2009 has been an interesting year for many, but one thing that is certain is that enthusiasts and investors are still buying exotic and  super cars, with many models bucking the market trend and appreciating in value over the last 12 months. This is prime LUSSO territory, so we gave Dion at Elms Collection a call to see how the last year has been and look forward to 2010.

Elms Collection, based in Essex, is arguably one of the top dealers in exotic cars in the UK. Headed up by Dion Speak, the company sources and supplies vehicles for clients worldwide and has had another busy year with some very interesting cars going through the books.

One of the highlights of the year has to be the sale of the extraordinary McLaren F1 GTR. The car, chassis number 016R, was the ex Team Bigazzi car which competed in the 1996 Le Mans 24hours in the hands of Steve Soper, Jacques Latiffe and Marc Duez. After retiring from racing, it was repainted from its original #38 Fina livery and changed into the historic and frankly gorgeous, McLaren Papaya Orange.

Such cars are in the stratosphere price wise, but are not effected by everyday market conditions. Blue chip cars that just don’t depreciate. Exceptionally well put together, the level of engineering in this car is just on another level. It’s just a very special car, a jewel in the crown explains Dion.

Being a worldwide dealer, Elms sourced an F40 from Spain and delivered it to its new UK owner without even being marketed. The European market has changed a lot, with many cars going into Europe, so this is a rare example of the opposite way round. A lot of other vehicles went to the Far East and Australia, where the weak pound makes cars more attractive to those markets. So if you’ve got an exotic you’re looking to sell, look abroad via Elms to potentially get a better price.

SLR McLarens, 430s, Gallardos and 3 Carrera GTs have been strong sellers with the latter being significantly in demand over the last year and holding prices strong. An E-Type in Concours winning condition was another favourite.

Current stock includes the exceptional Ferrari F50 and a rare Diablo SE30, both which give the owner an amazing ownership experience alongside strong residuals.One of the most stunning cars of all time is the Lamborghini Miura, of which one sourced and sold by Dion in 2009.

An iconic car that was greatly undervalued in the early months of the year. Lamborghini is quickly becoming as desirable as Ferrari and the Miura has an incredible position in the history of cars. Lamborghini have always been a bit quirky, whereas the Miura is just stunning and because of this has become an incredible collectors car in the last 5 years. Looking at the Ferrari 250 series, starting around 3 or 4 times the price of the Miuras at present, the values will continue to appreciate.

So how does the next year look for LUSSO readers who are looking to expand their fleet of supercars. The volatility of the last year has now gone, so for the intelligent buyer, there was some stunning purchases to be made. For the next year, those in limited numbers and that look undervalued compared to counterparts, such as the Porsche 996 GT3RS, the lower priced Diablos and the legendary 288GTO. Historic race cars will continue to fare well, especially those who will become eligible for the more prestigious races in the years to come.

Dion is currently concluding the purchase of a Ferrari Enzo for one of his regular clients. The deal will go through tomorrow, proving to be a rather special Christmas present for the lucky individual.

www.elmscollection.co.uk.