Weird car show celebrates humdrum 'classics'

CAN THE ordinary ultimately become cool? There was one group of left-field car enthusiasts at the weekend whose answer is an emphatic ‘yes’.

Close to the Silverstone Classic event, where thousands of rare and desirable cars strutted their stuff for the big crowds, another event was being hosted to celebrate some of the most ordinary cars ever made.

The Festival of the Unexceptional, sponsored by classic car insurer Hagerty International, saw assembled a collection of truly humdrum cars from the 1970s and '80s that have been cherished like children by their colourful owners.

Four esteemed judges and 150 captivated onlookers – most sporting a truly unexceptional car of their own – pored over the resplendent assortment of brown and beige displays with the aim of crowning one the best in show – or perhaps the most exceptionally unexceptional in show.

The winner's trophy went to Ed Rattley, from Lincolnshire, and his 1985 Silver Nissan Cherry Europe, a car that seemed be everywhere in 1993 but nowhere by 1995. He described his winning car as 'a curious piece of Japanese and Italian automotive history'.

Also present was Princess Diana’s old Austin Metro, which had been allowed out of its Coventry Transport Museum home for the day.

Dave Richards, motoring journalist and member of the judging panel, said: "This is a fabulous event gathering together cars that were everywhere in Britain 20, 30, 40 years ago and are now some of the most unappreciated cars of the classic car world. From the Vauxhall Carlton to the Nissan Cherry, these were the cars that took us all on our holidays and took us to work.

“The owners here today are people who plough their life, heart and soul into cherishing these rare cars and valuing them, despite the increasing lack of availability of replacement parts in comparison to more accepted classic cars such as the Triumph Stag and Jaguar E-Type.

“They are keeping the rolling heritage that is part of our British identity visible for future generations which is a significant part of what this event is about.”

By Press Association reporter