BUYING CARS

WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO PICK UP A 21ST-CENTURY ICON

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DIDN'T things seem better in the early 2000s? Politics were less divisive, Lurpak was less than £2 a block and you could still shove small bottles of Italian olive oil into your hand luggage when returning from holiday. Times were good, and so were the cars.

The German companies seemed to have an iron grip on the premium market, and this self-confidence, along with big profit margins, laid the groundwork for some absolutely cracking cars.

Yet somehow, many of these incredible models still seem to be off the radar for used-car buyers, which is excellent news, because their values remain low. However, this is highly likely to change, with greater electrification and the arrival of new brands from all corners of the world threatening to upend everything.