2026 UK AUCTIONS
£164m
Approximate known saleroom turnover tracked across 68 UK sales from January to October.
ISSUE 001 · MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2026
THE WEEKLY
ROUNDUP.
Cars, prices, the market, rules and what’s coming up. The useful bits from the motoring week — without the filler.
CAR NEWSMARKET WATCHRULE BOOKWHAT'S ON
THE BIG PICTURE
A BUSY MARKET.
A PICKIER BUYER.
The UK classic-car auction market is still moving serious volume, but ordinary cars are not automatically making yesterday’s estimates.
One 2026 market analysis tracked 68 UK auction sales and about £164 million of known turnover through October. The eye-catching part is the split: the very top end remains capable of huge numbers, while the mainstream enthusiast market is much more price-sensitive.
RETROCARS TAKE: good cars with history, sensible estimates and proper presentation still sell. Average cars at ambitious money are having a harder time.
SOURCE ↗MARKET WATCH
NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING.
MATHEWSONS
76%
Reported sell-through across 7,294 lots in the 2026 analysis — evidence that the everyday market is still active.
ANGLIA
86%
Reported clearance across 1,456 offered lots. The next two-day sale is 7–8 November.
These figures are market context, not valuations. Condition, provenance, specification and estimate remain everything.
MONEY
THE DASHBOARD.
Not investment advice — just the economic backdrop that can affect discretionary purchases and collector confidence.
FTSE 10010,729.7830 Oct close
GBP / USD$1.33891 Nov
BANK RATE3.75%Decision due 5 Nov
GOLD≈ £2,894/oz30 Oct close
SILVER≈ £36.69/oz30 Oct close
WATCH THIS WEEK: the Bank of England’s next rate decision is Thursday 5 November. Current Bank Rate is 3.75%.
RULE BOOK
WHAT CLASSIC OWNERS
NEED TO KNOW.
Historic tax: 1986 threshold
If a vehicle was built before 1 January 1986, it can enter the historic tax class from 1 April 2026. You still need to apply for the tax exemption.
GOV.UK ↗MOT exemption isn't a free pass
Vehicles over 40 years old can be MOT-exempt if they meet the criteria and have not been substantially changed. They must still be roadworthy.
GOV.UK ↗Modified or reconstructed classics
DVLA guidance updated in August covers changes, rebuilt classics, age-related registrations and when a V5C must be updated.
DVLA GUIDANCE ↗WHAT'S ON
NOVEMBER STARTS PROPERLY.
13–15NOV
Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show
NEC Birmingham. More than 3,000 classic cars and bikes, 450+ exhibitors and one of the biggest indoor gatherings of the UK classic-car year.
The auction action is substantial too, with Iconic Auctioneers at the NEC on Saturday 14 November.
EVENT DETAILS ↗7–8 NOVAnglia Car Auctions · King's Lynn
14 NOVMorris Leslie · Errol
19 NOVCharterhouse · Sparkford
28 NOVHistorics · Weybridge
ANT JUNIOR'S PICK
THE FORDS
ARE STILL TALKING.
Recent regional auction results continue to show that usable, recognisable Fords have a real audience. A 1990 Escort XR3i sold for £7,700 including premium at Hobbs Parker’s October sale, while a 1974 Escort Mexico made £38,775.
OUR VIEW: don't judge the whole Ford market from RS money. The interesting territory for RetroCars is still the attainable cars people remember actually seeing on the road.
AUCTION RESULTS ↗
ONE TO WATCHEveryday 1980s Fords with good history and original specification.NEXT MONDAY
WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.
One page. The useful car stories, prices, regulations and events from the previous seven days.
SPOTTED SOMETHING? TELL RETROCARS →Market prices are indicative snapshots from cited sources and may move. RetroCars.ai does not provide investment advice.