Historical cars - facts and figures in defence of our driving heritage

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Recently, there was a conference of the FFVE about the current situation and the FFVE's efforts for the defence and preservation of our driving heritage. Here, classic car enthusiast Guy Mahy discusses the likely evolution within our classic car world based on figures as well as an approach based on the categorisation of the older vehicles.

The numbers: current figures and their likely evolution

When we talk about figures, we are talking about the number of enthusiasts, the number of vehicles and the impact on the figures for business and employment in the sector. We use these to put pressure on politicians and society regarding our share in air pollution. This is said to be very limited because our vehicle usage is low, the vehicles are well maintained and there are few diesel vehicles. One might wonder whether this negligible pollution is defensible at a time when our society urges each citizen to reduce their ecological footprint as much as possible. However, is it the right 'price' to ask for the preservation of a mobile and industrial heritage that the government cannot and probably will not interfere with?

Youngtimers

Focusing on the number of enthusiasts and vehicles could be to our advantage at a time when fossil fuels are being phased out. Some countries are aiming for 2030! The possibility of registering a youngtimer (20 to 30 years old) with the FIVA is perhaps changing as well. The question is: do youngtimers and maybe also recent classics — 30 years or older — belong in our world?

The inclusion of youngtimers will significantly increase the number of kilometres driven and undermine our argument that we pollute little. For, apart from the increased number, it is the number of diesel vehicles that will weaken our position.

Before 1980, diesels were mainly used as commercial vehicles. I do not have figures on the 'private use of diesel cars' for the period before 1980, but they will be very low. Diesel only found its way into private use after the petroleum crisis of 1972, when petrol became very expensive. Diesel, however, remained relatively cheap, which compensated for the higher purchase cost of the diesel car. Later, performance improved considerably and the diesel won its place next to the petrol car. It is therefore quite logical that in the current classic car fleet, diesel cars are rarely to be found.

Below are a few figures showing private use only. Private use only, because we can assume that these cars were used less intensively and therefore have a better chance of reaching the classic car market. They refer to France only, but are in line with many other (European) countries. In the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany the figures are slightly more favourable.

Total number of passenger cars (PC) versus diesel cars (DC) (France only)

Before 1975, there was little private diesel use. In 1980 less than 5%, in 1990 13%, in 2000 more than 30% and today 60%. In the UK, Germany and Italy this figure is between 51% and 54%.

The cars that are now being named as classic cars are just over 30 years old and date from the period 1980-1990, a period when diesel cars accounted for 10% of private use. Diesel will become more and more prevalent in the youngtimers (20 to 30 years old) that are coming in now. By registering the youngtimer, petrol or diesel, now, FIVA gives them the right to become 'historic' at the age of 30. FIVA justifies this registration of youngtimers because it will enable young people to participate in the classic car scene with a cheaper purchase. Is this a credible argument? The market regularly shows that cars from the 20s and 30s are cheaper than VW or Renault from the 90s if one compares similar popular brands and types from their time. Moreover, reality shows that it is not only the young and the less well-off who get behind the wheel of a youngtimer.

Will the acceptance of the youngtimer devaluate the historical driving heritage? When FIVA was founded in 1966 by the then head of the club (almost inevitably a pre-war car enthusiast), 25 years was stipulated. Since 1966, the life of 'the automobile' has evolved from 70 years (1896-1966) to 125 years (1896-2021); in the same period, the vintage car has evolved from 25 to 30 years. The initially well-intentioned relationship is lost.

'Historical' is an adjective that must make sense. There must be content: 'historic' is defined as 'an important moment in the history or evolution of a community or sector; a turning point'. In this sense, 1940 is not an automotive historical moment! It is a political moment. In 1940, automobile production stopped and it started again in 1946/47 with the same concepts and methods as before. 1960, on the other hand, could be seen as a pivotal moment. Before and just after the war most cars were an assembly of a chassis, an engine and bodywork. The war put everything on hold until 1948 and 1949, when the innovations of a few manufacturers went into production, while the majority continued to work on the basis of the familiar, with a general turnaround in the 1950s.

The use of a robot

The changed production possibilities, driven by a high demand for cars, led to the use of robots (General Motors 1961). In 1961, the robot helps to apply parts, but is not yet part of the construction apparatus. This becomes a fact around 1968. Here we can speak of a turning point, a historical moment. The evolution is more of a standardisation and the application of 'gadgets' that increase comfort until we reach the stage today where the car becomes (almost) self-propelled. Based on this approach, 1968/1970 is a pivotal moment that should be taken into account when talking about a historic vehicle. I am not saying that after 1970 there are no more vehicles of historic interest. The coachbuilders and the manufacturers, especially the smaller ones who do not like mass production, often make the difference and can be considered historic.

A system of categories

By setting a fixed date, e.g. 1970 (a bit radical) one immediately solves the problems of air pollution by diesel, the number of recent classics and the many kilometres. The question that remains is whether there will be enough of us to enforce the availability of traditional fuels if the electric car wins out over the rest.

Without the fixed date, categories need to be considered because it is impossible to lump cars from 1900 and 1990 together. Even if, according to my argument, 1940 cannot be considered a 'historical' date, the pre-war date is too much in the mix to dismiss it, although 1950 would, in my opinion, be more 'automobile-like'. A second category would be 1950 to 1970; this is a category where a vehicle will not be used as a daily vehicle any time soon and will therefore be well preserved. The third category would be post-1970. A system of categories might be useful in future discussions with policymakers where doubts might arise about the more recent or polluting cars, thus threatening the totality. Sometimes a part must give way to the whole.

There will always be some dissatisfied people: with a fixed date it will be those who are waiting for the 20th or 30th anniversary; with a date that is always postponed, it will be the collectors of very old cars!

“Si la branche veut fleurir, qu'elle honore ses racines.” Frédéric Tatinga (If the branch wants to flourish, let it honour its roots.)

Words by Guy Mahy.

Sources: CCFA (Comité des constructeurs français d'automobiles); TRAXIO; Ministère de la Mobilité (B); Union Routière de France; Febiac.

Originally published: Wednesday November 17th, 2021

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