Top Ten Classic Car Survivors

[Heuer]

The Daily Telegraph has just published a couple of interesting lists: Top 10 Fastest Disappearing Family Cars and Top 10 Classic Survivors (1950-1990).

Top is the Lotus Elan with a survival rate of 37.5% followed by the Truimph Stag and Reliant Scimitar. The most endangered British car is the Austin Allegro with only 291 of 642,340 built, a survival rate of 0.0453%.

Full report here: http://tinyurl.com/beja44y The E-Type is nowhere in the list!

[PeterCrespin]

According to www.xkedata.com stats section, there are 47% of the RHD 3.8 OTS accounted for and about 27% of all RHD cars.

[Heuer]

"We've crunched the DVLA's data to come up with the top 10 hardiest classic cars in the UK. By that, we mean the percentage left taxed or SORN'd compared with how many were built in the first place."

Odd then the E-Type is not in the list.

[vipergts]

High Aston contaent

More to do with values i'd say

[MarkE]

They've lumped in the M100 1990s Elan with the '60s car, so no wonder that the rates are coming up so high.

Add in the number of XJS still left and call them E Types.....you'd have quite a survival rate then.

One of the highest rate of survival has to be the old Lotus Elite. There are just over 800 known to the club (a bit more reliable than the DVLA database) out of the 1020 made. The reason most think is that it was such a delicate and unreliable car, they were very infrequently on the road, hence were involved in fewer accidents. And having a fibreglass monocoque bodyshell....no rust!

[Heuer]

They did lump the later M100 Elan with the 'baby' Elan but claim it did not alter the percentages:

"Lotus Elan: 1962-1974 and 1989-1994
8955 built, 2151 taxed, 1210 SORN'd, survival rate - 37.5%

Okay, so it's a bit of a cheat lumping two very different generations of Lotus Elans together, but the survival rate of the 1990s front-wheel drive car hasn't had a significant effect on the older car - which is clearly much loved by doting owners. And it's easy to see why - the original Elan is a car of devastating beauty, blessed with brilliant handling, and in Sprint form, electrifying performance. Many cars started out as kits, so an extra level of care and attention went into each and every one of them. Well, that's the theory at least."

And talking of devastating beauty Russell of Reflectology is on the second day of detailing my Elan and it already looks stunning.

[MarkE]

Peter Day restorations are being highly prized now, David....look after her.

Paul has a stunning BRM S3 Coupe in stock at the moment, a very rare and desirable car. Another Peter Day....just ?65k.

Those numbers for Elans are just rubbish!
There were just short of 14,000 Elans (including Plus 2s) made in the 60s and early 70s, and 4600 M100 made in the 90s, giving a total of 18600 Elans......not 8955 as they have guessed.

May alter the survival rate a little!

[Heuer]

Wait until you see the pictures! I fancy an Elite actually but I keep going back to what you told me - great to look at, terrible to drive any distance.

[Moeregaard]

I think you'll see the percentages get even more favorable for cars accepted as classics, for a couple of reasons. More are coming out of garages and backyards to be put back on the road and, since the spares situation has improved dramatically over the last 20 years, the days of three cars going into the restoration so that one can come out are pretty much behind us :D