[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/when-does-a-car-become-a-classic\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/when-does-a-car-become-a-classic\/","headline":"When Does A Car Become A ‘Classic’?","name":"When Does A Car Become A ‘Classic’?","description":"The term “classic car” is banded around a lot. But it’s not exactly clear what people mean by it. For some enthusiasts, “classic” simply refers to the fact that a car is interesting and no longer in production. Others have much more specific definitions, using the term only to refer to motors built at a certain time – such as after World War II but before 1980. Neither is necessarily wrong, but how can both be correct? What marks the […]","datePublished":"2019-03-29","dateModified":"2019-03-29","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Mini-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Mini-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/when-does-a-car-become-a-classic\/","about":["BLOG","CLASSIC CARS","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":513,"keywords":["classic car","classic mini","Classics"],"articleBody":"The term “classic car” is bandedaround a lot. But it’s not exactly clear what people mean by it. For some enthusiasts, “classic”simply refers to the fact that a car is interesting and no longer inproduction. Others have much more specific definitions, using the term only torefer to motors built at a certain time – such as after World War II but before1980.Neither is necessarily wrong, but how can both be correct? What marks the point when a car ceases to be “a bit old” and becomes a fully fledged classic? Fortunately, the team at Honest John Classicshave used government MoT data to come up with some answers. They’ve coined anew term – the “year of the banger” – to refer to the point when MoTpass rates stop falling and start to climb. While not necessarily completely watertight,it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine that pass rates begin rising after acertain point because owners of those cars are prepared to spend more money onthem – indicating that they have become, to some extent, “classic”.So when is the all-important year of the banger? At the moment, it falls in 2001. Cars built in this year have the worst pass rate at just 50.4 per cent; older models have higher pass rates.“This shows us that 18 is roughly the agewhere a car stops becoming a banger and starts to become cherished,\u201d explainsHonest John Classics editor Keith Moody. \u201cThe insurance industry will sometimesuse a cut-off date of 25 years, but we much prefer to look at the MoTdata.”Having established this point, Honest John has been able to take a stab at predicting which motors are on the cusp of becoming modern-day classics.Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of its top tips isthe original BMW-built MINI, which celebrates its 18th birthday this year. TheMINI has long been a cult favourite, particularly among British motorists, soit stands to reason that the 2001 vintage is poised for classic-dom.Tanya Field is in charge of the MINI Y-register, an organisation dedicated to the very first batch of BMW-made MINIs to roll off the production line. As the name suggests, these cars were registered with Y-prefix number plates issued from March to August 2001. She says that Y-reg MINIs are already becoming extremely popular due to their niche appeal, and that all 2001 MINIs are now highly collectable among enthusiasts.“As with any classic car, enthusiasm is often driven by nostalgia, and the fact that the MINI is British, has loads of character and is such good fun to drive really helps,” she explains.Several other early-noughties models are alsoready and waiting to joint the classic motoring leagues, according to HonestJohn. Another notable example is the Rover 75 – the last Rover ever builtbefore the company went to the wall in 2005.Other future classics of similar vintage tothe Rover 75 include the MG TF and ZR, as well as the Jaguar XJ, while popularJapanese models such as the Toyota MR2 and Mazda MX-5 also made the list."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"When Does A Car Become A ‘Classic’?","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/when-does-a-car-become-a-classic\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]