If there’s one thing humans love to do, it’s reduce large groups of things into small specific categories. Throughout the history of the automobile, we have divided cars into categories based on size, looks, country of origin, and many other groupings, so why not based on age? Age can actually be the most important identifier when it comes to certain types of cars, and it certainly plays a role in the value of the vehicle.
There’s a difference between driving a “classic car,” a “classic car,” and an “antique car,” but it’s hard to know which car is which. Not that it’s life-and-death knowledge, but learning the difference and using these terms correctly may score you some good points with other car people in your life or help hone your developing taste. There are also separate sub-categories of cars in these three senses that go even deeper if you really want to dig into certain decades with things like “Brass Era,” “Brass Era,” or “Red Era” cars.
There is a little overlap in some of these categories, and like practically any word in the English language, the definitions change depending on who you talk to, where you are, and perhaps even when you ask about them. Even the few organizations that have some degree of authority in this area have conflicting views about what some of these terms actually mean.
How do you tell a vintage car from a classic?
Outside the car world, collectors say that the term “classic” includes anything older than 20 years. If you’re in your 40s, the clothes you wore in high school or your VHS copy of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” may qualify as vintage. The term originates from the annual harvest of grapes from a vineyard, particularly as it relates to wine making, but its definition has now evolved to denote anything from an earlier time, essentially becoming an antonym of contemporary. Things get a little more complicated in the car world, depending on who you ask.
Vintage Motor Car Club of AmericaA club that exists to “promote the touring and enjoyment of vintage vehicles”, allowing any car 25 years old or older. hagertyduring this timesays, “Most people agree that a vintage car is one of the earliest in automobile history: it is made between 1919-1930 and remains mostly unchanged.” Other insurance companies seem to share the same opinion, classifying vintage cars as cars made between 1919 and 1930, antique cars as cars made before 1975 (by that standard, an antique car can also be vintage), and classic cars as those made 20 years ago – so anything before 2006 at this point.
I’m not sure most car enthusiasts agree with those classifications – at least I don’t. I believe we should probably standardize our car terminology along with the rest of the collecting hobbyist, making “classic” a ubiquitous term. Everyone between 20 and 99 years of age. And “ancient” is a completely different classification.
What is an antique anyway?
Like “classic” and “classic”, the term “antique” is quite prevalent in the car community. Collector Workshop Says antique means 45 years old or older and period correct (i.e., unmodified). Here too, Antique Automobile Club of America “Paving the way for our hobby, celebrating all marques 25 and older.” I respect that the AACA is trying to increase club membership by allowing modern cars, but to me, the term “antique” really means collectibles over 100 years old.
Regardless of what a car club, insurance company, or state motor vehicle department tells you, I think it can be summarized pretty easily. Anything older than vintage is antique, and anything can be a classic if it’s good and you’re pure of heart. All three words have an inherent notability in themselves. The world, and car culture at large, may not be able to come up with a solid definition, but from here on out, I think we should all use this terminology. Or invite some fun into your life and create your own terms to see what happens.
