100's of bidders helped Classic Car Auctions achieve a remarkable 80% sales rate for their latest classic car sale.

Hundreds of bidders in the packed out auction hall at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre helped Classic Car Auctions (CCA) achieve a 80 per cent sales rate and total sales of more than £1.4million in its auction on Saturday, its biggest ever sales total.

Headlining the results was a very exciting 1963 Jaguar E-Type Series I Fixedhead Coupe ‘barnfind’ which sold for £66,000 including premium.

With no less than 12 phone bidders fighting for the car plus plenty of interest in the room, the highly sought after early manual car covered in dust eventually sold to rapturous applause for more than double its upper estimate.  

Buyers at the auction also had the chance to bid on some great value modern performance cars. A 2006 Porsche 911 (997) 3.6 Turbo, a UK car with a manual gearbox, sold for £33,880 while a 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage with just 15,000 miles on the clock sold for £39,600. With renewed interest in the marque, a 1996 TVR Griffith 500 in need of some TLC sold for £14,300, nearly three times its lower estimate.

The very best Fast Fords continue to prove in demand from enthusiasts and a rare, low mileage 1987 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands sold for £31,200, nearly double its lower estimate.

Commenting on the results from the sale, CCA general manager, Guy Lees-Milne, said: "This was our biggest catalogue yet and our customers were clearly impressed by the great selection, variety and value of cars we had on offer. It was great to see so many people join us, the atmosphere was once again fantastic with some very special cars selling for some amazing prices.” 

A pair of special 80s hatchbacks drew nostalgic glances from auction goers. With just 6,000 miles on the clock, a fantastic 1983 Ford Fiesta Popular Plus was snapped up for £7,700. Owned by a husband and wife for more than 20 years, a now rare 1988 MG Metro sold for £6,600.

Always proving popular, particularly the very best examples, a cherished 1972 Volvo 1800 ES was sold for £24,420, more than double its lower estimate. This car, with only 32,000 miles recorded, was sparkling and won many fans on auction day.

CCA is now inviting entries into its September Sale which takes place once again at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre near Leamington Spa, on the 24^th of September.  

Guy added: “I’m delighted that once again we have helped our vendors sell their ‘everyman’ cars for some great prices. It’s always wonderful to welcome new buyers to our sales and hope to see many more at our next auction.”

You can view the full results from CCA’s June Sale here http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/cca-june-2016-classic-car-sale/view_lots/pn/all.

Defender models see's pricing increases on the second hand market now the model has been discontinued.

Fans of the iconic Land Rover Defender who rushed to buy a piece of history are proving to have made a smart investment decision as prices soar. 

Automotive valuation specialists cap say good examples are demanding a huge premium over new list price. 

Commenting on the trend, John Watts, senior editor at Cap said: “We have already started to see an upward movement in trade values for Defender in general due to the anticipated demand and potential shortage following the cessation of production. Over the longer term we expect retail buyers to keep their vehicles longer because they know that finding a replacement will be nigh on impossible.

“Defender 90 versions are expected to be the highlight of the range since this model is closest to the original first production versions and Defender with a “premium” conversion will do exceptionally well.” 

Cap say a three year old Defender 90 Hard Top with 30,000 miles was valued at £11600 average trade price last June, and now the equivalent aged model is £12300. 

Dealers are demanding huge premiums for nearly new vehicles. 

A Land Rover Defender 90 2.2d 3 dr, with 1,000 miles on the clock, which cost £17,000 + VAT new, is now listed on Autotrader at £30,000. 

VIEW SALE HERE

Land Rover dealer Ross Munro, from LR Motors in North Yorkshire said: “Nearly new or pre-registred models of Defender are selling for 20% beyond list price and we are seeing some owners asking more. And with 75% of Defenders ever built still on the road, they could prove to be a smart move for investors or enthusiasts.”

Defender has attracted a thriving aftermarket with specialist companies such as Twisted producing enhanced vehicles with prices up to £150,000. 

Twisted say they have seen enquiries jump by 30%, with interest coming from business people and celebrities around the world.

The first generation Freelander from Land Rover has been added to it's ever growing portfolio of Heritage models.

• Hugely popular Freelander 1 becomes newest Land Rover Heritage vehicle
• Over 9,000 individual part numbers available for best-selling compact 4WD
• Rapidly became Europe’s best-selling 4WD vehicle for five consecutive years after launch in 1997
• Land Rover Heritage specialises in cars, services, parts and experiences

Produced between 1997 and 2006, the Land Rover Freelander 1 remains one of the brand’s best-selling models and is now officially a Land Rover Heritage vehicle. Land Rover Heritage specialises in cars, services, parts and experiences for classic Land Rover models and the Freelander 1 becomes the brand’s eighth Heritage model. 

The others are Series I, II and III, Range Rover Classic and P38 Range Rover plus Discovery 1 and 2.

A Heritage model is defined as a product that has been out of production for longer than 10 years and the Freelander 1 was first produced in 1997 and its production run ended nine years later in 2006 when Freelander 2 replaced it. Ever since production of Freelander 1 concluded, Land Rover continued to support owners through the supply of spare parts. Now, owners will be supported by the brand’s Heritage experts and ensure loyal owners continue to enjoy their vehicle for many years to come.

Over 9,000 individual Land Rover Heritage Part numbers are available for the Freelander 1 and it adds to the brand’s comprehensive parts catalogue, which already features over 33,000 items for both Jaguar and Land Rover Heritage vehicles.

Tim Hannig, Director, Jaguar Land Rover Heritage, said: “With the addition of the Freelander 1 as a Heritage model, Land Rover is reaffirming its support and commitment to its loyal customers by providing exceptional cars, services, parts and experiences for models more than 10 years out of production. Genuine Land Rover Heritage Parts for Freelander 1 have been engineered and tested in extreme conditions. As such it gives our customers total peace-of-mind that their vehicles are maintained to the highest possible standards.”

When it was launched, the Freelander broke the mould by pioneering the compact premium 4x4 class and at the time had 16 patented features including Hill Descent Control (HDC), Immediate Reduction Drive (IDR), a viscous-coupling (VCU) and an innovative ABS system designed specifically for off-road situations.

JLR has confirmed that the Iconic and long lasting Defender Off-Roader will cease production early in the new year.

Jaguar Land Rover will end production of the iconic Land Rover Defender early next year.

The utilitarian workhorse, loved by the British royal family and farmers alike, has remained virtually unchanged during almost seven decades of production. The original design was so simple it was originally sketched in beach sand.

Slabs of aluminum. A windshield with virtually no tilt. A roof rack made to hold steamer trunks or lion carcasses. A spare tire hanging off the back door. That uncompromising approach has delighted customers from Winston Churchill to Queen Elizabeth II. The Defender has shuttled soldiers in the Korean War, Red Cross volunteers in crisis zones around the world and Lara Croft in the movie Tomb Raider.

In January, its run will end, and the company hasn't said when there will be a replacement. The 23,100 pound ($35,100) car synonymous with country living has become outdated.

Its raw metal surfaces are at odds with pedestrian safety standards. Its carbon-dioxide emissions are twice the European fleet standard, and it has no touchscreens, mobile connectivity, airbags or cordless phone charging.

"It's time to move to a new chapter," said Nick Rogers, Jaguar Land Rover's head of engineering, who learned to drive in a Defender. "We want to move forward with a new car."

No Bluetooth

Land Rover is losing its flagship because the brand relied too long on rural estate owners, ignoring the rise of soccer moms and urban adventurers. Its modest price tag meant modernizing the Defender made little sense, leaving it with just its authenticity as a selling point.

By contrast, the Jeep Wrangler, a descendant of the World War II military vehicle, has been kept current with electronic stability control and Bluetooth connectivity. A successful relaunch of the Defender could follow the track plowed by Mini. Since being reborn under BMW Group, the offbeat British car has grown into a global brand that includes an SUV variant and sells from Birmingham to Beijing.

But the Defender's association with bone-jarring off-roading may make it more of a struggle to re-establish, and Land Rover already thoroughly covers the upscale SUV segment from the compact Evoque to the top-of-the-line Range Rover.

The Defender's demise comes as global demand for SUVs is set to soar 37 percent to nearly 26 million cars in 2018, according to researcher IHS Automotive. Jaguar Land Rover needs a bigger piece of that pie after reporting a 92 million pound loss for the second quarter. Its answer has been Jaguar's first-ever crossover and the entry-level Land Rover Discovery Sport, at 30,695 pounds.

Before the Defender ceases production, Land Rover will sell about 20,000 this year, IHS estimates, down from a peak of about 56,000 in the 1970s. Its total 68-year production run will be more than 2 million cars.

Intense competition

The prospects for Land Rover to squeeze in a new Defender will be tough as competition in the segment intensifies. Fiat Chrysler Automobile's Jeep brand is broadening its range with cheaper models such as the $17,995 Renegade.

On the high end, Land Rover must contend with Maserati and Bentley entering the space as well as the burgeoning SUV lineups of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Mercedes has its own heritage off-road vehicle, the G class -- though in contrast to the Defender, the Mercedes has enough fine leather and chrome to make it fit on the streets of Beverly Hills.

Land Rover and its parent company, India-based Tata Motors, face the challenge of developing a new Defender without losing the values of the original. While they've promised to overhaul and reintroduce the icon, they haven't said when it might resurface or whether production will continue at the factory in Solihull, England, where most of the assembly is still done by hand and there's a wall covered with personal memorabilia from buyers.

Key to the Defender's rebirth will be winning over city-dwellers with what its designer, Maurice Wilks, called a "go-anywhere, do-anything" vehicle. If it can maintain its quirky authenticity while adding new comforts and technology, Land Rover can hold on to old fans and win over new ones, said Franz-Rudolf Esch, director of the Institute for Brand and Communications Research at EBS Business School near Wiesbaden, Germany.

"What doesn't move with the times dies," Esch said. "The Defender must remain true to itself even as it reflects the Zeitgeist and the changing expectations of customers."

Waist-deep water

On a recent drive along Land Rover's back-country track near Birmingham, England, it's easy to see how the Defender gained cult status. It powered through nearly waist-deep water, trundled handily up the muddy inclines and survived a steep drop off a collapsed bridge. The feel is very much last-century, with a comically large turning radius and a hand brake that sits uncomfortably low. The windows steam up almost immediately. But there's no denying the charisma, as Munich sales manager Stephane Anger will tell you.

"I wanted something different," said Anger, a father of three who gave up a BMW 5-series sedan in favor of a black Defender, which he drives to his family's hut in the Austrian Alps. "The Defender has no trouble with any slope."

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Land Rover Heritage now gives us mere mortals the opportunity to drive classic 4x4's off Road - Yippee..

• Heritage and modern Land Rovers and off-road facility added to the Land Rover portfolio of driving experiences
• New UK facilities, exhibits and specially-prepared heritage vehicles
• A variety of customer packages available; drive by decade or by model
• Packages priced from £40 to £2000
• Bookings now available at www.heritagedriving.co.uk

The new Land Rover Heritage Driving Experience is now fully open at the company’s customer test facility in Fen End, West Midlands. 

For the first time, customers can experience Land Rover’s rich heritage through driving vehicles from the Series I that started the legend in 1948, to famous military vehicles such as the 101 Forward Control transporter and the iconic classic Range Rover on and off-road at a new customer facility in the heart of the UK.

A variety of packages will be available allowing visitors to focus on a particular decade or era, or to journey through Land Rover’s heritage, right up to the present day line-up.

Professional instructors will be on hand to provide direction, interesting facts and anecdotes to ensure visitors get the most pleasure and excitement from their time on the circuit or on the new off-road track. Customers will also have the opportunity to view stunning vehicle exhibits in detail and browse a fully stocked merchandise outlet.

  

Land Rover packages start at £40 for passenger rides with an expert Land Rover Experience instructor.  Example Land Rover Heritage Experience packages include:

The Series I, II and III Vs Modern Defender (£85)

Drive a Series I, II or III, followed by today’s vehicle they became – the Defender.  See how Land Rover’s adventurous DNA has passed from generation to generation, and how these classic machines took on the world’s toughest terrains.

Land Rover Historic Drives (£90)

The opportunity to drive the vehicles that started the legend, both on and off-road, choose from an original Series Land Rover, a classic Range Rover or a more unusual creation – the 101 Forward Control – a transporter designed for the British Army.

Range Rover Then & Now (£125)

Compare the classic Range Rover with its 2015 off-spring, both on and off-road.  Time behind the wheel includes a track induction for a higher speed experience, and time off-road putting both cars through their all-terrain paces. 

Land Rover – The Collection (£250)

The full Land Rover Experience incorporates all the key models in the brand’s history from the 1940s right up to the 2010s, including the Series Land Rovers, special military vehicles, collectible expedition-prepared vehicles and the modern line-up from Defender to Range Rover. 

Complementing the newly introduced Land Rover experiences, a range of Jaguar experiences are also available:

Jaguar Experience (from £95)

Passenger rides and driving alongside a seasoned professional, visitors can choose from individual models such as an XK150 or Mark II saloon, or selected pairings such as the Series 1 and Series 3 E-type, or even an E-type with its modern counterpart, the F-TYPE.

Le Mans Experience (£750)

Re-live the experiences of legends such as Mike Hawthorn and Duncan Hamilton with drives in the iconic C and D-types that dominated the world famous 24-hour endurance race in the 1950s.  This package also features drives in an XKSS and F-TYPE R Coupé, and includes lunch.

Grace and Pace Experience (£2,000)

A full day of driving Jaguar Heritage legends, from post-war racers to sports saloons, coupés, roadsters and much more, including the new XFR and F-TYPE R Coupé models.  The Grace and Pace day also features opportunities to drive creations from the company’s Special Operations division, and includes chauffeur-driven transfers to lunch.

Jaguar Land Rover showcases history whilst opening the new Plant with a plant at Solihull.

• Parade of 40 iconic Jaguar Land Rover models from both past and present marks historic opening of upgraded Solihull plant
• Sir Stirling Moss OBE leads the procession in one of Jaguar’s most iconic heritage cars – the XK120
• Models spanning across up to eight decades of both Jaguar Land Rover heritage form part of parade including Jaguar SS1 Tourer and Land Rover Series l to present-day Jaguar XE and Range Rover Sport SVR.
• Historic moment for the company as the first Jaguar XE rolls off the line at Solihull
• Milestone in Jaguar’s history in its 80^th year

A stunning procession of classic and iconic Jaguar and Land Rover models has kicked off the celebration of the opening of the newly upgraded Solihull plant and welcoming Jaguar production to the traditional home of Land Rover where the new XE saloon is now being made.

The 40 car parade was led by legendary British racing driver Sir Stirling Moss OBE in a Jaguar XK120 alongside Solihull Operations Director, Alan Volkaerts. 

They were joined by renowned Jaguar test driver, Norman Dewis OBE, well-known TV presenter – and Jaguar Land Rover aficionado - Quentin Willson, plus many other VIP guests and Jaguar Land Rover employees.

Models from Jaguar’s illustrious 80-year history such as Jaguar’s SS1 Tourer, XK120, and E-Type were lined up with the XE in a circuit of the new £500 million pound facility. 

They were joined by Land Rover’s finest in the form of a Series l, 101 Forward Control and the newly launched Range Rover Sport SVR, marking the historic opening of this state of the art facility and the commencement of the first Jaguar to be made at the ‘home of Land Rover’.

John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations commented: ”It's wonderful to see great cars from both Jaguar and Land Rover's heritage helping us to celebrate the exciting new future at Solihull. Even more so when they are being joined by the future classics currently being made here such as the Jaguar XE.”

Sir Stirling Moss said: “Cars like the Jaguar XK120 and E-type look as wonderful today as they did when they were new and it's brilliant that they are here, taking part in the celebration of a great new chapter in Jaguar's illustrious history.”

The arrival of the XE at the Solihull manufacturing plant is significant for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. 

Renowned for producing some of the world’s most distinguishable saloon cars in history, the advent of XE production at Solihull marks a key milestone for Jaguar, this year celebrating its 80^th birthday. 

For Land Rover, welcoming the Jaguar brand to its home is the latest in a string of significant developments, which have seen the site undergo a spectacular transformation in just five years.

New Land Rover Heritage Division to launch at Techno Classica in Essen Germany.

• New Land Rover Heritage division to launch at Techno Classica in Essen, Germany on 15-19 April, 2015
• Land Rover Heritage forms part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations division and compliments Jaguar Heritage in supporting vehicles 10 years out of production across Land Rover’s global sales network
• The Land Rover Heritage stand at Essen will feature a stunning example of the Range Rover Classic with selected genuine parts from Land Rover’s Heritage Parts range
• New Land Rover Heritage Parts will be created using original tooling methods and will support owners of older Land Rovers by providing genuine parts
• Gradual rollout of Land Rover Heritage activities to include Land Rover Heritage Driving Experience in the UK plus reintroduction of wider range of genuine Heritage Parts

Jaguar Land Rover will launch its new Land Rover Heritage division at the Techno Classica show in Essen, Germany between 15-19 April, 2015. 

Complementing the recently established Jaguar Heritage division, Land Rover Heritage will offer original Land Rover vehicle parts for a variety of heritage models that have been out of production for longer than a decade.

Body, trim and extended servicing items are available for Range Rover Classic, while for Range Rover P38 and Discovery 1 and 2, Land Rover Heritage supplies salvage and extended service parts to ensure customers’ cherished cars are maintained to the highest possible standard.

For Series l, ll and lll, selected Land Rover Heritage Parts are available and the brand will gradually reintroduce more original part numbers – all made using original tooling methods and all items supported under warranty*.

Land Rover Heritage forms part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations division and has been created to support the brand’s passion in nurturing and preserving its rich heritage of vehicles and supporting its loyal customer base across Land Rover’s global sales network.

With production of current Defender now in its final phase, Land Rover has committed to supply replacement parts for 15 years for this automotive icon. Thereafter, owners of the current Defender will be able to maintain their treasured car by ordering genuine Land Rover Heritage Parts through Land Rover’s global network of retailers.

John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, said: “We are delighted to launch Land Rover Heritage, which perfectly complements the recent introduction of Jaguar Heritage. It is estimated that 70% of all Land Rovers manufactured since 1948 are still in existence so there is a large and very passionate owner base to support through Land Rover Heritage.”

The centrepiece for Land Rover at Techno Classica will be an iconic first-generation Range Rover Classic, featuring a selected range of Land Rover Heritage Parts created using original Land Rover tooling.

The steady rollout of the Land Rover Heritage business will also expand to include Land Rover Heritage Drives – launching this summer. This will give participants the unique opportunity to drive models from Land Rover’s heritage collection at a special 200-acre testing facility in Warwickshire.