Morris Marina wins grand title
The Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates the most mundane cars ever made. David Linklater reports.
It’s been a while since the Morris Marina has won top prize at a major motor show. If that has ever happened at all. But a bright blue 1977 Marina estate has been named Best in Show at the 2019 Festival of the Unexceptional (FOTU) at Claydon House in Buckinghamshire, Great Britain.
Now in its sixth year, FOTU has achieved cult status and global fame among car enthusiasts.
Founded and still run by classic car insurer Hagerty, it aims to showcase the most mundane cars ever built.
The event highlights the attrition rate of some of the most popular and best-loved vehicles of the recent motoring past, with the show now becoming a focal point for the core enthusiasts who take real pride in their rare and long-forgotten everyday family cars of the 1968-1989 ‘‘unexceptional era’’.
‘‘There is no shortage . . . of car shows and Concours d’Ele´ gance that showcase the best examples of some of the finest cars ever,’’ says Hagerty’s Marcus Atkinson.
‘‘While Aston Martin DB5s and Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts can be rather common at these events, just try spotting an Austin Montego or a Morris Marina on the show field. For that matter, you won’t even find them in the car park.’’
Fifty expertly selected unexceptional models were presented at FOTU 2019.
Highlights included a 1992 Renault Clio 1.4 RT, in showroom condition. Another popular entrant was a 1987 Rover 820E, suggested to be the very last model of its type remaining on United Kingdom roads.
Cars that used to be mainstream, but are now a rarity, included a 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0i CD, a 1985 Nissan Sunny 1.5 GL and a 1980 Ford Cortina 2.0 L.
Slightly rarer models included a
1971 Fiat 128, 1979 Colt Sigma and a
1973 Toyota Crown Custom estate. The Best in Show-winning 1977 Marina Estate was a true example of base specification, providing an honest interpretation of 1970s family motoring.
Its previous owner had partrestored the car (losing three fingers in the process) before storing it for 15 years in a shed.
When uncovered by current owner Michael Carpenter, it was covered in a thick layer of dirt that seemed to protect the car: when cleaned, it revealed the shiny, original paint seen today.
Notable runner-up was a beautiful 1978 Vauxhall Chevette saloon, once again built in absolute