Festival of the Unexceptional: in pictures

Photos from the 2017 Festival of the Unexceptional at Stowe House

Festival of the UnexceptionalIt is the very antithesis of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but that doesn’t make the Festival of the Unexceptional any less interesting. In fact, we’d politely suggest that the cars on display on the manicured lawns of Stowe House have touched the lives of more people than any of the priceless wonders hurtling up the hill in Sussex.

Grab your drip trays as we take a tour of some of the nation’s most brilliantly unexceptional and unexceptionally brilliant cars.


More retro cars on Motoring Research: 


Award winnersFestival of the Unexceptional

Some cars are more unexceptional than others. Here we see Richard Holness and his DAF 33, Mark Ashbridge and his Datsun Sunny and Colin Corke alongside his Austin Allegro. The Sunny was named as the most unexceptional car at the show (which is a good thing), the DAF finished second, while the Allegro was named People’s Choice.

Exceptional settingFestival of the Unexceptional

The Festival of the Unexceptional is open to ‘ordinary’ classic cars and commercial vehicles of the late 60s, 70s and 80s. Exchange the lake for the Goodwood hill and the exhibits for exotic supercars and this could pass as a scene from the Festival of Speed. It’s like a car boot sale, circa 1989.

Stone, Tempra, no pilotsFestival of the Unexceptional

A Fiat 128 estate, Vauxhall Firenza, Austin Montego and a Fiat Tempra: it could only be the Festival of the Unexceptional. There are fewer than 20 Fiat Tempras on the roads of Britain, making it an exceptionally rare sight. Fair play to owner Gavin Bushby for keeping the Tempra legend alive.

Life on MarsFestival of the Unexceptional

Unexceptional cars of the past are often required to act as props in period movies and television series. Peter Bell’s Renault 12TL made an appearance in the time-travelling drama, Life on Mars.

No More HeroesFestival of the Unexceptional

Volvo 740, Austin Princess, Mk1 Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 505 and Renault 12: all once familiar sights, now in serious danger of extinction. We should salute the owners for keeping these mundane heroes alive. Simon Martin, owner of the Volvo, was named best dressed man at the festival.

Ford SierraFestival of the Unexceptional

When the Ford Sierra arrived in 1982, its space-age styling was deemed to be too radical for conservative Britain. There were no such issues for the Giugiaro-designed Renault 19, but the pair are overshadowed by the lesser-spotted Clan Crusader.

Visitor car parkFestival of the Unexceptional

More than 2,000 exceptional people descended on Stowe House for the unexceptional display, with the car park no less interesting than the main event. A Fiat Cinquecento, Vauxhall Nova and Nissan Patrol are just three of the highlights.

Italian, French and DutchFestival of the Unexceptional

Further along the line we find a Fiat X1/9, Peugeot 406 Coupe and a DAF 55. The Dutch-built car has around 48,000 miles on the clock and is a Deluxe model. Trim levels were far easier to understand in the early 70s. Deluxe = posh. Well, poshish.

Porsche 944Festival of the Unexceptional

You know you’re at the Festival of the Unexceptional when a Porsche 944 looks overdressed and out of place. The Wolseley Six ‘Landcrab’ looks far more at home, while on the right you’ll find a Beetle, Bluebird and Figaro.

Hillman AvengerFestival of the Unexceptional

The Hillman Avenger was Britain’s car to take on the world, but very few remain on the road. This 1973 Avenger GLS is owned by Robert Nutter and appears to have caught the eye. Note the vinyl roof: once a must-have car accessory.

Citroen 2CV BeachcomberFestival of the Unexceptional

The Citroen 2CV was anything but unexceptional, with its simple, low-cost construction helping to mobilise an entire nation following the end of the Second World War. This 1983 Beachcomber special edition is far removed from the 1948 original.

Fiat PandaFestival of the Unexceptional

Another triumph of construction and packaging, the Fiat Panda is a true Italian great. The original was launched in 1980 but remained in production until 2003. It’s eccezionale, as they say in Italy.

Feast of the UnexceptionalFestival of the Unexceptional

Sponsors Hagerty awarded a prize for the ‘Feast of the Unexceptional’, or best picnic at the event. It was won, not by these ladies in the back of a Land Rover, but John Usher, the owner of an Austin Maestro. His Rubik’s Cube Battenberg cake pink sponge fingers were named as the dish of the day.

Childhood memoriesFestival of the Unexceptional

Angus Forsyth, managing director of Hagerty International, said “Our Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates the cars that were the workhorses of their day: the base model saloons, hatchbacks and estates that were sold in their millions between roughly 1968 and 1989, and are now so rare. I just love overhearing enthusiasts at this unique concours d’ordinaire event commenting that they haven’t seen one of those in years, the cars that we all remember from our childhoods.”

2018 Festival of the UnexceptionalFestival of the Unexceptional

The date of the 2018 Festival of the Unexceptional will be announced early next year, but Hagerty has confirmed that it will return for a fifth time. Time to prepare your own unexceptional motor?

Related Articles

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith
Gavin Braithwaite-Smithhttp://www.petrolblog.com
Writer with a penchant for #FrenchTat. Owns 15 vehicles of varying degrees of terribleness. Also doing a passable impression of Cousin Eddie in an Italian-German beige motorhome. Doesn't get out much.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Find a Car Review

Latest

Salon Privé London to host three days of champagne and supercars

Salon Privé London returns to the Royal Hospital in Chelsea next month, with special celebrations of McLaren and the Porsche 911 Turbo.

New Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX gets 340hp and all-wheel drive

The retro-styled ID. Buzz people carrier is now offered with 340hp, making for an unlikely addition to Volkswagen’s sporty GTX range.

Kia EV9 is World Car of the Year 2024

The Kia EV9 is the latest pure electric car to be named World Car of the Year – and it also scooped the World Electric Vehicle 2024 prize

How to protect your car with an OBD port locking device

We explain how to prevent your car being stolen by criminals targeting its On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port.