Daihatsu Applause wins 2023 Festival of the Unexceptional

David Ross, Editor
Tue, 01 Aug 2023

A 1991 Daihatsu Applause has taken the top Concours d’Ordinaire prize at this years Festival of the Unexceptional.

Owner Stephen Pike drove all the way from Sweden to compete at the Festival of the Unexceptional, completing an extensive renovation just the day before embarking on the 900-mile journey to Lincolnshire.

Passionate about unusual cars, Stephen was determined to save the Daihatsu Applause from neglect, and his hard work paid off as he proudly received his well-deserved trophy.

Held at Grimsthorpe Castle, the renowned Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional enjoyed a sell-out success. A record-breaking crowd of 3000 guests, accompanied by 1200 cars, reveled in the Lincolnshire sunshine.

The Festival of the Unexceptional, created by Hagerty in 2014, celebrates the long-forgotten everyday family cars from 1968 to 1989, affectionately known as the 'Unexceptional Era'.

This year's Concours presented one of the finest display lawns seen in its nine-year history. Among the highlights were a pristine 5000-mile Vauxhall Cavalier and the only Yugo Sana in the UK.

Car owners took great care to showcase their vehicles to the judges, adorning them with period accessories such as original dealer signage and model-specific brochures.

While the Concours lawn showcased 50 of the most mundane motors ever assembled, the main spectator car parks boasted an equally impressive selection of lesser-known rarities.

Attendees were treated to sightings of a Moskvitch Aleko, a trio of Toyota Tercel 4x4s and hundreds of other forgotten heroes and rarely-seen treasures.

In the Concours competition, Hugo Naaijkens from the Netherlands claimed the third-place trophy with his 1993 Subaru Justy. Despite recently passing his driving test, Hugo has vowed never to part ways with his beloved Justy, which he cherishes as an avid Subaru WRC fan.

Sion Hudson's 1983 Austin Metro secured the second-place spot. Sion dedicated two years to finding original parts to restore the car to its showroom condition after discovering that the previous owner had fitted some upgrades.

This meticulous work included removing the radio, passenger door mirror and even the indicator side repeaters to achieve a showroom standard look.

Next year marks the Festival of the Unexceptional's tenth anniversary, and organizers are already planning a grander and more exceptional event.

Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International, expressed his delight at the success of this year's festival, emphasizing the growing interest in Unexceptional-era cars among young drivers.

Ask HJ

I'm looking for a good Saab 99 - where can I find one?

I am looking for a Saab 99 non-turbo. I know the 99 and 900 very well as from the 1970s to the 1990s I had owned six 99s and two 900s. I am of an age now that long distance driving is very rare and I'm only doing about 5 - 6000 miles per year and I am hoping to finish off my driving years in a Saab, in my opinion, the beast cars ever. Hope you can help my search.

If you're looking for a good example of a classic car, as well as searching the Honest John Classics classified ads here: https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/classic-cars-for-sale/ we would suggest trying Saab owners clubs, groups and online communities. Owners who are members of these groups tend to be enthusiastic about the preservation of their cars and also benefit from the shared expertise of the group, so while it doesn't guarantee a good example it does increase your chances of finding a solid car. Also club members will frequently sell their cars via the group, so being a member yourself is a good way to get access to these cars before the general public. You could also consider placing a wanted ad within these groups as it might catch the attention of someone who is considering selling their car.

Answered by David Ross

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