Top 10 most searched-for classic cars

The Ford Escort was the most searched-for car in 2021, according to Car & Classic – the classified and online auction website.

‘Dream cars’ such as the Porsche 911 and Jaguar E-Type, lead the search data during the pandemic, but 2021 saw classic car fans seeking more mainstream vehicles including the BMW 3 Series.

Across 2021, the Ford Escort toppled the Porsche 911, with the RS2000 the model most searched-for from the European Escort’s 34-year lifetime.

Recent Escort auction sales on Car & Classic include £25,500 for a Mk3 RS1600i (pictured) and £50,000 for a Mk1 Twin Cam.

Over the past 12 months, searches for the Triumph Stag more than doubled, securing third place.

It was closely followed by the 1980s’ E30 version of BMW 3 Series. More than a quarter of the specific searches for the compact saloon were for the iconic M3.

The rise in searches for the E30, up nearly 20% on 2020, follows sharp rises in the values for the M3 over the past five years. Published prices of the 24 road cars currently on Car & Classic span £40,000 to £189,000.

Other cars in the top 10 include the Ford Mustang and Jaguar E-Type, both growing by 10%. Slipping down the order, despite a similar number of searches in 2020, was the MGB GT.

Underlining rising demand for Japanese sports cars, the Toyota Supra and MR2, plus the Mazda RX-7 and Datsun 240Z all appeared in the top 20 searches of 2021.

Top 10 searches of 2021

1. Ford Escort
2. Porsche 911
3. Triumph Stag
4. E30 BMW 3 Series
5. Ford Mustang
6. Jaguar E-Type
7. Ford Capri
8. VW Beetle
9. MGB GT
10. MGB