There was a time when deciding what belonged in a classic car auction was relatively straightforward. These days, things aren’t quite so simple.
A 1990 Renault 5? Most of us probably wouldn’t argue.
But what about a 2001 Ford Puma? A Peugeot 206 GTI? Or even a Suzuki Jimny?
Anglia Car Auctions is trying something new this month, and we reckon it could become an interesting addition to the classic car calendar.
The first ever ACA Marketplace Classics auction takes place at the company’s King’s Lynn auction centre on Saturday 26th September 2026.
Rather than simply creating another traditional classic sale, ACA says Marketplace Classics is aimed at affordable classics, modern classics, unfinished projects and vehicles with what it describes as “genuine future potential”.
And judging by the early entries, that definition is deliberately quite broad.
We’re pleased to see ACA trying something different.
The established ACA classic sales have grown into substantial events, but there’s an increasingly large group of cars which don’t necessarily fit neatly into either a conventional used-car auction or a traditional classic sale.
Twenty and thirty-year-old cars that were once everywhere are disappearing quickly.
Some already have strong enthusiast followings. Some are only just beginning to be viewed differently. Others will undoubtedly provoke the response: “That’s not a classic!”
And that’s partly what makes this interesting.
Even better, ACA hasn’t turned Marketplace Classics into an online-only sale.
It remains a proper live auction at King’s Lynn, open to the public, with an auctioneer and bidders in the room.
We’re perhaps slightly old-fashioned in this respect, but we love the buzz of an auction hall. Watching two determined bidders competing for a car in person is an entirely different experience to watching numbers change on a screen.
Those who can’t get to King’s Lynn aren’t excluded, either. ACA offers online, telephone and commission bidding, alongside bidding in person. A commission bid allows the auctioneer to bid on your behalf up to the maximum you’ve specified.
ACA is also providing a live stream, so even if you have absolutely no intention of buying anything, it might be worth tuning in to watch the first Marketplace Classics sale unfold.
So, what sort of cars are we talking about?
We’ve picked six from the developing catalogue.
This is probably the easiest of our six to call a classic.
The Renault 5 Monaco was a rather plush version of Renault’s little hatchback, and this 1990 example has the 1,397cc petrol engine coupled to an automatic gearbox.
It is finished in Satin Beige and has the Monaco’s leather interior and alloy wheels, along with a sunroof.
ACA lists an estimate of £3,000 to £4,000.
There are some important points for potential bidders to note. The odometer displays 68,297 miles, but ACA states that the MOT history contains a mileage discrepancy around 2010-2014. It was also recorded as a Category S insurance loss in 2025.
It subsequently passed an MOT and currently has one valid until 2nd June 2027. ACA also states that the next owner will need to apply for the V5C.
It’s certainly an interesting survivor, though, and exactly the sort of once-familiar car that has become considerably more noticeable with age.
If there’s one car here that feels particularly suited to UK Barn Finds, it’s probably this.
It’s a red Mk4 Ford Escort Popular estate with a 1,297cc engine and manual gearbox, being offered at no reserve.
More interestingly, ACA says it has been garaged and looked after by members of the same family since it was new.
The odometer shows 49,274 miles, which is believed to be genuine, and the V5C records just two former keepers. Its current registered keeper has had it since 1994.
There’s a service book with six stamps from the same Great Yarmouth Ford dealer, a collection of MOT certificates stretching back to 1993, the original Ford book pack and two spare keys.
Its latest MOT was passed without advisories and runs until 28th November 2026.
A basic Escort estate wouldn’t have caused many people to stop and stare when it was ten years old.
In 2026? We suspect quite a few people will.
The little Jimny is an interesting inclusion because these have developed a particularly enthusiastic following of their own.
This 2001 JLX is finished in Cyprus Blue Metallic and uses the 1,328cc petrol engine with an automatic gearbox.
Importantly, this isn’t simply a small SUV dressed to look rugged. The transmission has selectable four-wheel drive and a high/low range transfer box.
The odometer shows 95,087 miles and its MOT runs until 30th June 2027, having been passed without advisories.
It also comes with its handbook pack, V5C and some recent maintenance receipts. ACA says these show work between 2023 and 2025 including an oil change, two tyres, a crankshaft position sensor and a replacement alternator.
The estimate is £3,000 to £5,000.
Is a 2001 Jimny a classic?
Ask a room full of classic-car enthusiasts and you’ll probably get several different answers.
Ask a room full of Jimny enthusiasts and we suspect the answer might be rather more decisive.
Here’s another one which could start an argument.
The Ford Puma spent years simply being an inexpensive secondhand coupe. Good survivors now seem much more interesting than they once did.
This 1.6-litre five-speed manual example has covered a displayed 85,184 miles and is being offered at no reserve.
What caught our eye is the history.
ACA says it has an impressive 25 service stamps up to 82,229 miles, 22 of which are main dealer stamps.
It also comes with a large collection of MOT certificates going back to its first test in 2004, together with the handbook pack and a spare key.
The V5C records five former keepers and the current MOT runs until 9th June 2027.
A Puma still being someone’s cheap runabout isn’t particularly remarkable.
A well-preserved one with that sort of history is beginning to feel rather different.
For anyone who remembers when these were new, describing a 206 GTI as an auction classic might cause a brief existential crisis.
This one was registered in September 1999, making it a fairly early example.
It has the 1,997cc engine and manual gearbox, with an odometer showing 82,856 miles. Inside are the familiar half-leather seats, air conditioning, original stereo and even a CD multichanger in the boot.
There are six registered keepers.
There isn’t a huge history file with this one. ACA says the paperwork consists of the V5C and service logbook, recording eight services up to 32,382 miles in 2009.
Potential bidders should also note that although ACA has been told the car runs, it has been standing for some time and may require recommissioning. Its last MOT expired in 2024.
It’s another no-reserve entry.
And perhaps that’s exactly the sort of car Marketplace Classics could become known for.
Not an immaculate museum piece. Not yet an expensive collector car. Just an increasingly uncommon survivor from an era many of us remember very well.
At the opposite end of the scale is something considerably larger, thirstier and more complicated.
The P38-generation Range Rover spent a long time in classic-car limbo, but there’s no denying that it now represents a very distinctive period in Land Rover history.
This Oxford Blue example has a 4,554cc petrol V8, automatic transmission and grey leather interior, with heated seats, climate control and a sunroof.
It is very definitely a project.
The odometer shows 180,954 miles and its last MOT expired in 2011. The vendor tells ACA that it runs and drives, but there is an ABS fault, welding will be required and it needs tyres.
Interestingly, ACA also notes that the HPI report identifies the vehicle as a Range Rover 4.0, while the VIN indicates that it is a 4.6-litre model.
It is being sold at no reserve.
Potential bargain or brave purchase?
That’s what auction halls are for.
That’s the question we’re hoping Marketplace Classics might make people discuss.
The six cars above span barely eleven years, from 1990 to 2001, yet attitudes towards them can be completely different.
Very few people would now question the Renault 5’s classic credentials.
The Escort has nostalgia, rarity through simple attrition and a family history stretching back to when it was new.
The Jimny has a dedicated following.
The Puma is entering that fascinating stage where genuinely well-preserved examples stand out.
The 206 GTI represents another generation of hot hatchbacks which are rapidly disappearing.
And the P38 Range Rover has already gone from expensive luxury car to cheap used 4×4 and is now beginning another chapter.
Maybe the interesting thing about a future classic is that there isn’t a particular birthday when it suddenly becomes one.
The first Marketplace Classics catalogue is still developing, and entries remain open.
ACA says it is looking for affordable classics, modern classics, unfinished projects, cherished weekend cars and other vehicles with genuine future potential.
For this introductory sale there is no entry fee. ACA currently lists seller’s commission at 7% plus VAT, subject to an £85 plus VAT minimum.
Anyone interested in entering a vehicle can contact ACA with its registration, make and model, year, mileage, a brief description and photographs for the team to consider.
The first ACA Marketplace Classics auction takes place on Saturday 26th September 2026 at Anglia Car Auctions in King’s Lynn.
You can attend and watch the auction in person, bid in the room, bid live online, arrange a telephone bid or leave a commission bid.
And if you don’t fancy buying anything at all, we’d still be tempted to watch.
There can only ever be one first ACA Marketplace Classics auction, and we’re rather curious to see what happens when the hammer starts falling.
Which of these six would YOU already call a genuine classic?
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