car prices when new

 

If you were the kind of person who could afford a Bugatti Type 35 in 1925, what would you be able to afford today?  Conversely if you have today a mid-range VW Golf, list price £25,000, what might your budget have run to in 196O?  This table gives rough approximations of today’s (mid 2017) equivalents of the prices of cars when new and also what, roughly, £10,000 today would have been worth in every fifth year from 1900.  All these figures must be treated with caution, as the science of comparing prices over time is fraught with difficulty and should be undertaken with great caution.  The accuracy of this table should be placed firmly in the category “roughly sort of”, but some of the comparisons are fascinating.

price information

See the notes after the table.

 

year

make and model

price then

source

equivalent now

 

 

 

 

 

1900

 

£88

 

£10,000

1900

Daimler Kimberley 4½ hp 2-seater

£225

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£25,400

1900

Daimler Lonsdale Waggonette 12 hp

£915

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£103,400

1904

Daimler TA 18.22 hp

(lowest)

£600

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£67,000

1904

Daimler TB 28.36 hp

(highest)

£1,050

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£117,300

1905

 

£89

 

£10,000

1910

 

£91

 

£10,000

1910

Daimler TA 6/38 Landaulette

£940

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£102,800

1910

 

 

 

 

1911

Vauxhall Prince Henry

£485 (chassis)

C&SC March 2018

£54,300

1915

 

£94

 

£10,000

1920

 

£211

 

£10,000

1924

Vauxhall 30/98 Wensum

(body only) £1,300

C&SC Oct 2017

£62,200

1925

 

£179

 

£10,000

1926

Morris Oxford Two-Seater

£160

C&SC Nov 2017

£8.800

1927

Buick Maser Six Coupe

$1,465

£300

C&SC April 2017

£16,800

1929 (?)

Bugatti Type 40,

FF49,800

£400

American Bugatti Club

£23,000

1929 (?)

Bugatti Type 35B

FF155,000

£1,250

American Bugatti Club

£72,000

1930

 

£171

 

£10,000

1930

Bugatti Royale chassis

$30,000

£6,200

Wikipedia

£361,400

1930

Daimler

30-40 Double-Six

lwb chassis

limousine

£1,350

£2,300

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£78,700

£134,000

1931

Morris Minor 2-seater

£100

Widely known as “the £100 car”

£6,000

1933

Bentley 3½ litre saloon

£1,500

Wikipedia

£96,000

1932

Riley Nine Gamecock

£285

C&SC Sept 2017

£17,800

1933

Ford 8

£100

Wikipedia

£6,400

1934

Lagonda M45 Rapid

£1,250

C&SC April 2017

£82,000

1935

 

£152

 

£10,000

1936??

Morgan F Super

£132

C&SC Nov 2017

£8,600

1936??

Morgan Super Sports MX2

£128

C&SC Nov 2017

£8,350

1936

Morgan 4/4 Competition

£194

C&SC April 2018

£13,000

1936

Squire

£1,220

C&SC March 2017

£79,600

1939

BMW 327/80 Sports Cabriolet

£850

C&SC Oct 2017

£52,500

1939

Lagonda V12 Rapide

£1,600

C&SC Sept 2017

£99,000

1940

 

£167

 

£10,000

1941

Chevrolet Master Deluxe

$715

£175

C&SC March 2017

£9,000

1945

 

£246

 

£10,000

1946

Daimler

2½ litre chassis saloon

£815

£1,340

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£32,300

£53,000

1946

Daimler 36

chassis

£1,700

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£67,500

1946

Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith

chassis

£1,835

Daimler Days by
Brian Smith

£72,700

1948

Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica

£3,000

C&SC Jany 2018

£111,600

1948

Wolseley 6/80

£767

C&SC Feby 2017

£23,300

1948

Daimler

Green Goddess

£7,000

cost so qy add tax

Wikipedia

£251,400

qy + tax

1949

Hillman Minx

£505

Motor 19 Jany 1949

£16,900

1949

Jaguar XK120 2-seater

£1,263

Motor 16 Nov 1949

£42,200

1949?

Lanchester ten saloon

£927

Autocar undated test 1375

£30,900

1949

Sunbeam-Talbot 80 Saloon

£888

Motor 27 April 1949

£29.600

1950

 

£308

 

£10,000

1950??

Jowett Javelin

£1,129

C&SC Nov 2017

£28,500

1950??

Morgan Plus 4

£652

C&SC Nov 2017

£21,200

1951

Allard P1

£1,613

C&SC Dec 2017

£52,600

1952

Humber Super Snipe IVb

£1,482

C&SC Feby 2017

£42,500

1952

Jaguar Mk VII

£1,276

C&SC Nov 2017

£36,800

1952

Jowett Bradford Utility de luxe

£740

Motor (per Wilkipedia)

£21,400

1953

Austin-Healey 100

£1,064

C&SC Jany 2018

£29,100

1953

Ford Zephyr

£684

C&SC Feby 2017

£18,100

1953

Lanchester Dauphin

£4,000

C&SC April 2018

£109,500

1954

Austin A90

£782

C&SC Feby 2017

£20,000

1954
1954-55

Lancia Aurelia B12

£2,326

C&SC Dec 2017

£61,800

1955

 

£397

 

£10,000

1955

MG Magnette

£914

Motor 5 Jany 1955

£23,000

1955
1954-56

Singer Hunter

£975

C&SC Jany 2018

£25,400

1956

Bristol 405D

£3,189

C&SC March 2018

£79,600

1956

Standard Vanguard III (with o/d)

£998

Motor 20 June 1956

£24,000

1956
1954-57

Sunbeam Mk III

£1,127

C&SC Jany 2018

£28,100

1956

Vauxhall Cresta

£931

C&SC Feby 2017

£22,500

1957

Austin A35 De Luxe 2-door

£554

Motor 1957 Annual

£12,700

1957

Austin A55 De Luxe

£870

Motor 1957 Annual

£20,000

1957

Berkeley Sports

£575

Motor 1957 Annual

£13,200

1957

Chevrolet Nomad

$2,757
£950

C&SC Jany 2018

£21,500

1957

Daimler Century Saloon

£1,495

Motor 1957 Annual

34,350

1957

Ford Anglia de Luxe

£626

Motor 11 Dec 1957

£14,400

1957

Humber Hawk Estate

£1,261

C&SC March 2017

£29,000

1957

Lagonda 3-Litre Saloon

£2,993

Motor 1957 Annual

£68,800

1957

Standard Eight

£680

Motor 29 May 1957

£15,600

1957
1956-58

Standard Vanguard Sportsman

£1,231

C&SC March 2018

£29,300

1957

Wolseley 1500

£759

Motor 1957 Annual

£17,400

1958
1957-59

Humber Hawk Series I

£1,261

C&SC March 2018

£28,900

1958

Lancia Appia Series III

£1,588

C&SC May 2017

£35,200

1958

Morgan Plus Four

£1,017

Motor 1 Jany 1958

£22,500

1959

Austin-Healey Sprite

£679

C&SC Dec 2017

£15,100

1959
1957-61

Vauxhall F-Series Victor

£931

C&SC Dec 2017

£20,800

1959
1957-60

Vauxhall PA Cresta

£1,073

C&SC Dec 2017

£23,900

1960

 

£478

 

£10,000

1960

Alvis 3-litre Saloon

£2,827

Autocar 3 Feby 1960

£60,400

1960

Aston Martin

£3,980

C&SC Nov 2017

£85,100

1960

Austin Seven Countryman

£623

Motor 21 Sept 1060

£13,300

1960

Austin-Healey 3000 MkI

£1,326

C&SC Feby 2017

£28,400

1960

Riley One-pont-Five

£840

C&SC May 2017

£18,000

1960

Rover 3-litre

£1,783

Motor 6 July 1960

£38,100

1960

Vauxhall Cresta

£1,077

Motor 21 Sept 1060

£23,000

1961

Austin-Healey Sprite

£632

C&SC May 2017

£13,400

1961

Lagonda Rapide

£2,950

C&SC Feby 2018

£64,700

1961

MGA 1600 MkII Coupé

£963

C&SC Feb 2018

£21,100

1962

Bristol 407

£4,848

C&SC Feby 2017

£99,300

1962

Chevrolet Corvette

$4,654 £1,656

C&SC Dec 2017

£35,100

1963

Vanden Plas Countryman

£3,000

C&SC March 2017

£58,900

1963

MG B

£834

C&SC March 2017

£16,400

1964

Ferrari 250GT Lusso

£5,607

C&SC April 2017

£107,900

1964

Cheetah

$10,000

£3,600

C&SC April 2017

£69,300

1964
1963-65

Porsche 904 Carrera GTS

$7,425

£2,611

C&SC March 2018

£52,000

1964

Singer Vogue

£870

C&SC April 2017

£17,700

1964

Ford Consul Cortina Super

£786

C&SC April 2017

£15,100

1964

Morgan Plus 4 Plus

£1,275

C&SC Nov 2017

£24,500

1965

 

£537

 

£10,000

1965 ??
1955-75

Citroën DS23 EFI Pallas

£2,883

C&SC March 2018

£55,600

1965

NSU Spider

£1,391

C&SC April 2018

£26,800

1965

Sunbeam Tiger

£1,445

C&SC Dec 2017

£27,900

1965

TVR Griffith

£1,620

C&SC Feby 2018

£31,300

1965

Volvo 122S

£1,399

C&SC April 2017

£26,000

1965

Volvo 1899S

£1,814

C&SC Sept 2017

£33,800

1967

Mercedes-Benz universal

DM15,900

£1,456

C&SC March 2017

£24,900

1967

Triumph TR4A

£1,095

C&SC March 2018

£19,400

1968

AC 428

£5,573

C&SC Feby 2017

£93,000

1968

Ford GT40 Mk III

£6,674

C&SC April 2018

£115,400

1968

Hillman Imp

£626 to £785

C&SC Jany 2018

£10,800 to £13,600

1968
1966-69

MGC

£1,102

C&SC Feby 2018

£19,000

1968

Mercury Cougar

$2,933

£2,259[1]

C&SC April 2017

£37,700

1968

NSU 1000/1200

£679 to £840

C&SC Jany 2018

£11,700 to £14,500

1968

Renault 8 & 10

£ 706 to £778

C&SC Jany 2018

£12,200 to £13,500

1968

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow MPW
2-door

£9,849

C&SC Sept 2017

£164,400

1969

Alfa Romeo Spider 1750 Veloce

£2,199

C&SC Aug 2017

£35,000

1969??

Austin 3 litre

£1,696

C&SC Nov 2017

£27,000

1969
1966-72

BMW 2000

£1,996

C&SC March 2018

£33,000

1969??

Ford Executive

£1,846

C&SC Nov 2017

£29,500

1969??

Vauxhall Viscount

£1,483

C&SC Nov 2017

£23,600

1970

 

£661

 

£10,000

1970

Ferrari 365GT 2+2

£8,749

C&SC Summer 2017

£132,300

1970
1967-73

Rover 3.5 Litre Coupé

£2,270

C&SC March 2018

£35,600

1971

Bond Bug

£548

C&SC March 2017

£7,800

1971
1962-80

MGB

£949

C&SC  Feby 2018

£20.100

1972
1968-76

Audi 100LS

£1,995

C&SC March 2018

£26,900

1972
1968-76

Mercedes-Benz 230/4

£3,495

C&SC March 2018

£47,000

1972

Porsche 911E

£4,827

C&SC Jany 2018

£65,000

1972

Triumph TR6

£1,536

C&SC March 2017

£20,000

1973

Citroën SM

£5,480

C&SC April 2017

£66,500

1973

Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5

£5,375

C&SC Nov 2017

£65,200

1973
1971-74

MG Costello V8

£2,616

C&SC Feby 2018

£32,900

1973

Porsche 911 2.4S Targa

£6,086

C&SC Aug 2017

£73,800

1974

BMW £9 Coupés (CSI & CSL

£7,399

C&SC Feby 2018

£85,200

1974

Citroën GS Birotor

25,000 F

£2,229

C&SC Oct 2017

£24,800

1974

Citroën SM

£6,369

C&SC Feby 2018

£73,300

1974

Jaguar/Daimler XJC

£4,315

C&SC Feby 2018

£49,700

1974

Reliant Robin

£801

C&SC March 2017

£8,900

1974

Lancia Fulvia Sport

£2,695

C&SC May 2017

£30,000

1974

Vanden Plas 1.7

£1,950

C&SC Sept 2017

£21,700

1975

 

£1,044

 

£10,000

1975

BMW 2002 Turbo

£4,299

C&SC Nov 2017

£41,200

1975

Citroën GS Pallas

£1,954

C&SC Sept 2017

£18,700

1975

Mercedes 450SCL

£11,500

C&SC Aug 2017

£110,200

1976

Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9

£21,000

C&SC May 2017

£162,000

1978

Alfa Romeo Alfretta

£2,448

C&SC March 2017

£14,000

1978

Alfa Romeo Alfretta 2000

£4,799

C&SC March 2017

£27,400

1979

BL Mini CLubman

£2,831

C&SC Feby 2018

£13,700

1979

Panther Lima II

£5,668

C&SC April 2018

£31,000

1980

 

£2,148

 

£10,000

1980

Ferrari 512BB

£35,100

C&SC Summer 2017

£163,400

1980
1978-85

Mazda RX-7 Mk I

£8,549

C&SC Jany 2018

£41,200

1981

Jaguar XJ-S V12

£18,950

C&SC Jany 2018

£77,400

1981

Mercedes-Benz 200

£8,700

C&SC March 2018

£35,600

1981

Triumph Acclaim HLS

£4,688

C&SC April 2018

£19,200

1982

FIAT/Bertone X1/9

£8,208

C&SC March 2017

£29,000

1983
1966-72

BMW 635CSI

£17,196

C&SC April 2018

£70,300

1984

Morgan Plus 8

£12,999

C&SC Nov 2017

£38,200

1985

 

£3,383

 

£10,000

1985
1980-87

Alfa Romeo GRV6

£9,495

C&SC April 2018

£29,000

1985

BMW Alpina B10

£32,995

C&SC Feby 2017

£97,500

1985
1981-91

Jaguar XJ-S HE

£19,708

C&SC April 2018

£60,300

1986

Audi Quattro

£24,204

C&SC Feby 2018

£69,900

1987

Reliant Scimitar SS1

£7,495

C&SC March 2017

£20,200

1987

Toyota MR 2
Mk 1

£11,559

C&SC March 2017

£31,100

1988

BMW 635CSi Highline

£33,716

C&SC Dec 2017

£90,300

1988

Ferrari Testarossa

£62,666

C&SC Summer 2017

£162,000

1988

Mercedes 560SEC

£52,185

C&SC Aug 2017

£134,900

1988

Porsche 928 S4

£48,900

C&SC March 2017

£126,400

1989
1987-92

Ferrari F40

£160,000

C&SC Jany 2018

£408,600

1989

Lamborghini Countach

£98,957

C&SC April 2017

£243,900

1989

Land Rover 90 County V8

£14,468

C&SC March 2018

£36,900

1990

Aston Martin Virage

£120,000

C&SC Aug 2017

£274,400

1990

 

£4,373

 

£10,000

1993

Ferrari 512TR

£129,953

C&SC Summer 2017

£247,000

1993

Mercedes-Benz 600SL

£97,000

C&SC April 2018

£191,000

1993

Morgan 4/4 Zetec

£16,256

C&SC Nov 2017

£30,900

1993

Jaguar XJ-S 4.0

£35,400

C&SC May 2017

£67,300

1993
1992-95

MG RV8

£26,500

C&SC Feby 2018

£52,200

1995

 

£5,471

 

£10,000

1995

Aston Martin DB7

£78,500

C&SC Feby 2017

£143,500

1995

Ferrari F512M

£138,000

C&SC Summer 2017

£252,200

1995

Porsche 911 (993) Turbo

£93,950

C&SC March 2018

£137,200

1996

Mercedes S500

£93,500

C&SC Aug 2017

£165,100

1999

Aston Martin DB7 3.2 Vantage

£84,950

C&SC Dec 2017

£142,400

1999

Honda Integra Type R

£19,845

C&SC Aug 2017

£32,100

1999

Jaguar XK8/XKR

£50,655 to £67,005

C&SC Dec 2017

£84,900 to £112,300

1999

Peugeot 306 Rallye

£15,995

C&SC Aug 2017

£25,900

1999

Porshe 911 (993/996)

£64,800 to £78,100

C&SC Dec 2017

£108,600 to £130,900

2000

 

£6,276

 

£10,000

2001

Ford Racing Puma

£23,000

C&SC Aug 2017

£35,600

2002

Renault Avantime

£23,985

£28,295

C&SC Nov 2017

£36,500

£40,000

2003

Ferrari 575 Maranello

£154,350

C&SC Feby 2017

£230,700

2003

Ford Focus RS

£19,995

C&SC April 2017

£29,900

2004

Ferrari Challenge Stradale

£135,513

C&SC Summer 2017

£196800

2004

Honda Civic Type R

£17,950

C&SC April 2017

£26,000

2005

 

£7.092

 

£10,000

2005

Aston Martin V8 vantage

£79,995

C&SC Feby 2017

£112,900

2005

Ford GT

£126,000

C&SC April 2018

184,000

2005

Renault Sport 182 Trophy

£15,500

C&SC April 2017

£21,900

2006

BMW Z4M

£42,245

C&SC March 2017

£58,000

2006

Ferrari F599 GTB F1

£171,825

C&SC Summer 2017

£235,700

2006

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

£131,000

C&SC Oct 2017

£179,700

2006

Marcos TSO GT2

£49,995

C&SC May 2017

£68,600

2006

TVR Sagris

£49,995

C&SC May 2017

£68,600

2007

Aston Martin Vanquish S

£182,000

C&SC Sept 2017

£242,000

2007

BMW Z4M

£42,245

C&SC March 2017

£56,100

2007
2003-12

Mazda RX-8

£25,785

C&SC Jany 2018

£35,500

2007

Mercedes G500 AMG Convertible

$83,700 £41,850

C&SC Jany 2018

£57,600

2008

Ferrari Scuderia

£172,625

C&SC Summer 2017

£220,000

2008??

Morgan Aero 8

£62,000

C&SC Nov 2017

£79,000

2008??

Morgan Aeromax

£110,000

C&SC Nov 2017

£140,200

2008

Porsche Cayman S

£44,259

C&SC March 2017

£56,400

2009

Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AGM

£51,975

C&SC March 2017

£63,700

2010

 

£8,120

 

£10,000

2010

Aston Martin DB9

£103,000

C&SC Feby 2017

£126,900

2014

Ferrari 459 Speciale

£208,000

C&SC Summer 2017

£219,000

2015

 

£9,725

 

£10,000

2016
2014-18

MG Frontline

£106,170

C&SC Feby 2018

£112,000

2017

Ford GT

£420,000

C&SC April 2018

£435,000

 

notes about equivalent prices

the column “year”

If no year given in the source of information about the car, the year shown in in the middle of the production period or rounded up to the next year.  A double question mark after a year indicates that the source information is uncertain or that the price new feels wrong for the middle of the period, when, occasionally, I have taken the earliest date shown.  From the C&SC December 2017 issue I have added the production period from the middle of which I have assumed the relevant price year.

the column “prices then” 

These, the supposedly new prices, should be treated as approximate, including tax, except that, where the prices is given in a foreign currency, the sterling equivalent does not include taxes, so are likely to understate the price to a British buyer.  The source information usually has no information about extras.

the column “equivalent now”

Comparing prices over time is an uncertain exercise and none of the amounts in the column can be treated as more that a rough approximation of today’s cost to the original cost.  The amounts were taken from the following website in May 2017 rounded to the nearest £100.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

The table starts in 1901 so (in case any pedant questions me) the equivalent of today’s £10,000, that I show for 1900 to keep to my 5-yearly pricing, is actually for 1901.

conversion from US dollars ($) to sterling (£)

£1 = 1927 $4.86; 1930 $4.86; 1941 $4.03; 1957 $2.79; 1962 $2.81; 1963 $2.79; 2007 $2.00: taken from the following website in May 2017

https://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/exchangepound/result.php

conversion from other currencies to sterling (£)

These equivalents are taken from the following website.  This website shows for currency A in a specified year how much could be bought in  Stockholm in that or another year in currency B.  If anyone can send to me a link to websites showing historic exchange rates, I shall be very  grateful.

http://www.historicalstatistics.org/Currencyconverter.html

 

have you any interesting prices?

I am well supplied with copies of road tests, mostly from Motor and some from Autocar that my father saved in the 50s to 70s, but almost no information from the 40s back to the start of the motoring era.  If you have any original price information that you can provide to me, please do.

Thanks to the following (in addition to those mentioned in the sources column of the table) for information:  John Gutteridge (see the Alvis 12/50 snippet at http://www.101words.xyz/cars_free.htm), and David Sewell (independent Bugatti consultant).

 

Contact details on my home page.

 

home

cars in 101 words

 

first posted to website 27/05/17, latest update 21/01/18

 



[1]      1968 $2.39 = £1: https://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/exchangepound/result.php