Holden, HSV and Porsche classics appeal to buyers who don't have the opportunity to vacation abroad.

It's the most depressing year in modern history, but it's been a boom time for classic cars as pent-up and locked-in enthusiasts push up the prices of collectible Holdens, HSVs and European blue chips.

Up to 97 percent of the cars for sale were sold at auctions, and prices for early models such as the Holden Torana A9X doubled in five years.

It only took one virus to knock more classic car buyers out of the woods than in previous years, with huge demand and high prices in Australian auctions and marketplaces.

This was announced by the famous auction house of classic cars and collectibles Shannons. Cars Guide that the best news is that it will probably last until the new year.

Shannons national auction manager Christophe Beauribon said COVID-19 and the inability to take vacations has brought a lot of attention to buying desirable items, including new, used - and for many - classic cars.

“For some, COVID has been the realization that people won’t go on holiday abroad for another two to three years, and now they don’t have to put off selective and in-person purchases,” he said.

“This has led to a huge increase in demand for classic cars, motorcycles and memorabilia. The interest was the same as in the case of caravans, boats and bicycles - they are sold out.

“Our auction results reflect this by being very, very strong this year.

“Our online auction sales results are 95-97%, which is an excellent result. Buyers obviously have no problem using online auctions.”

Mr. Beauribon said demand was "across the board" and most brands were attracting buyers' attention.

“Anything that has pedigree and forethought sells very quickly. Some blue-chip Europeans are getting good money,” he said.

“There is no one over the other. It's hard to single out a brand, although Holden and HSV are of particular interest to buyers because they have been discontinued."

He said "Holden and HSV from the 1990s and 2000s are coming into their own now."

“Those later models really took off this year. We have noticed exceptional interest in Toranas such as the A9X.

“I have seen a pair of A9X hatches change hands at prices ranging from $400,000 to $450,000. Five years ago, they cost between $200,000 and $250,000.”

A spokesman for the MG Car Club also said that this year saw a resurgence of interest in MGs, especially MGAs, although previously TCs and TDs sold quickly and well, affordable units were becoming rare.

As an example, they said that prices for the MGA from 1955 to 1962 and the pre-MGB model were nearly double what they were 10 years ago and were twice as expensive as later MGBs.

Good copies of the MGA now sell for between $40,000 and $100,000.

The rep said older TDs from the early 1950s have the traditional MG shape that many enthusiasts demand. This model sells for between $30,000 and $45,000 with a good percentage.

Other brands have also made great strides. Shannon sold the Mini Moke California for $39,500 in November, when a similar car cost $13,500 five years earlier.

It's not just cars. License plates are of great interest, and prices sometimes seem ridiculous.

At Shannon's November auction, the heritage plate numbered "477" sold for an incredible $152,000. In 2015, a similar plate from Victoria, numbered "408" - numerically lower, therefore considered more valuable - was sold for $62,000.

While wearing such an expensive nameplate in public may be reckless, it shows the demand for automotive memorabilia and investment potential.

Shannon also sold a metal pedal car based on an Austin J40 convertible in good but not perfect condition for $5300.

Cars Guide asked Mr. Beauribon which cars are worth buying as an investment, but he declined to answer.

However, he confirmed that the Holden and HSV will remain popular and said that collectors and enthusiasts should also consider buying the bikes, which have also risen in price significantly based on demand.

“The advantage is that you can put four or five motorcycles in the garage in the same space as one car,” he said.