In an age obsessed with upmarket trim levels, sporty badges and top-spec models, a following has increasingly developed for humbler ‘bread-and-butter’ models and variants, proving you don’t need to break the bank to own a show-stopper.
This trend has no doubt flourished as a result of Hagerty’s increasingly popular Festival of The Unexceptional. Celebrating humdrum cars that were once street furniture but now rare, events like ‘FOTU’ brings together models that didn’t necessarily do anything special, but represent nostalgia as much as any sports car or hot hatchback for many. With this in mind, we decided to celebrate our favourite unexceptional classics. The majority here are rare but still obtainable, but we’ve added some personal choices and eight truly scarce wildcards, just for good measure. So join us as we pay tribute to the magnificence of mundane classics.
AUSTIN ALLEGRO (1973-1982)
The Allegro promised so much, yet thanks to circumstances beyond its control, underdelivered. The radical concept design by Harris Mann was heavily toned down for production by management and finances, turning it from sleek and rakish into a slightly dumpy saloon. Yes, saloon – despite that sloping tail, the Allegro didn’t have a hatchback, hampering practicality. Throw in typical British Leyland quality and reliability issues, a propensity for rust when relatively young and saggy Hydragas suspension on tired examples, and the Austin Allegro gained a somewhat dowdy reputation as unremarkable street furniture.
Fast forward five decades, however, and there’s plenty to love about the Allegro – the unusual styling (not to mention square steering wheel on early cars) has a quirky charm, the floaty ride is superb for a small car and the club following is extremely enthusiastic. What’s more, the small but committed following and strong mechanical support means hundreds survive, and they’re affordable. You can get into an Allegro for a few thousand pounds quite easily, and few cars for the money will turn so many heads.
FORD ESCORT Mk4 (1986-1990)
After the success of the Mk3, the first front-wheel drive Escort, Ford opted for an “evolutionary, not revolutionary” approach with the Mk4. Styling cues from the Mk3 Granada – including a smoothed-over nose and rear lights, plus rounded bumpers – gently modernised the exterior, while a revised interior sported new instruments, switchgear and trim. Optional ABS and the new lean-burn CVH engines also served to keep the driving experience competitive with rivals. More trim levels such as LX broadened the customer base, with the booted Orion remaining to appeal to those that preferred a traditional saloon.
By this stage, Ford’s dynamics and quality were only OK when compared to rivals from Vauxhall, Austin and Volkswagen, but the eclectic range of engines, body styles and trim levels, as well as the ubiquitous Ford badge, meant the Mk4 Escort still topped the sales charts and was a common sight everywhere from the motorway to the school run. The desirable XR3i and RS Turbo attract sizeable sums nowadays, but rust and neglect mean numbers of the humbler variants are fast-decreasing, making them an intriguing – and still affordable – prospect as a left-of-field show car.
HONDA CONCERTO (1988-1995)
The Honda/Leyland collaboration started with the Ballade-derived Acclaim (more on that later), though the first-generation Japanese car was never offered on the British market. The second-generation model from 1984-on shared much of its make-up with the ‘SD3’ Rover 200 (again, more on that later), and generally found a home with more mature drivers in the UK. However, its successor, the Concerto, was somewhat higher profile. Designed for European tastes, it was jointly developed with Austin Rover to also be sold as the ‘R8’ generation Rover 200 and 400.
Offering a sharper, modernised look over the staid Ballade, the Concerto was thoroughly modern and typically Honda. Under the skin was double-wishbone suspension for Japanese-market models (substituted for comfier McPherson struts in British-market cars),
