Brexit and classic cars: favourable exchange rates for international buyers

Why now’s a better time than ever to source and restore a classic car in the UK

The classic car industry is international, and so are KWE – we’re wherever our clients are. Over the past few years, we have seen a steady increase in the number of international clients. We’re thrilled that our hard work and dedication has resulted in KWE developing its international profile. The secret is out!

The current favourable exchange rates are particularly good news for international customers, whether sourcing a car in the UK or shipping one over for restoration. Post-Brexit, it makes smart financial sense to take advantage of the weaker pound. As Classic & Performance Car reported in July 2016, British classic cars are currently much more appealing on the international market. They’re now approximately 15% more affordable in the U.S. – plus, the exchange rate will effectively pay the cost of shipping the vehicle.

One U.S. customer has already benefitted by at least £1000 due to the pound falling against the dollar. His car was shipped over from New York for a total KWE restoration, before being shipped back for him to enjoy. A second U.S. customer from Chicago requested that we source and build a US-compliant, beefed-up XJS for export to the U.S. – a very exciting project which has had us amping up the power of a classic Jaguar! And a Texan customer has shipped over their Jaguar XJS and Aston Martin DB7 to be restored side by side.

Further afield, we have received an XJS from Australia for a full restoration, and imported several classic Jaguars from Japan. In Japan, they don’t use road salt, and therefore rusting is rare. In addition, the MoT equivalent is much more rigorous than in the UK, resulting in Japanese cars having a virtually perfect body and structure. They therefore make great starting points for creating KWE-upgraded classics.

The Jaguar brand is revered around the globe for the quality of its British engineering and design, so it’s hardly a challenge to sell the virtues of a classic Jaguar abroad – and even less so with the current cost savings! America, Australia, Japan… next stop China?

So, if you’re based outside the UK, now is a very good time to buy a UK classic car!

Contact KWE today to discuss your requirements – whether that’s sourcing a classic car, shipping, or restoration.