Gone but not forgotten.
When do boring cars become interesting again? Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional shines the spotlight on some of the motoring world’s most obscure relics, and we went along for the day to experience this unique aspect of auto enthusiasm.
Words and images - Oli Hunt
Many people see the car hobby as being inherently antisocial. Stereotypical enthusiast cars are loud, flamboyant and typically driven in a manner that attracts attention.
This, though, is but one facet of automotive culture. On the opposite end of the spectrum lies one standout feature on the petrolhead calendar in the UK – Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional. Unlike a lot of vehicular gatherings, this is no place for a pop and bang map, and even triple digit horsepower figures are few and far between. No, this is a Festival that leaves out much of the machismo that has come to be associated with car enthusiasm in the eyes of the wider public. Once a year, on the grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle in deepest Lincolnshire, a safe space opens up for people who may otherwise feel sidelined in automotive circles. Those of us with a penchant for cars that once littered every street corner but would now be difficult to find traces of in the metallic make-up of a drinks can. FotU turns automotive culture on its head, and crafts a welcoming atmosphere in which everybody can come along and be themselves with nary a worry for what others might think.
Hagerty launched the Festival back in 2014 at Whittlebury Hall, and from the get-go it was received very warmly indeed. In the years that followed, the organisers cycled through a number of venues to keep up with the growing interest in this delightful slice of car fandom to arrive at the format and venue we’re now familiar with. Grimsthorpe provides an exceptional backdrop for this most unexceptional gathering, but above all, plenty of parking space for the exhibitors bringing their malaise machinery along for the day. This was especially important this year as FotU saw its first ever completely sold-out running, with 4,500 people in attendance on the day.
Nowhere else in the world does an X-Type attract so much attention.
The ‘Concours de l’Ordinaire’ is a tongue in cheek nod to the traditional Concours d’Elegance – events which encapsulate the glamour and excitement of historic exotic motoring – and is where the heart and soul of FotU can be found. Owners submit their vehicles for entry to this prestigious and more strictly regulated group, and the best 50 get selected to take a spot in the gated courtyard right outside the castle. These marvels of mediocrity are then judged by a panel throughout the day to decide a winner. All in good fun, of course, but the competition remains very interesting if you’re a dullard like me.
Outside the glory of the Concours, there is the main classic and unexceptional parking area. Requirements are much more relaxed here than in the courtyard, and it has to be said that as the years have gone on, some of the spirit of the show has been lost with a number of the vehicles permitted in here. It may well be open to classic cars of all kinds, but a Porsche 911 Turbo feels more than a little out of place in a field of Cortinas and Cavaliers. Nevertheless, variety was never a concern with some 2,500 cars in attendance.
Something becomes very clear early on – the sheer variety of people that FotU attracts. During its formative years it was very much a national gathering, with the occasional international number plate in the mix as something of an oddity. Fast forward 12 years, though, and it has become an international sensation, attracting visitors from all over Europe and indeed further afield. Place of origin aside though, the mixture of demographics is exceptional and speaks volumes of the mass appeal that this event has. This is a car show that transcends societal expectations. Men, women, cisgender and trans folk alike, and people who don’t identify with any one label are all welcomed here – and this diversity brings with it such a wonderful atmosphere that is difficult to find elsewhere.
No matter your inclination, there is something for you at FotU.
Events like Festival of the Unexceptional turn a car into a vessel for a life story. To a car enthusiast this is maybe not such an unusual phenomenon, but with many of the cars that belong at FotU having lived difficult lives and never enjoying much of an enthusiast following, a whole new level of commitment to the hobby becomes apparent. Whether through rose-tinted lenses and childhood nostalgia, cultural or mechanical intrigue or an otherwise unremarkable car that has seen someone through tough times in life, there is almost always a book’s worth of stories within these vehicles. My favourite example of this was the 1985 Alfa Romeo Arna that was nestled in amongst the thousands of classic and unexceptional cars on show, almost certainly the rarest car in attendance as the only roadworthy example of the breed remaining.
“I’ve always had a love for them... people are amazed that it’s here.”
The Arna is a car that is often misunderstood. Born out of necessity due to legislation designed to protect European automakers from the influx of highly competitive Japanese alternatives, the Arna is a crossbreed of Japanese and Italian engineering. Often ridiculed for the fact that it used a humdrum Datsun Cherry bodyshell instead of a rakish Italian design, and Alfa Romeo powertrains instead of a bulletproof Japanese engine, the significance of this car as a collaborative effort often goes unspoken. Euan, the owner of this car, is a lifelong Alfa Romeo enthusiast, having recently retired from running his own specialist Alfa workshop in Scotland. Discussing the car with him, he explained his connection to the oddball motor – “I’ve owned it for coming up to 5 years now. I used to work on them as a young Alfa mechanic, and I used to sell them new as a salesman. So I’ve always had a love for them.” Once upon a time this car would have been shunned even in circles of its own manufacturer, but fortune has smiled upon it in the present day, where significantly more interest has accumulated in this peculiar vehicle. “People are amazed that it’s here, obviously. 90% think it’s a Nissan, because it is a Nissan bodyshell. Until they see the badges!”
There is a pleasing circularity to seeing this car get the attention it deserves. The first ever winner of the Concours de l’Ordinaire was a Datsun Cherry Europe, this car’s very closely-related Japanese counterpart. Proof that no matter how humble or disparaged the origins are, there’s a place for every car here. I found it amusing as well that the Arna ended up parked next to a Nissan Prairie – a car with which it shares a lot of DNA. Don’t look too closely and you could be convinced you were looking at a Nissan forecourt from 4 decades ago.
Euan’s love for this car and the brand as a whole clearly run deep. Chatting further, he explained he has a small collection of Alfasuds as well as a flashy Montreal, complete with its motorsport-derived V8 engine. Not a bad family line for the humble Arna…
Many of the ‘youngtimers’ from the 1980s and 1990s that are right at home in this company remain affordable to buy and run as everyday vehicles. Coupled with this era of car still feeling sufficiently modern to safely depend on, this is another factor that helps make the event feel so authentic. Not all of them, but many cars sat gleaming on the castle lawns will go home that weekend and return to daily driver duties on Monday morning. We live in increasingly turbulent times and this is reflected not least in how people are coping economically, so there’s a very special appeal for a slice of car enthusiasm that doesn’t break the bank. No need for a heated garage and a grade-A specialist workshop - that high mileage BMW 520i is just as happy in a rainy office car park as it was when it was brand new a quarter of a century ago. Showroom condition is not a requirement of the Festival of the Unexceptional, if anything, a bit of lacquer peel here and there adds to the charm.
Check out our Instagram posts from the day - including footage of the exhibitors arriving at the castle gates in the morning!
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