One of the most popular events on the UK motoring calendar is Hagerty’s annual Festival of the Unexceptional, attracting 4000 visitors and 2000 cars in 2024.
In a reverse to a traditional concours brimming with rare and exotic classics, this event tips its hat to the mundane motors that crowded motorways and supermarket car parks and were loved by families across the UK, for their affordability and practicality.
Now in its 11th year, it’s returning to Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire on 26 July, 2025.
“Selecting fifty finalists from the long list of entries has been harder than ever,” says Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International.
“While many of the cars might have been unexceptional in their day, today they have a lifetime of memories that make each one exceptional in its own way.”
Ten finalists have been selected that epitomise the spirit of unexceptional cars and in no order they are:
Austin Allegro Series 3 1.3 HLS: this was British Leyland’s rival to the Ford Escort and it is definitely a ‘Marmite’ car as you either love it or hate it and today few cars more clearly define the term unexceptional.
Another Austin in the top ten is the Montego 1.6L, Austin’s answer to the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier. As the last car to wear the Austin name, it has a special place in British motoring history.
Bedford has an entry, the Rascal with its weeny 970cc engine. Assembled in Luton, the Rascal was also the Suzuki Carry in Japan, part of the popular Kei car culture.
The Datsun Cherry was Nissan’s solution for those wanting a stylish and affordable small car. It was reliable with an A-Series overhead valve engine and styling that was a match for the very early Honda Civic.
Few cars defined British motoring of the 1970s and 80s like the Ford Escort. Exceptional models like the XR3i or Mexico feature at many classic car shows, but for FOTU, it’s a bog standard povo pack 1.1lt four with 49hp and steel wheels.
The Malaysian-built Perodua Nippa was the cheapest five-door, four-seater car of its time and a sibling to the equally mundane Daihatsu Mira. The EX is as basic as it gets with steel wheels, no radio and no rear wiper.
Skoda first used the Favorit name in the 1930s, but revived it in 1987, a time when Skodas weren’t held in high regard. The Favorit did nothing to enhance the brand with the base model having a detuned version of the 1289cc engine, no radio and very basic seats.
The show wouldn’t be complete without a Vauxhall Cavalier. This popular repmobile was seen everywhere, with most being the very basic L spec 1.6 litre version, the staple of the range.
While the Volkswagen Polo celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, it’s appropriate this popular model features among the finalists. This one was bought in Poland and driven back to the UK. Must’ve been a very mundane experience.
The last of the finalists is Volvo’s 240 DL. Iconic yes, mundane and unexceptional, definitely. It wasn’t stylish but it was practical and the base model entrant has cloth interior and steel wheels and was much loved by its original owner, Mary, who had to stop driving it in 2017.