Car Show Photo Report:The 2024 Festival Of The Unexceptional – Part 1 – Unexceptional But Exceptional, and British

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– Posted on October 7, 2024

CC has seen the Festival of the Unexceptional before, back in 2018 and 2019. The show itself is a very simple idea, and is billed as “A celebration of long-forgotten everyday family cars from 1969-1999, now fondly known as the ‘Unexceptional Era'”. Maybe you prefer to call that period (or parts of it) the Malaise Era, but you get the brief.  Because of the COVID outbreak and the way diaries work, 2024 was my first time back since 2019, now with an Alfa Romeo Spider as an entrant. This will be a photo centric account, in an order that vaguely groups the cars, focusing in this first part on UK brands and build cars.

Let’s start with a personal favourite – a 1972 Sunbeam Rapier H120, or Sunbeam Alpine GT if you prefer.  Roy Axe may not have always been original, but he was very competent. H120 denoted the high tune version with a Holbay developed cylinder head, and signalled by the reshaped boot lid with spoiler profile.


Alongside the Rapier in the Chrysler showroom was the Hillman Avenger, or Plymouth Cricket for a short period. This is a 1973 GT model, with the four headlamp front and rev counter, and the period vinyl roof.

The Avenger came as a slightly gawky estate car as well.

Closely following the Avenger and Rapier was the Chrysler Alpine, derived from the Simca 1100, which was sold in North America as the Simca 1204. Any Alpine is now a rare sight in the UK, or Europe, so an open bonnet will not stop the photographer.

The Alpine’s smaller stablemate was the Horizon, closely related, within limits, to the Omnirizon. This is a 1983 Series 2 model, distinguished by the black band on the rear window enabling a deeper and greater usable volume boot, and UK assembled.

The Horizon was superseded by the Peugeot 309, sharing some mechanical genes and always seeming like an odd step-brother in the Peugeot family. This is a 1990 Series 1 model, and a plain one at that. Peak Festival of the Unexceptional material.

 

At the heart of the Rover range from 1994 was the 400 (later badged as 45) saloon and hatchback, closely related to the 1992 Honda Domani. This a 2001 2.0 litre version, with the Rover K series V6 engine.

One of Rover’s skills had traditionally been an attractive interior – against many contemporaries this take on wood and leather could well have been your preferred choice, if you wanted wood and leather.

But my favourite Rover of the day? No contest – this 1980 3500 in Triton Green with gold wheels, visual cues to the low volume V8-S version. To be a V8-S, it should have headlamp wipers and V8-S badging, but I’m not going to argue. A long time personal favourite.

The Rover SD1 as superseded by the Rover 800, aka Sterling 825 in North America. This is a 1989 series 1 827Si, denoting the Honda V6 2.7 litre engine, in hatchback or Fastback form.

Perhaps the best aspect of the 800 was its interior – another worthy effort by Rover, and more traditional than the SD1. Extra points for the phone

A 1966 Morris 1100 saloon – BMC ADO16 in its first form. Exceptional in some ways and unexceptional in others, as this was an absolutely unremarkable everyday sight – for several years this one car accounted for up to 15% of the UK market.

Unexceptional would seem like a good term for Austin Maxi in this sort of brown…a 1979 1750cc version.

Fully in line with the show’s ethos – a 1993 Maestro 1.3, no longer an Austin, built by Rover and with no marque badges. It is said, and may be true, that when BMW bought Rover in February 1994, Bernd Pischetsrieder did not know Rover were still building the Maestro and Montego. So much for German due diligence…

Also available as a van, and ever popular with the utilities and the Royal Mail.

The saloon take on the Maestro was the Montego, on a longer wheelbase but sharing doors with the hatchback, resulting in the unusually framed glasshouse. This example is Dutch registered and is from the second series, with new lights and no longer has Austin badges.

It is 2.0 GTi, which replaced the MG Montego in the line up.

Beside the saloon, and next to the Rover 800, was a 1993 Montego estate. With the option of 7 seats, a space oriented profile and no attempt at ornateness, it was almost a poor man’s Volvo 740 estate, less some of the reliability.

And of course the Festival could not have been complete without an Austin Allegro, in this case an estate. Moving swiftly on…

A more optimistic example from BL’s catalogue – an Austin miniMetro 1.0, in base specification and the striking Apple Jack green launch colour. The 1980 on miniMetro (or Metro as everybody including Austin soon called it) was the first new product from BL that was originated after the government bailout (ok, nationalisation) in 1974. There were high and broad expectations and in many aspects the car met or beat them.

This is what a basic interior looked like in 1980 – not a bad place for the time. This car was entered in the Festival’s Concours de l’Ordinaire and was my tip to win. In the event, the judges’ votes went elsewhere but it got an honourable mention. Alongside is Reliant Robin 3 wheeler, which didn’t.

The Metro evolved into the Rover 100, with smarter trims and grilles, revised rear hatch and the Rover K series engine. This example was registered in 1998, nominally six months after production had ended, and has a 1.4 litre engine. Alongside is a Citroen BX, behind is a Jaguar XJ6 series 1.

A 1973 Triumph Toledo, based on the front wheel drive 1300 from the 1965 but now with rear wheel drive and a simplified interior.  The centre section was exactly the same as the longer Dolomite, but the tail was the shorter form from the 1300. A conservative choice, and deliberately pitched as one alongside the modern Allegro and the value focussed Morris Marina.

Of course the Morris Marina was represented – this is a 1972 1.3 Coupe, the two door version of the Marina. Let’s get back to the Triumphs…..

In 1981, all the old Triumph saloons were all replaced by the Acclaim, a licence built second generation Honda Civic, assembled at Cowley with Japanese engines and other key systems. It gained a reputation for quality and reliability, which for BL was a bit of an achievement, and market success.

The Acclaim did so well that when it was replaced, BL went all in and used the Rover brand name for the successor, the 213 and 216 saloon, known sometimes as the SD3 series. The 1.3 litre 213 used a Honda engine, the 1.6 litre 216 used a Maestro/Montego S series. A commercial success for BL, with sales still rising when it went out of production in 1989. Despite the registration, this a 213.

The SD3 was succeeded by the 1989 on R8 series 200 hatchback, again very much Honda based but with mostly Rover engines. Once a close to best seller, now rare – thanks to the tin worm and scrappage schemes. And head gasket failures

There was also the 400 saloon – this is a 1993 418 saloon with the 1.8 litre K series engine and the traditional Rover style grille, and a Concours de l’Ordinaire entrant.

Is there a car more in tune with the FotU than a Ford Cortina? Unexceptional in its familiarity, its capability compared with the market and its appeal to enthusiasts. But exceptional commercially for Uncle Henry. This is 1977 2.0S version of the Cortina Mk4, the first fully trans-European Cortina as it was a direct twin of the last Taunus TC2.

The TC2 was replaced by the TC3, essentially a reskin of the 1976 car, which itself was a reskin of the 1970 Taunus TC/Cortina Mk3. As well executed as you’d expect from Ford in the late 1970s, but in reality not enough against cars like the Vauxhall Cavalier Mk 2 (J car), Peugeot 305 and VW Passat B1 and B2. This is a 1981 1.6L, the default Cortina for many.

Smaller than the Cortina but on a similar cycle was the Ford Escort. This is 1975 Escort 1.3L, the template Escort, with an aftermarket vinyl roof.

Ford started going front wheel drive from 1976, with the first Fiesta. This is a 1.3S version, the first sporty take on the Fiesta.

The Fiesta was followed by the Mk 3 Escort – this is a 1986 Mk3 facelift with the revised Scorpio/Sierra style front and new interior.

We must not ignore Vauxhall. This is a 1978 Chevette (T car) hatchback – the first compact Vauxhall that did not hide its Opel roots.

Vauxhall’s big success was the Cavalier. The Mk3, seen here in sporty SRi guise, showed the Ford Cortina and later Sierra a clean pair of heels for many years in the 1980s.

From 1978, six years after the Cresta was discontinued, Vauxhall offered the Royale, a badge engineered Opel Senator in every respect. Vauxhalls only had 2.8 litre engines; Opel went up to 3.0 litre. From 1983, the car became the Vauxhall Senator and stared selling better too.  Now a very rare sight indeed.

To end, two vans. Top is a 1962 Triumph Courier,  the van version of the Herald, a simple estate car conversion. 1147cc and a traditional chassis.

A 1967 Austin A35 van, which was built until 1968 several years after the saloon cars had gone. It was actually replaced in Austin showrooms with a badge engineered Morris Minor van for a few years. 848 cc of pure practicality. Alongside is a van version of the 2000-2006 Vauxhall Corsa.

Part 2 covering non-UK brands will follow shortly.