Car shows are all about the latest, greatest, fastest most exotic, right? Well, not always and the Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional (FOTU) celebrates its 10th anniversary at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, on July 27th. This unique event showcases thousands of everyday cars, featuring a Concours de l’Ordinaire that highlights the UK's rarest ordinary vehicles.

The Festival of the Unexceptional stands alone as the premier event for aficionados of once-common but now rare car brands. This celebration is made possible by the dedicated efforts of FOTU fans who preserve these mundane motors long after they've vanished from showrooms.

Truimph Acclaim on show at FOTU

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Here are 10 classic brands likely to be at the 2024 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional: 

Austin

  • Founded by Herbert Austin in 1905, the Austin name was retired in 1988.
  • Last model: Austin Montego
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Austin Metro

Daihatsu

  • Daihatsu, established in Japan in 1907, exited the European market in 2013.
  • Last model: Daihatsu Sirion
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Daihatsu Charade

Datsun

  • Datsun's origins date back to 1911, with the first DAT car produced in 1914. The brand was phased out for Nissan in the early 1980s.
  • Last model: Datsun Micra
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Datsun Cherry

Daewoo

  • Founded in 1937, Daewoo entered the UK market in 1995 but went bankrupt by 2002.
  • Last model: Daewoo Matiz
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Daewoo Espero

Lancia

  • Starting in 1906, Lancia ceased UK operations in 1993, though a potential electrified return is on the horizon.
  • Last model: Lancia Delta
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Lancia Beta

Morris Marina at the FOTU Show

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Morris

  • Established by William Richard Morris in 1912, the Morris name disappeared with the last Ital in 1984.
  • Last model: Morris Metro van
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Morris Marina

Mitsubishi

  • The automotive division began in 1970, but Mitsubishi left the UK market in 2021 despite early hybrid technology adoption.
  • Last model: Mitsubishi Outlander
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Mitsubishi Colt

Rover

  • Rover, dating back to 1904, ended production in 2005 after being sold to BMW and later to the Phoenix Consortium.
  • Last model: Rover 75
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Rover 200 Series (SD3 model)

Triumph

  • Triumph built its first car in 1921 and was acquired by Leyland in 1960, with the last Triumph, the Acclaim, produced in 1981.
  • Last model: Triumph Acclaim
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Triumph Acclaim

Yugo

  • The Yugo brand started in 1980, entered the UK in 1981, and ceased operations in 1993 due to the Yugoslav wars.
  • Last model: Yugo Zastava Koral
  • Likely seen at FOTU: Yugo 45

Headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, Hagerty is dedicated to preserving driving and car culture for future generations.

Ford Cortina at FOTU show

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Colin Windell

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