Hagerty Festival Of The Unexceptional

Monday, June 26, 2017 - 12:20
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2017 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional

A stunningly rare and original range-topping Hillman Avenger GLS in its finest 1973 bright crimson/purple coachwork – with contrasting black vinyl roof, naturally – is set to join a feast of other beige, brown and taupe motoring heroes from our past.

When Europe’s greatest gathering of the ordinary and uncelebrated cars that we all grew up with are presented on the immaculate lawn at Stowe House for the annual Festival of the Unexceptional, Concours de l’Ordináire, being staged by classic vehicle insurance specialist Hagerty on Saturday 22 July.

Joining the Hillman Avenger will be 49 other truly exceptional unexceptional cars from the late 1960s to late 1980s, all carefully hand-picked for Hagerty’s 2017 Concours de l’Ordináire, plus a handful of other rarely-seen vehicles, selected from the visitors parking area surrounding the main ‘unexceptional’ lawn.

More vehicles being displayed by a few car manufacturers, taken from their own (often unseen) heritage collections for a special ‘Invitation’ class.

Modern-era cars are of course also welcome and will be parked-up within walking distance of the Festival.

2017 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional

Visitors to the free-to-attend 2017 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional will be able to rejoice in being reacquainted with the cars of their past that used be commonplace, but have now all but disappeared.

Supporting this light-hearted nostalgia trip will be a cast of long-forgotten and often maligned cars, ranging from Austin Maxis and Allegros, a Morris Marina, a quartet of 1970s Ford family saloons and an early two-door Vauxhall Cavalier L (even rare when new), plus Datsuns, Triumphs, Fiats, Rovers, Citroens, Renaults, and even a 1980 Daihatsu F50 4×4 that has astonishingly survived a tough rural existence all these years.

The spectacular surroundings of Stowe House, Buckingham (next to the Silverstone motor circuit) have been chosen as a marked contrast to the suitably mundane but interesting vehicles that will be participating in this year’s Festival, with the splendor of its Capability Brown gardens at this former home of the Duke of Buckingham.

Stowe House will be open and free of charge to Festival visitors (usual cost £6.50 per person). To gain free House entry House Festival-goers must pre-registering.

The one-day event on Saturday 22 July will also see the return of Hagerty’s Feast of the Unexceptional, the period picnic equivalent of the ‘ordinary’ automotive display, with all participants encouraged to bring out the fine fayre of the period.

Battenberg cake, Curly Wurly bars, cheese and pineapple on sticks and, of course, the obligatory bottle of Babychamp!  The participants are also very welcome to dress in period fashions appropriate to their vehicles.

A panel of knowledgeable judges, including a familiar face or two, will be judging each of the vehicles entered, as well as assessing the owner’s fashions, and possibly sampling their picnic fayre as well, if its looks edible, and all done in a very relaxed and light-hearted way.

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