The under 2-liter Grand Touring (GT) cars have always had a place to compete within the ever-changing regulations of international motorsports; the World Sports Car Championship from 1953-1961, the Speedworld Challenge from 1962-1963, the International Championship of Makes from 1964-1971 and the World Championship of Makes from 1972-1981. This included racing in the great endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Nürburgring, Spa and Monza 1000 Kilometer races and the Targa Florio. Not to mention national races throughout Europe, and SCCA races throughout the U.S.
Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Porsche and Triumph all designed very lightweight, successful competition cars. Abarth, an Italian specialty tuner, modified small-bore GT cars from Fiat and Simca all with great success. These under-2-liter GT cars filled racing grids on both sides of the Atlantic and provided a great deal of exciting automobile racing.
Today under-2-liter GT cars qualify to race in many great historic events worldwide, from the Monterey Historics to the Tour (de France) Auto, because they are dual-purpose race and street cars. Due to their technology, great designs, eligibility and low production numbers, legitimate GT competition cars have steadily been increasing in value.
The value today of an under-2-liter GT car is determined by many factors, including the car still having its unique competition features available on a race version that were not available on a production version, the quality of restoration and a good provenance.
| Make | Model | Level III | Level II | Level I |
| Abarth – Fiat | 750/850 Zagato | $150,000 | $200,000 | $225,000 |
| 1000 Bialbero | $60,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 | |
| Abarth-Simca | 1300 GT | $150,000 | $200,000 | $250,000 |
| 2000 GT | $325,000 | $400,000 | $450,000 | |
| AC | Bristol Coupe | $125,000 | $150,000 | $175,000 |
| Bristol Roadster | $250,000 | $275,000 | $350,000 | |
| Arnolt-Bristol | Bolide | $200,000 | $250,000 | $300,000 |
| Alfa-Romeo | Giulietta Sprint/ Spyder/Veloce | $75,000 | $100,000 | $125,000 |
| Giulietta Sprint/Lightweight | $150,000 | $175,000 | $200,000 | |
| SVZ | $225,000 | $275,000 | $325,000 | |
| SZ1/ SZ2 | $275,000 | $325,000 | $375,000 | |
| GTZ-1 | $900,000 | $1,100,000 | $1,250,000 | |
| GTZ-2 | $2,600,000 | $2,800,000 | $3,000,000 | |
| GTA 1600 Corsa | $225,000 | $275,000 | $325,000 | |
| GTA Junior 1300 | $80,000 | $100,000 | $125,000 | |
| AlpineRenault | A110 | $60,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
| Austin-Healey | Sprite | $15,000 | $25,000 | $35,000 |
| Devin | Porsche | $30,000 | $40,000 | $55,000 |
| Elva | Courier | $20,000 | $35,000 | $45,000 |
| Frazer Nash | LeMans | $675,000 | $750,000 | $850,000 |
| Ginetta | G4/G4R | $50,000 | $75,000 | $125,000 |
| Lancia | Appia Zagato | $50,000 | $60,000 | $75,000 |
| B20 GT | $150,000 | $175,000 | $225,000 | |
| Flaminia Sport Zagato | $150,000 | $200,000 | $225,000 | |
| Lotus | Elite | $75,000 | $100,000 | $125,000 |
| Super 7 S.1/S.2 | $25,000 | $35,000 | $45,000 | |
| 26R | $175,000 | $200,000 | $250,000 | |
| 47 | $150,000 | $175,000 | $200,000 | |
| Maserati | A6G 2000 | $1,200,000 | $1,300,000 | $1,500,000 |
| MG | MGA Twincam | $40,000 | $55,000 | $75,000 |
| MGB | $15,000 | $25,000 | $30,000 | |
| Morgan | Plus 4 | $60,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 |
| OSCA | 1600 GTZ | $250,000 | $300,000 | $375,000 |
| Porsche | 356A Coupe | $50,000 | $75,000 | $125,000 |
| 356A Speedster | $150,000 | $175,000 | $200,000 | |
| 356A/Carrera GT Coupe | $675,000 | $725,000 | $800,000 | |
| 356A/Carrera GT Speedster | $900,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,200,000 | |
| 356B Carrera GT | $575,000 | $600,000 | $650,000 | |
| Abarth Carrera GTL | $2,000,000 | $2,500,000 | $2,750,000 | |
| 356B/C Carrera 2 GT | $650,000 | $700,000 | $800,000 | |
| 356B/C | $40,000 | $55,000 | $75,000 | |
| 904GTS | $1,500,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,800,000 | |
| Sunbeam | Alpine | $25,000 | $35,000 | $40,000 |
| Triumph | TR2/TR3 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| TR4A IRS | $30,000 | $35,000 | $40,000 |
Elva Courier
Frank Nichols’ Elva Car Company in Rye Sussex was known for its purpose-built single-seater and sports racing cars and yet they took on the task of producing a road-going, raceworthy, easy to maintain sports car that Elva felt would sell well to enthusiasts. Frank Nichols and Peter Noit set about designing a ladder-framed, fiberglass-bodied vehicle. It was a lightweight, attractive, open two-seater sports car using a 1,500-cc MGA engine and 4-speed gearbox. The first car was seen in early 1958.
Over the years, the power changed to 1,622-cc MGA and 1,800-cc MGB engines. Wheels went from 15 inches to 13 inches and production went up with around 60 people at Elva producing three cars per week. The U.S. importer was Carl Haas in Chicago, Illinois. The cars were very popular in the United States with a young Mark Donohue racing one early in his career. There was indeed a market for this unique car. Elva, which is taken from “elle va” meaning “she goes,” was eventually purchased by Trojan/McLaren. Courier production stopped in the mid-1960s when the McLaren customer racing cars began being built in the facility. The little Courier enjoyed about eight years of success, and is still a very popular car today at the historic races.
Lotus Elite
Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars in England, was a true innovator and a design genius. The Elite was an early example of how to use lightweight fiberglass, not just for the car’s body, but Chapman showed that one could build a car where fiberglass could be used to construct a monocoque and body as one unit rather than the conventional separation of chassis and body. The Elite weighed in at 1,300 pounds, was powered by a 1,220-cc Coventry Climax 4-cylinder engine, mated to a 4-speed gearbox. It showed that a lightweight, well-balanced, fuel efficient car could be a winner. About 986 Lotus Elites were built, starting with its introduction in 1957 and lasting for six years. There was competition success in road racing, as well as cars sold for everyday street use. Today, as with all Lotus cars, there is a strong following.
Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:
- Degree of Originality
- Overall Condition, Restoration
- Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
- Production Numbers/Rarity
- Competition History
- Ownership History, Documentation
- Modern Event Eligibility
Regional Variances
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.
The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.
LEVEL | VALUATION CATEGORIES |
|---|---|
I | The best combination of all criteria. |
II | Satisfies mid-range of criteria. |
III | In need of restoration. Meets only a few points of criteria |
