What is a classic?

[Toad]

Paul,
How old do they have to be ?
Tax ?
Insurance?

Any details?

[PaulKanters]

Toad,
That's fairly straight forward here in Ireland:
Tax: 30 years (27 pounds)
VRT: 30 years (40 pounds registration only)
Insurance: usually 25 years, depending on the insurance company.

However, there are lots and lots of cars that I would consider to be classics and that are much younger:
I am thinking of:
Audi Quattro
Saab 99/900 Turbo
VW Golf GTI Mk1
Range Rover
Mazda RX7

Any other suggestions out there? What sort of car would you consider to be a Classic Car, that's still fairly young


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Paul Kanters
Nothing beats Classic Motoring! welcome.to/classiccarsireland (http://welcome.to/classiccarsireland)
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[Justin]

BMW M3 E30 Evo II
Mercedes 190 2.5-16 Cosworth
Porsche 968 Clubsport
VW Corrado VR6
Lancia Delta HF Turbo Evo
Corvette ZR1

for example?

[PaulKanters]

What's the reasoning behind your suggestions Justin, because I can see the Lancia EVO and the 190 Cosworth as potential Classics, but I can't really pinpoint the reasoning behind the other suggestions you made, as they are all 'evolutions' of already existing models, like the M3, the 993/998, the Corvette. Certainly the Corvette Z1 wouldn't stir the same emotions for me as a 1965 or a 1969 Stingray. A classic in my view is a car that offers a unique idea or concept, or takes an existing concept or design and gives it at a unique perspective. It doesn't neccessarily need a minimum of 300bhp before I would even begin to consider it a classic.

Reasoning behind the cars I suggested are:
Audio Quattro, being the first succesful 4X4 turbocharged car, the Range Rover for being first Luxury 4X4 car, MK1 GTI for being the first hot hatch, the RX7 being the first succesful ****el engined sports car. The Saab Turbo, because it's the most succesful Turbocharged production car in its days, but maybe more so because I used to have a 81 Turbo for yonks and I absolutely loved it to bits!!!

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Paul Kanters
Nothing beats Classic Motoring! welcome.to/classiccarsireland (http://welcome.to/classiccarsireland)
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[PaulKanters]

Let me rephrase W_ANKEL engined car with ROTARY engined car ;)

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Paul Kanters
Nothing beats Classic Motoring! welcome.to/classiccarsireland (http://welcome.to/classiccarsireland)
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[Justin]

For me a classic car is an old one which I would have considered buying new, had I been able to. I don't care about heritage or that it may be an investment (give me bricks and mortar anyday over some old junk heap which has to be painstakingly and expensively restored).

I wouldn't have bought a Range Rover or a 1965 stingray. I don't mind if they have classic car heritage value, but I am prepared to call the others you mention "classic" .