Big money classic looks for less than £20k

Looking the part

Having something sizzlingly sexy in your garage doesn’t always require a telephone number-sized bank account – you really can get classic car haute couture with having to auction off limbs to scientific research.

We’ve come up with 25 cars with looks that could grace everywhere from a Monaco yacht club car park to an English country home, and from a Hollywood gala evening to a St Moritz après-ski meeting – yet will only cost you £20,000 (around $24,000)

We’ve sourced classic cars from across the globe that were available at the time of writing, and the quoted prices do not include shipping; the images are for illustrative purposes only; exchange rates were correct at the time of writing

1. TVR Griffith 500 (£19,995)

The Griffith was a revelation when it first appeared – it was a complete change in direction from the sharply styled wedges that had largely dominated TVR’s styling for much of the 1980s.

Crafted from lightweight glassfibre (it weighs 1060kg), it first used a 240bhp Rover V8 engine, but the 500 developed the Griff (as it became affectionately known) into supercar-baiting performance levels with a TVR-developed 340bhp version. It could sprint to 60mph in a smidge over 4 secs, cracking 100mph little more than 6 secs later.

We found a 1995 example for sale in Buckinghamshire, UK. Finished in Monza Red, it’s covered 53,000 miles and is yours for £19,995.

2. Volvo P1800E (£19,000)

Volvo may be best known for boxy estates and modern SUVs, but the P1800 was a gorgeous break from the norm. It was styled by Pietro Frua protégé – and handy yachtsman – Pelle Petterson via Ghia, and the P1800E was built by Jensen in the UK (at least to begin with…).

Under the bonnet lies a four-cylinder engine in either 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre form. Production was later brought in-house to Volvo, and the car would rise to prominence as Simon Templar’s wheels in The Saint.

We found a P1800E for sale in California for $22,900 (that’s c£19,000), described as ‘a running project in need of TLC’. For some reason it’s right-hand drive, and has been customised to a previous owner’s taste, but it’s covered around 67,600 miles and looks lovely in metallic burgundy.

3. Jaguar S-type (£20,000)

The Mk2 Jaguar is one of the classic car scene’s most beloved machines, while the S-type has been criticised for not quite having the beauty of its near familial neighbour. Even those involved in its creation weren’t fans of its look, but the car sold very well – the looks were appealing after all.

With the benefit of around six decades, the shape is ageing gracefully, and it gets even better behind the wheel. While the smaller, lighter Mk2 might have better on-paper stats, the S-type’s independent rear suspension means it’s far more dynamically able, offering better handling and comfort. 

We found a fetching dark blue example in Cornwall, UK, on 105,000 miles. Dating from 1968, it’s listed for sale at £20,000.

4. Citroën DS21 (£19,100)

No list of beautiful classics could, surely, be without the Citroën DS, even though not everyone loves it.

We’re avowed fans here at Classic & Sports Car, from the shape to the exquisite detailing. It’s easy to see why this classic has become a cultural icon in its homeland, transcending the car enthusiast world to more mainstream society.

While the engines aren’t too exciting for keen drivers, that’s not really the point – the suspension provides excellent ride comfort, which means budding fashionistas won’t need an hour in make-up on arrival.

We found a 1972 example in New York with 83,700 miles on its odometer. Finished in silver, it’s been refreshed and sympathetically upgraded, and is priced at $23,000 (£19,100).

5. Peugeot 504 Cabriolet (£20,000)

The Peugeot 504 was generally better known for its resilience in the face of environments with rough terrain; the LA Times once called it Africa’s workhorse.

It was a handsome car, too, with Aldo Brovarone of Pininfarina penning the saloon. However, it was fellow Pininfarina staffer Franco Martinengo who was responsible for elevating the car into the coupé and convertible versions. The engine isn’t especially powerful – it’s just 79bhp from a 1.8-litre four-cylinder – but this is all about boulevard cruising rather that back-road bruising.

We found a black example described as mechanically sound but in need of some cosmetic TLC in Worcestershire, UK. Dating from 1971, it’s done 80,000 miles and costs £20,000.

6. Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (£17,900)

Specialists in these cars describe the Karmann Ghia thus: all the style of an Italian car, but with German reliability – the best of both worlds.

The styling was a collaborative effort that involved Luigi Segre, Mario Boano, Sergio Coggiola and Giovanni Savonuzzi, with later restyling by Sergio Sartorelli, and it draws inspiration from Virgil Exner’s Chrysler d’Elegance and K-310 concepts.

The mechanicals are somewhat less exotic, and are taken from a Volkswagen Beetle with between 34bhp and 49bhp from its flat-four engine. It wasn’t quick, but that means pedestrians and other road users can admire its beauty.

We found a yellow example in Rhode Island, USA, that has done 86,000 miles. Dating from 1967, it’s billed as a fully running daily driver, and is yours for $21,500 (£17,900).

7. Lancia Flavia 2000 Injection Coupé (£19,995)

The Lancia Flavia 2000 Coupé is a watershed model – the last cars developed before the famous firm was incorporated into Fiat.

Later just known as the 2000, its elegant shape was crafted by Pininfarina, and true to Lancia tradition at the time, innovative – five-speed transmission, power steering and electronic fuel injection. Power came from a 2.0-litre flat-four engine.

We found a white example dating from 1970 in Hampshire, UK. The mileage isn’t given, but it spent 27 years in the hands of one Italian owner before being exported to Britain in 2017; it’s yours for £19,995.

8. Ford Mustang Convertible (£20,000)

The Ford Mustang’s impact on the car market cannot be underestimated – sales for the Falcon upon which it was based slumped drastically. Everyone wanted a Mustang.

And it’s easy to see why thanks to its coke-bottle profile and chiselled good looks. It was Ford’s most successful launch since the 1927 Model A, and reached its yearly 100,000 target in just three months.

We couldn’t find a V8 Mustang Convertible for under our budget, but the six-cylinder unit isn’t a terrible option if you’d just like to cruise. 

We found a 1966 example in Palm Beach, Florida. Finished in Sahara Beige over tan, the mileage reads 26,648 miles and is yours for $24,000 (£20,000).

9. Morgan +4 (£20,000)

For decades the essence of the Morgan brand has remained unchanged – retrospective-looking roadsters, handcrafted with joy. The +4 nameplate has seen three iterations and five different manufacturers provide motive power, and the latest version only went out of production two years ago.

The first examples used a 2.0-litre Standard Vanguard engine, before the firm switched to Triumph units from 1953 to 1969. The name came back to life in 1985, lasting until 2000, and used Fiat or Rover engines until 2000. From 2005, a Ford unit provided the oomph.

The car we found dates from 1959, and is in Northern Ireland. Finished in British Racing Green, it’s covered 65,000 miles and is yours for £20,000.

10. Lotus Europa S2 (£19,100)

Colin Chapman was always an ambitious sort, but the Europa was a big challenge – with F1 cars pretty much all mid-engined, Chapman wanted to bring a mid-engined road car to fruition.

Designed by Ron Hickman, it combined a boxed steel chassis with a glassfibre body, similar to the Elan. This covered a light, modern Renault 16-derived drivetrain that produced 82bhp in Europe, and 80bhp in the USA. Later cars received the Lotus-tuned Ford Twin-Cam that produced between 105bhp and 126bhp.

We found a light metallic blue S2 in California for $23,000. It has an 87bhp engine with an upgraded Weber carb and intake, and the odometer reads 17,134 miles. It wears a $23,000 (£19,100) price-tag.

11. Bentley S2 (£19,995)

The Bentley S2 was a great leap forward for the marque – it saw the debut of the L-Series V8 engine that provided significantly more power than the S1’s straight-six – enough to make the air conditioning far more effective.

It had an automatic transmission, power steering, electrically operated ride control and a hand-crafted interior that was better appointed than most posh clubs of the era.

Just 1863 standard-wheelbase cars were built between 1959 and 1962, but despite this rarity, these elegant saloons haven’t wafted off into a pricing stratosphere.

We found a white example dating from 1960 for sale in Northamptonshire, UK. With 23,000 miles on the clock, it could be yours for £19,995.

12. Mercedes-Benz W108 280S (£17,000)

Mercedes-Benz may have made easier, more profitable production a priority with the W108/109, but the elegant Paul Bracq lines and solid construction were traditional Mercedes-Benz quality.

The saloons might not be quite as beautiful as the coupés or convertibles, but they are worth many multiples of the four-door version, which is still very easy on the eye.

The best news is that the entire family can enjoy riding in the saloon, without the less-than-desirable clambering over the front seats. And under that long, elegant bonnet lies a 2.8-litre straight-six, matched to a three-speed automatic gearbox for seriously easy cruising. 

We found a pale blue example in Wisconsin dating from 1969. Described as being highly original, it’s covered 93,000 miles and is priced at $20,500 (£17,000).

13. Pontiac LeMans (£19,995)

The third-generation Pontiac Le Mans was the mid-sized offering against the Mustang that first appeared as a trim upgrade on the Tempest. It became so popular that by 1963 it had become a separate model in the line-up.

The third-generation, launched in 1968, was much smoother, with a sweeping coupé body shape, though you could also get a four-door saloon and a convertible. 

We found a metallic grey 400cu in example in Northamptonshire in the UK. Dating from 1971, it has covered 41,599 and is listed at £19,995.

14. Triumph Spitfire Mk2 (£19,100)

The second version of the Spitfire was launched in 1964, and carried on where the first left off – Giovanni Michelotti-penned body over Triumph Herald mechanicals. It very nearly didn’t happen. When Leyland took over Standard Triumph, the new team found the prototype under a dust sheet and instantly green-lighted production. 

We found a Wedgewood Blue example in New York dating from 1964. The odometer reads 8005, and the engine was rebuilt at 6000 indicated miles – it’s yours for $23,000 (£19,100).

15. MGB GT (£14,995)

While Pininfarina is more famous for its Ferraris, the MGB GT has to be one of its most successful non-Maranello shapes. It was a highly useable one, too, with enough room to be used as an estate car, but with a distinctive sporting style. It was also faster than the roadster, thanks to improved aerodynamics.

The coupé shape saw six-cylinder and V8 engines, but those are a little out of our price range. However, the 1.8-litre four-cylinder is still a zesty unit, and its light weight makes for engaging handling. 

We found a red example in Durham, UK. Dating from 1967, the mileage wasn’t given, but it’s for sale at £14,995.

16. Buick Riviera (£16,600)

Buick’s first entry into the luxury car segment took its cues from the design-language movement introduced with the Studebaker Avanti. Styled by Corvette stylist Bill Mitchell, it garnered reverential praise from the likes of Sergio Pininfarina and Sir William Lyons.

Power comes from a Nailhead V8 in either 6.6- or 7.0-litre forms, and could hit 60mph in less than 8 secs. You could even specify a 360bhp Wildcat version with dual Carter AFB four-barrel carbs.

We found a white 1964 Riviera in Michigan on 100,000 miles. It’s in need of some cosmetic TLC, but it’s yours for $20,000 (£16,600).

17. Renault Caravelle (£12,995)

The Renault Dauphine is a pretty car, but the Caravelle took those underpinnings and transformed them into something very special, courtesy of Pietro Frua’s pen while at Carrozzeria Ghia.

It was intended to improve Renault’s image in the US and came with a variety of four-cylinder engines, though you could upgrade it courtesy of tuning parts from Gordini.

We found a white coupé in Northern Ireland on 55,375 miles. Dating from 1967, it is listed for sale for £12,995.

18. Cadillac Fleetwood Sedan (£16,600)

The Sedan DeVille was Cadillac’s first production four-door hardtop in 1956 and as part of company-wide refresh of its styling range, the Fleetwood Sixty Special utilised a similar pillarless style.

It was a styling departure elsewhere, with chrome wing louvres replaced by a large metallic panel around the rear bumpers. There was more power, too.

We found a pink example with a white roof in California. Dating from 1958, it has an indicated 3460 miles on the clock, and is yours for $20,000 (£16,600).

19. Fiat 130 Coupé (£17,850)

It takes some car to become Enzo Ferrari’s daily driver, yet the Fiat 130 Coupé is just that car. Pininfarina’s Paolo Martin crafted a simple yet elegant shape that rather than shock or stun, instead grows on you via its discreet yet nailed-on proportions.

The engine is special, too, with a 3.2-litre V6 designed by Aurelio Lampredi, and the car became known for its excellent handling and roadholding.

Aside from Enzo, Sophia Loren, Dusty Springfield, Marcello Mastroianni and Lord Carrington all owned 130 Coupés, so there’s no denying their star appeal.

We found a blue manual example in Surrey, in the UK, that’s done 65,000 miles. Dating from 1972, it’s listed at £17,850.

20. Plymouth Barracuda (£16,600)

The Ford Mustang is often seen as the instigator of the pony car movement – sporty coupes based on saloon underpinnings – but Plymouth got there first, with the Barracuda.

Essentially a restyled Valiant, much like the later Mustang, the base models offered a six-cylinder engine, but you could upgrade to V8 power. Sadly history doesn’t remember the first Barracuda very well – the Mustang sold 100,000 more over three months. 

That makes it a fascinating car now, with styling that hints at a much more expensive pony car. We found a brown 1966 model in Utah. The mileage wasn’t given, but it’s now running a later 360cu in unit, among other modifications; it has a $20,000 (£16,600) price-tag.

21. Alfa Romeo Spider Series 2 (£19,500)

The Alfa Romeo Spider is a classic car to raise the pulse and set the fingertips sizzling, thanks to the dynamic abilities of the 105-series chassis. Aldo Brovarone and Battista Pininfarina’s scintillating shape was powered by a variety of four-cylinder engines, and was inspired by the 1956 S3000 CM Superflow.

While the early boat-tail models are far out of our £20,000 budget, the Series 2 Kamm-tail cars are still attainable.

We spotted a white Series 2 Spider 2000 for sale in Hampshire, UK. Dating from 1972, the mileage isn’t given but you can have it on your drive for £19,500 ($23,400).

22. Lincoln Premiere (£18,200)

This was one of the most luxurious cars you could buy in its day and was rare even when new – just 19,619 hardtop coupés were made between 1956 and 1957. Essentially a deluxe version of the Lincoln Capri, it slotted into the range below the much more expensive Continental MkII.

As per a luxury car from the era, there were plenty of interesting gadgets, of which our favourite is an air-con unit that works through overhead ducts, just like in an aeroplane.

We found a 1957 example, finished in Willow Green with a Teal interior, for sale in Michigan. It’s covered 88,400 miles and is priced at $21,900 (£18,200).

23. Daimler Double Six (£16,000)

The Series 3 version of the Jaguar Sovereign incorporated an exterior refresh from Pininfarina – and helped maintain sales volume at a time when the XJ40 was subject to delays. The XJ40 wasn’t designed to take a V-shaped engine, so the Series 3 soldiered on until 1992, by which time Jaguar’s engineers had found a way to adapt the XJ40’s engine bay.

And here we’ve selected an example of the Daimler version.

Finished in Dark Westminster Blue and from 1990, the car we spotted for sale had done 39,500 miles and was located in Surrey, UK. This Japanese import is priced at £16,000.

24. Dodge Coronet (£15,400)

With all its chrome and flairs, the third-generation Dodge Coronet has a very luxurious look, but it was actually at the lower end of the Dodge model hierarchy.

The Virgil Exner-penned body and lower price boosted sales greatly, and it was available in two- or four-door station wagon form, as a sedan, or a hardtop coupé or four-door eight-seat limousine.

We found a 1955 Dodge Coronet two-door hardtop with a black roof and two-tone white and yellow body in Colorado. Fitted with a 270cu in Red Ram V8, its mileage hasn’t been revealed, but $18,500 (£15,400) will make it yours.

25. Maserati 3200GT (£16,500)

When the 3200GT burst on to the scene in the late 1990s, it was a stunning return to curvaceous form for Maserati. The Modenese maker blended modernism with distinctly retro touches, and who better to do that than the stylist behind one of the marque’s most beloved cars, the 1960s Ghibli?

Giorgetto Giugiaro’s pen crafted a glorious shape, but the contents of the engine bay are equally stunning. There’s a twin-turbocharged 3.2-litre V8 that produces a claimed 365bhp, but anecdotal reports (plus the face-warping in-gear acceleration) suggest this was conservative in order not to upset near neighbours Ferrari. With genuine room for four, it is a beauty all the family can enjoy.

We found an automatic model from 1999 on 56,400 miles in Middlesex, in the UK. Finished in Azzuro Argentina light metallic blue, it’s yours for £16,500.