri turned 50 this year – and what better way to celebrate than by taking home a rare and distinctive example?

Ford built just 1200 Mk1 Capris in Vista Orange Special guise, including this 1971 number in 2000 V4 GT XLR spec, complete with 2-litre motor and that all-important orange finish.

Remarkably, this 48-year-old Capri has had just three owners since new and heads to the auction block with a mere 22,000 miles on the odometer and a £15k lower estimate.

1951 Land-Rover Series 1

Looking for a classic that can pull its weight? It would be a shame to get this 68-year-old Series I Land-Rover all muddy but, following refurbishments in 2004, 2015 and 2016, there’s every chance the highly original 1.6-litre machine can still go the distance, off the road or on it.

An early, 80-inch example of the dependable 4x4 in desirable lights-through-grille guise – so-named because the lights stick through the grille, obviously – it crosses the block with a traditional Bronze Green finish and an estimate of £14-18k.

1963 Ford Galaxie 500 Fastback

Back to the Blue Oval, this next lot is a slice of pure, all-red Americana: a Ford Galaxie Fastback with chrome for days.

All straight lines and jukebox style, the Ford was finished in 1963 as a mid-year machine, then later fitted with a properly meaty 6.4-litre V8 engine option, along with side-exit exhausts and alloy wheels.

Brought to the UK from the US of A in 2004, the lengthy two-door has since been enjoyed regularly and reportedly drives well today, making it a pretty appealing thing at £12-14k.

1991 Jaguar XJ-S 5.3 Cabriolet

Another big cat from the CCA sale, this early-’90s XJ-S is a properly meaty beast, packing a 5.3-litre V12 that’s good for 295bhp (and a very good time) under its elegant bonnet.

Besides the dozen cylinders, the second-gen XJ-S was also a lesson in cruising refinement, from the stately but sporting shell to the lovely leather interior.

An automatic example imported from Japan, this 1991 number is quite the looker in Bordeaux Red and, with a mileage of just 15,300, is surely one of the best around – not least thanks to a recent working over by Jaguar Classics. Expect to pay at least £14k if you fancy it.

1968 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 FHC

An E-type? For £15k? The only thing more surprising than this Jag’s bargain price tag is the fact that there are two more going for the same money at the CCA sale!

Expected to fetch between £15k and £18k each, the iconic classics are, as you’d expect, in need of some real TLC, with no known paper history, tatty interiors and plenty of rust on their 4.2-litre blocks.

Even so, an E-type is an E-type – and, like the others, this late-’60s example of the quintessential British GT has plenty of restoration potential, what with its original colour scheme and factory motor in situ.

1961 Jaguar Mark 10

One last Jag, this lovely Mark 10 is as majestic as ’60s cruisers come, what with its elegant lines, regal grille and stately proportions – not to mention the gorgeous dark-green colour scheme.

Still a sight to behold today, it’s reportedly the 46th right-hand drive example to have left the Jaguar factory in 1961 and, with just under 74,000 miles on the clock, its 3.8-litre engine has seen some good but not excessive running in the intervening six decades.

Heading to auction with a Heritage Certificate, service manual, original tool kit and sales brochure, it’s a truly fine example that should fetch at least £13k at the hammer.

1995 Mercedes-Benz SL500

Want some open-top muscle for your next motorway run? Try this mid-’90s Mercedes.

With a 5-litre V8 good for 322bhp inside it, you won’t need to use the standard-issue Bose stereo to enjoy an arresting soundtrack.

Refined inside, the black leather interior – like the rest of the car – is in fantastic condition, thanks to a lifetime of careful Japanese ownership that’s left just 29,000 miles on the odometer.

Imported to the UK in 2011, it’s seen little use since and goes to auction as a surefire future classic that’s likely to go the way of the R107 series before it. Something of a steal with an £8-10k estimate.

1981 Triumph TR7 Convertible

Triumph’s ’70s wedge of sports car infamy wasn’t exactly a winner in its heyday, criticised for its flimsy interior, divisive design, poor reliability and underpowered engine.

Decades later, though, and the TR7 is increasingly appreciated as a fine ’70s sports car – and if you’re willing to take a punt on Harris Mann’s angular machine, you’ll struggle to find a nicer one than this.

In storage for some 20 years – hence the low mileage of 33,000 – it’s had just one owner from new, benefits from the superior manual gearbox and comes complete with that distinctive tartan-trim interior. For £6-8k, there’s plenty to enjoy. And that 2-litre engine note isn’t half bad.

1971 Fiat 500 Giannini TV

If any car can rival the Mini in the cuteness stakes, it’s the Fiat 500 – and this genuine rarity from 1971 is a special one.

Quite the picture in lovely mustard, this 0.5-litre Fiat is in fact a 500 Giannini TV, an unusual model worked over by Italian tuning house Giannini – lesser-known rival to fabled name Abarth.

Recently treated to a comprehensive restoration, CCA reports that the TV’s condition scores an unrivalled 132 out of 135. Which, for the uninitiated, is essentially perfection.

Think pristine presentation, authentic Giannini parts and an engine rebuilt to original spec by a marque specialist – all of which makes its £10-12k estimate all the more appealing.

1991 Bentley Turbo R

From compact to colossal, this next lot isn’t exactly what you’d call subtle.
A bright white example of Bentley’s performance tourer the Turbo R, it’s equipped with a fuel-injected 6.75-litre V8 engine that gives it a power output of around 300bhp.

A right-hand drive example that was first registered to Sony Records – reportedly with the registration ‘POP 1’ – it remains in very good condition, heading to auction after five years in dry storage. Not bad for £8-10k.

1988 Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 2

From one performance model to another, this second-series example of Ford’s turbocharged two-door is a proper boy racer’s dream, what with its punchy 1.6-litre motor, side skirts and that all-important rear wing – even if it’s not quite the whale tail you'd get on the Cosworth rally special.

This left-hand drive number is notable for its lack of modifications, low mileage (33,500) and well-kept interior. Whether it stays that way is up to the new owner. Interested? Expect to pay £6-8k.

1978 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II

Last up is something truly stately: a late example of the Silver Shadow in second-gen guise. 

A picture of grand style and touring sophistication, the four-door saloon was nothing if not refined – from the drawn-out lines to the leather inside – while the 6.75-litre V8 engine meant it was rarely outgunned on the motorway.

How come you can take this one home for between £7k and £9k? It’s been laid-up for the past two years due to the owner suffering ill health and goes under the hammer without a history file.

Even so, with 81,500 miles on the clock, it remains ripe for a gentle refurbishment, making it surely the perfect summer project…

CCA’s May auction takes place on Saturday 25 May. Click here for more info.