20/02/2023

Classic Cars of the Gram

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The top 10 most popular classic cars on Instagram

Classic cars hold a special place in our hearts: whether for their style, performance, nostalgia or pure design genius, or because they create the opportunity to be part of a community built around a common passion.

Social platforms like Instagram offer classic car lovers a space to share that passion, with trends like #soloparking showcasing the timeless beauty of classic cars.

In a bid to find out just which classics are the most popular on social, we’ve analysed millions of Instagram posts of over a hundred classic cars to see which ones come up the most – and it’s a Porsche taking the crown.

The Porsche 911 is the most popular car on Instagram by sheer volume – more than 4 million posts of the iconic classic are up on the platform, and it pipped every other model to the post (if you’ll excuse the pun) by a large margin.

 

Porsche 911 on the street - classic cars of the gram - most popular classic cars on Instagram
The Porsche 911 is the most popular car on Instagram, hands down

 

Also up at the top of the pack are the Volkswagen Beetle and the Austin Mini, the classics ranked second and third on Instagram in terms of number of posts.

Here’s the full top 10 most popular classic cars on Instagram, from one to ten.

 

1. Porsche 911 – 4,771,228 posts

The Porsche 911 was considered a triumph in design and has become one of the most legendary classic cars of all time, so it’s no wonder it’s at the top of this list with almost 5 million posts dedicated to it.

With its distinctive design, precision engineering and outstanding performance capabilities, the model has had an enduring appeal among car enthusiasts. There’s still a big market for classic Porsches – and two more models featured further down in our top ten!

 

2. Volkswagen Beetle – 456,510 posts

The Volkswagen Beetle, aka the “Bug,” is arguably one of the most recognisable classic cars in history. First introduced in the 1930s, it had a slow start due to WWII but when production picked back up in the 40s, it quickly became a cultural icon. With its distinctive rounded design and the fact it was innovative but also affordable, record numbers were sold.

The car was favoured by young people and became a symbol of the wild and vibrant counterculture movement of the 60s and 70s. Nowadays, Instagram users post their customised or restored Bugs celebrating their unique character. The Beetle is still the most popular classic Volkswagen we see, and is the subject of quite a few of our Customer Stories interviews.

 

The original VW Beetle, a true 'people's car' - top ten most popular classic cars on Instagram
The original VW Beetle was a true ‘people’s car’, with plenty of space for passengers, luggage and fun

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The Austin Mini, number 3 in our top ten classic cars on Instagram
The Austin Mini was the first small car with front wheel drive, and is the number 3 most popular classic car on Instagram

3. Austin Mini - 254,391 posts

The Austin Mini was a leading example of innovation in design and engineering, and was the first small car to feature front-wheel drive.

Its popularity was partly based on its aesthetics and affordability, but also the fact that it became a fixture of popular culture throughout the swinging 1960s. Minis were owned by the Beatles, Mike Jagger, Peter Sellers, Steve McQueen, James Garner, Twiggy, and Enzo Ferrari, among others.

4. MG MGB – 249,905 posts

The MGB was launched in September 1962 as the successor of the MGA and quickly became one of the most popular British sports cars of its era.

With a robust engine, monocoque construction, and simple suspension, this car was designed to be mass-produced and sold all over the world in large numbers.

The MG MGB - a very popular British built sports car - top ten classic cars on Instagram
‘The Great British Sports Car’ – the 1970s advertising slogan for the MGB was bang-on.
Porsche 944 - top ten classic cars on Instagram
The Porsche 944 had very of-the-time pop-up headlamps

5. Porsche 944 – 191,823 posts

The Porsche 944, first introduced in 1982 and sold until 1991, is considered to be one of the most underrated sports cars of its age. Smaller and less expensive than the flagship 911 model, the 944 was praised for its almost perfect weight distribution, impeccable styling, and overall driving experience.

Its unique and timeless design still looks fairly modern today, and given it was only produced for nine years, well-maintained original models are relatively rare.

6. Jaguar E-Type – 157,499 posts

Upon its debut on 15 March 1961, the Jaguar E-Type immediately became an icon of automotive design.

Completely unique from anything else on the market at the time, the E-Type is regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Plus it offered a 150 mph top speed and 60 mph acceleration in less than 7 seconds! All of this was at a relatively affordable price.

The E-Type has been featured in numerous films, including Casino Royale and, more recently, House of Gucci, making it an enduring symbol of 1960s style and sophistication.

 

The Jaguar E-Type - top ten most popular classic cars on Instagram
The E-Type, oozing sophistication (even if Austin Powers did call his the ‘Shaguar’)
Porsche 912 - top ten classic cars on Instagram
The Porsche 912’s sleek lines make its profile easy to recognise

7. Porsche 912 – 116,694 posts

With its distinct design and performance characteristics, the Porsche 912 sets itself apart from other models in the Porsche lineup. While most Porsche models of the era, including the 911, featured a six-cylinder engine, the 912 was equipped with a four-cylinder engine.

Porsche launched the 912 in 1965, a less powerful and cheaper version of the 911, to bridge the price gap between the 356 and the 911.

It was produced in relatively low numbers compared to other Porsche models, with just over 32,000 units produced over its four-year production run, making it seriously rare.

8. Ford Sierra – 100,337 posts

First introduced in 1982 at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham, the Sierra was a replacement for its predecessor, the Ford Cortina.

It quickly became a bestseller with its sleek aerodynamic shape, and continues to be popular for its distinctive 80s styling and the nostalgia it evokes for lovers of that motoring era.

We celebrated the 40th birthday of the Ford Sierra along with other classic car anniversaries not long ago – read more here!

Ford Sierra - top ten classic cars on Instagram
The Ford Sierra celebrated it’s 40th birthday in 2022
The Ford Capri comes in 9th in our top ten classic cars on Instagram
The Capri enjoyed enduring popularity and these early examples are still much sought-after

9. Ford Capri – 91,312 posts

Introduced in 1969, the Capri was intended as the European equivalent to the Ford Mustang.

When production ended in 1986, nearly two million Capris had been sold, and it’s often seen as a symbol of the company’s success and innovation during the 70s and 80s.

 

Big Ford fan? Check out our classic Ford Enthusiasts Guide with a full history of Ford and more. 

10. Porsche 928 – 88,690 posts

The Porsche 928 was originally designed as a replacement for the 911, with sports car power, style, and handling combined with luxury sedan refinement and equipment. Porsche positioned it as a flagship model, and to this day, it’s the only coupe that they ever built with a V8 engine in the front.

A blue Porsche 928 against a moody sky - top ten most popular classic cars on Instagram
A stunning example of the Porsche 928, with a V8 under the hood

What other classic cars are popular on Instagram?

Inevitably, our numbers aren’t the full story – these are based on the highest number of posts, but there’ll be hundreds of variations online, with different models tagged. Some of the other most popular cars on social media are still produced today, making it harder to know how many are classics and how many are the modern versions.

For example, we found over 1 million posts for the Land Rover Defender, which started life back in the ’80s and only went out of production in 2016 (and for the major Landy fans among you, you might like our Land Rover Enthusiasts Guide).

Other members of the Ford family that are well represented on Instagram are the Ford Mustang, the Fiesta, and of course the Escort – all of which are current models as well as historic.

What about those classics that didn’t quite reach the top ten? Well, the VW Golf GTI is up there with just over 82,000 posts, as is the MG F. The Porsche 924 makes a strong appearance at 80,665 posts, and the Jaguar XK is a bit farther behind its E-Type predecessor, with just shy of 50,000 tagged posts.

Ultimately, it’s just a snapshot – quite literally – of classic car fame.

 

As classic car enthusiasts ourselves, we’re proud to offer specialist and classic car insurance tailored to you and your car. Our policies are designed for classics and the lifestyle that comes with them, whether that’s Sunday drives, club meets, touring or green laning.

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