The motors you or your parents drove back in the day will always hold a special place in your heart. The sight of one, however unlikely it is today, will surely stir up a feeling of nostalgia.
If you fancy taking a trip down memory lane in a more permanent way, you might be taken aback at how much one of these once-commonplace cars will cost you today, if you can even find one. New research has revealed that motorists looking to buy one particular model from the 1980s would need to fork out more than £100,000.
A study from Auction4Cars.com has examined the five most popular cars of the 1980s and 1990s to determine which models are the rarest today and could be worth a small fortune.
According to the data, the trade auction site found that the five most popular cars of the 1980s were:
Ford Escort – 1,607,999 sold
Ford Fiesta – 1,273,689 sold
Austin Metro – 1,032,153 sold
Vauxhall Cavalier – 1,008,046 sold
Ford Sierra – 966,166 sold
The Austin Metro, later the Rover Metro, later the Rover 100, was once a common sight
The best-selling cars in the 1990s are listed below – with the Ford Fiesta and Ford Escort topping the list in both decades:
Ford Fiesta – 1,214,060 sold
Ford Escort – 1,133,120 sold
Vauxhall Astra – 915,542 sold
Ford Mondeo – 718,720 sold
Rover 200 – 614,850 sold
John Hood, general manager at Auction4Cars.com, said: "Many cars from this era will hold a lot of sentimental value for motorists, which might explain why they've been recapturing the imagination of car owners in recent years. With searches for '90s cars' up 26% in the first quarter of 2025, it's clear drivers are trying to get their hands on these nostalgic cars.
"If we see demand continuing to grow, motorists are going to find it increasingly tricky to get their hands on these models – and will have to fork out more for them than they might expect."
The Vauxhall Cavalier
How much your old motor could fetch today
The study also unmasked that rarity isn't always the sole determinant of a car’s price tag. Despite the Austin Metro and Rover 200 being scarce on UK roads today, with just 365 and 110 survivors respectively, they aren't necessarily the priciest collectables.
The analysis uncovered that the Rover 200 would only set buyers back about £4,000 now – ranking as one of the more affordable retrospectives:
| Vehicle | Number left on UK roads | Cost to repurchase today (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Ford Escort (1980s) | 1,700 | 48,100 |
| Ford Fiesta (1980s) | 2,700 | 6,800 |
| Austin Metro | 365 | 4,000 |
| Vauxhall Cavalier | 1,200 | 5,500 |
| Ford Sierra | 2,300 | 2,600 |
| Ford Fiesta (1990s) | 2,700 | 27,100 |
| Ford Escort (1990s) | 1,700 | 23,200 |
| Vauxhall Astra | 671,000 | 5,000 |
| Ford Mondeo | 190,300 | 3,500 |
| Rover 200 | 110 | 4,000 |
Google data indicates a high level of interest in the Rover 200, with 64 searches for every vehicle still on UK roads, which may lead to intense competition among motorists.
While a Ford Sierra can be purchased for around £2,600, certain models are being sold for significantly higher prices - up to 20 times more:
1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 3dr Hatchback 2L
£42,000 in 'good' condition
£65,000 in 'excellent' condition
The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is now seriously sought-after
1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth 3dr Hatchback 2L
£70,000 in 'good' condition
£106,000 in 'excellent' condition
John said: "Unlike other models, the Sierra Cosworth gained iconic status in the 1980s, meaning that specialist collectors are keen to get their hands on one. This is particularly true for the RS500, which was an era-defining car of the 1980s and 1990s.
"We've seen demand for these models increase in recent years, which has pushed prices higher. Having already been quite rare due to its limited run, its reputation for racing-level performance means that many collectors are happy to pay huge sums to own this piece of motoring history."
Auction4Cars.com has created retro-style Top Trumps cards showcasing the rarest and most valuable vehicles from the top-selling models of the 1980s and 1990s.
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