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WHAT IS A CLASSIC CAR
What makes a car a classic car? By Matt NicholsWe are extremely fortunate in this country that there is such a vast industry set up around supporting classic cars, and if you ever get the opportunity it’s well worth attending events like the Classic Car Show at the NEC. Because spread over several halls you will see the offspring of manufacturers who have long since gone to the wall, such as Simca, Singer and Standard whose names have been largely forgotten by all but a few loyal followers. Interspersed with organisations that provide specialist services from publishing classic car magazines’, producing interior trim, engine and gearbox rebuilds, right through to supplying complete heritage body shells. Everyone present there to ensure classic cars remain preserved for future generations to enjoy.
The question is though, what is the difference between a car that people are prepared to keep investing their time and money in, and therefore one that continues to survive, versus one that simply gets crushed as soon as its useful life has come to a natural end. I've no doubt much has been written on this very subject and so in a move to be bold I'd like offer one simple definition and then test it with some of the cars on offer at Great Escape Classic Car Hire to see how well it fits.
"To be regarded as a true classic, a car has to do several things well, but be renowned as the 'first', 'best' or 'infamous' for just one of them…".
To try this theory out let's first of all play it safe and see how well the E-Type Jaguar fits, before considering some other cars. The E-Type is a good car to drive and well ahead of its time in terms of handling, braking and all other performance related aspects. The E-Type however is known across the globe as a gorgeous looking car and that is where it excels. If it had the rest without the looks then I very much doubt it would have ended up as the revered icon it did. Are the rest enough to keep it as a classic, I don't know, maybe, but certainly on a much smaller scale. So I give you the E-Type Jaguar, the best looking car in the world. If the E-Type was a safe bet in supporting the theory, then hopefully the Aston Martin DB6 should prove no more of a challenge as well.
It is true that the DB6 is also a good looking car, one that performs very well and once again is ahead of its time in many ways. Think aluminium body over tubular steel chassis for instance. But its strongest appeal is due to an association, or more accurately its elder brother's association, with Britains No.1 secret agent James Bond 007, who drove a DB5. The Aston Martin excelled as a film star with its distinctive good looks, much like one actor who played Bond, Sean Connery, rather than the E-Type's model like drop dead gorgeous good looks of say Twiggy. The Aston Martin therefore secures its classic status as being the most infamous car to have ever occupied the big screen.
Looking further afield there is the Jensen Interceptor, again a distinctive looking car with similar rugged good looks to the Aston that fall short of threatening the ultimate beauty of the E-Type. The Interceptor is an interesting car because its fame was as a result of a relatively short lifespan, rather than outstanding good looks, or connection with a particular film or famous person. The fact the Interceptor died so young has left anyone who can remember it intrigued, a bit like Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan or Keith Moon. Drive one and you'll also discover the large V8 Chrysler engine provides such brutal and over the top performance, in an already visually extrovert car, that it really was the most obvious choice for any successful band member. The Jensen Interceptor is therefore by definition the first true rock star car.
Finally I'd like to look at two affordable open top sports cars to see how they fare. The first the MGB and second Alfa Spider, both aimed at the mass market being produced in relatively high volumes and both available today in top notch condition for under £10K. The MG doesn't have a particularly famous upbringing or association with any one person, film or event. It has just been in our lives for some considerable time and still often found ‘out and about’, even on weekdays. I don't think the same can be said for the E-Type, Aston or Jensen, unless of course you are around one of Great Escapes sites at the time. Prior to the MX5, MGB's were the most affordable entry into sports car ownership, weekend cars for the masses if you like, and so win the best entry into classic British sports car ownership award. The Mazda would of course win the rest of the world equivalent, if one existed.
The Alfa Spider is on very similar lines to the MGB although differs in not attracting quite the same hands-on DIY owner as its British counterpart and so the Alfa's claim is simple, it gets the most fun in an affordable sports car prize, providing a usable top down rear wheel drive experience that will leave you smiling for hours after each journey. So if you find yourself at a classic car show try this out for yourself and see how many 'first', 'best' or 'infamous' cars you can spot. It is quite amazing what you’ll discover in finding out what made each unique in their own right. The chances are if the answer was nothing at all, then I very much doubt they would have survived at all.
