ACA in Norfolk: Little Budget, Big Pleasure
16 November 2024 10 min read 9 images
Photo credit: ACA Anglia Car Auctions
Americans divide the wealthy into two categories: the "new money", meaning entrepreneurs who have made their fortune through the internet, and the "old money", wealthy dynasties whose wealth is passed down from generation to generation. Neither of these groups were present at the ACA Auction on November 2nd. Here, it was enough to be “no money”.
As always in King’s Lynn (a small suburb of Norfolk, in the United Kingdom), the modest average price (£7,109 per car) led to a huge success: of the 263 cars offered, 231 were sold, with a sale rate of 87.84% and a total revenue of £1,642,198, nearly 30% more than the estimated £1,272,500 before the auction. These figures, moreover, weren’t achieved due to a large number of cars with no reserve—there were only 76, less than a third of the total.
Not even the top lot was all that "top". Fast Fords have a notable appeal in England, and the Sierra RS Cosworth is no exception. The one from ACA was from 1987 and was purchased by its current owner when it was just two months old. However, the car seemed plagued by problems, the main one being a small engine fire that had damaged the engine bay, with visible effects even on the hood. Considering that the price for these cars in perfect condition is around £70,000-90,000, the estimate of £18,000-24,000 was more than fair. But it seems the flames spread to the auction room too, as the price soared to £54,270.
The ACA auction was a great day for Fords, starting with a 2003 Ford Focus RS with 5,630 miles and one owner; estimated at £25,000-30,000, it also soared to £41,580, becoming the auction's second most expensive car. But it was two Ford vans that left me speechless.
The first was a 1974 Escort Van MkI in need of full restoration, and another from 1968 in excellent condition. Usually, vans aren’t sought after by collectors — they’re more curiosities than centerpieces, and prices tend to be low. However, these were estimated at £4,000-6,000 for the one to restore (high in my opinion) and £18,000-20,000 for the restored one. The bids didn’t stop at the suggested prices: the cheaper one fetched £7,128, and the other an impressive £28,350!
For £28,350, someone took home a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Hemi (a 2016 super-SUV with a 6.1L V8 engine producing 700 hp, sunroof, and leather interiors). For much less, you could get a taste of Japan with a 2000 Nissan Skyline R34 25GT-V Saloon. Most know the famous GT-R coupe, but the 25GT-V was the sedan with the same engine and two extra doors. The coupe is every collector’s dream, with the best examples going for £100,000. Offered without reserve, the 25GT-V sold for £7,560, a massive 92.5% discount compared to a GT-R!
Alternatively, one could opt for an Audi RS6 Quattro Avant. In 2002, when this model was made, its 4.2L V8 with 444bhp was second only to the 6.0 W12 in the Audi S8 but could still worry its bigger sibling. A new RS6 today costs £140,000, but depreciation has slashed the ACA model's price down to £7,000-9,000. It sold within that range at £8,748.
For fans of Italian charm, there was a 2004 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Sportwagon. With a 3.2L V6 inherited from Alfa’s sporty engine legacy, the car produced 250bhp and was sold without reserve. It "roared off" for £6,264.
Among the auction’s oddities was an unusual 1987 BMW 635CSI Coupe with 529,413 miles. I’ll admit, I was stunned. I thought it was a misprint, but the ACA team proudly listed the mileage as a point of pride. Slightly restored a few years ago, it still looked perfect, but those 529,000 miles surprised me. The price was £6,156, roughly in line with similar models with far lower mileage.
There were strange cars, but none as strange as a 1988 Volvo 760 GLE! Volvo isn’t the first brand that comes to mind for high-performance vehicles, but this model had been modified into a two-door drag racer, featuring a rear-mounted 6276cc V8 with 265bhp, a roll bar, two racing seats, and a small spoiler. Nicknamed “Big Bird” for its yellow color, it didn’t "fly" too high, selling for £3,672 despite a £4.500-6,500 estimate.
The car I would have loved to bring home was a 1986 Peugeot 205 CTI Cabriolet. The CTI was the convertible version of the more famous (and collectible) 205 GTI 1.6. Although its rigidity was lower, it offered the same engine and open-air driving pleasure. Estimated at £4,000-6,000, it sold just above the minimum at £4,104.
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