Classic Car Club of America Definition
The Classic Car Club of America claims to have invented the term Classic car and thus it believes that the true definition of the term is its. According to the CCCA:
A CCCA Classic is a fine or distinctive automobile, either American or foreign built, produced between 1925 and 1948. Generally, a Classic was high-priced when new and was built in limited quantities. Other factors, including engine displacement, custom coachwork and luxury accessories, such as power brakes, power clutch, and "one-shot" or automatic lubrication systems, help determine whether a car is considered to be a Classic.
The Club keeps an exhaustive list of the vehicles it considers Classics, and while any member may petition for a vehicle to join the list, such applications are carefully scrutinized and rarely is a new vehicle type admitted.
This rather exclusive definition of a classic car is not universally followed, however, and this is acknowledged by the CCCA: while it still maintains the true definition of 'classic car' is its, it generally uses terms such as CCCA Classic or the trademarked Full Classic to avoid confusion.
Classic Car StylingThere was a worldwide change in styling trends in the immediate years after the end of World War II. The 1946 Crosley, Kaiser and Frazer, for example, changed the traditional discrete replaceable-fender treatment. From this point on, automobiles of all kinds became envelope bodies in basic plan. The CCCA term, "Classic Car" has been confined to "the functionally traditional designs of the earlier period" (mostly pre-war). They tended to have removable fenders, trunk, headlights, and a usual vertical grill treatment. In a large vehicle, such as a Duesenberg or Pierce Arrow or in a smaller form, the MG TC, with traditional lines, might typify the CCCA term. Thus, it may be a classic example of a later period, but not a car from the "Classic period of Design", in the opinion of the traditionalist CCCA faction.
The French 1948 Delahaye is a good example of a final year of "Classic Era Design".
1948 Delahaye
Among the marques of cars that are usually considered Classic are:
Alfa Romeo - Auburn - Bentley - BMW - Buick - Cadillac - Cord - Delahaye - Duesenberg - Graham - Hispano-Suiza - Jaguar (car) - LaSalle - Lincoln (automobile) - Mercedes-Benz - MG (car) - Morgan - NSU - Packard - Pierce-Arrow - Renault - Rolls-Royce - Stutz - Volvo
United States Legal Definition
Legally, most states have time-based rules for the definition of "classic" for purposes such as antique vehicle registration; for example, Pennsylvania defines it as "A motor vehicle, but not a reproduction thereof, manufactured at least 15 years prior to the current year which has been maintained in or restored to a condition which is substantially in conformity with manufacturer specifications and appearance."
Antique Automobile Club of America
The Antique Automobile Club of America defines an Antique car as over 25 years old.
United Kingdom
There is no fixed definition of a Classic car. Two taxation issues do impact however, leading to
some people using them as cut off dates. All cars built before 1 January 1973 are exempted from paying the annual road tax vehicle excise duty- this is then entered on the license disc displayed on the windscreen as "historic vehicle" ( if a car built before this date has been first registered in 1973 or later then its build date would have to be verified by a recognized body such as British Motor Heritage Foundation to claim tax free status). The government Revenue and Customs define a classic car for company taxation purposes as being over 15 years old and having a value in excess of £15,000. [1]The Porsche 944 is considered by many auto enthusiasts to be a Modern Classic
Modern Classics
Another division of classic cars is Modern Classics. These vehicles are generally older, anywhere from 15-25 years, but are not accepted as classics according to The Antique Automobile Club of America. These cars are rather enjoyed as classics by auto enthusiasts, and are generally rare, and out of production
