A glimpse into the world of heritage cars collectors
What is the average age of fans in the various geographical areas? How much do they spend a year on their favorites and what kind of events do they take part in? Fiva answered these and many other questions in an updated radiograph of the phenomenon, recently published
Built in 1967 and with a value that is around 29,000 euros: in Europe and in the rest of the world the most collected vintage cars correspond to these two average values. This was revealed by the 2020-2021 survey by Fiva – Fédération Internationale Vehicules Anciens, which has probed the collecting scene worldwide. And in Italy? The cars that most populate the garage of the enthusiasts are on average from 1970, are worth more or less like their peers in other parts of the globe and, however, travel less road: only 795 km per year on average, against the 1,462 km traveled in the rest of Europe and 1,413 km in the world.
Italians are less spenders and more reluctant to drive their cars. In fact, it appears that from the garages of the Peninsula the historic cars manage to put out their fronts no more than a dozen times a year, while in other countries they go out 15 times and for longer stretches. Against this shorter distance, there is also a gap of about one thousand euros downward in the average expenditure that Italian collectors dedicate each year to their hobby, equal to 3,737 euros, while the other averages are 4,858 euros in the world and 4,637 in Europe. Of these, 2,524 euros are spent only on cars in Italy, with a difference that exceeds one thousand euros, always downwards, on the European average of 3,688 euros and the world average (3,800 euros). Yet the percentage of registered vehicles is higher in Italy – 95 percent – than in any other geographical area, where at most the average number of vehicles that can circulate is 81 per cent.
Citroën and Fiat at the top. Another sensational difference that emerged from the statements of the survey participants concerns the degree of originality of the vehicles, which in Italy with 92 percent exceeds the world average of 81 percent by 11 percentage points. And while in Italy only 5 percent of vehicles need restoration, the foreign average is higher, aligned on the various continents on 11 percent. The brands? In the Italian soil, it goes without saying, Fiat, in first place, and Alfa Romeo (Piaggio in the lead among motorcycles) prevail. With a notable detachment of the Lingotto, which has 20 percent of the historic owned by collectors, compared to 16 percent of the Biscione. In the rest of the Old Continent, Citroën, MG and Triumph are at the top, all with a 7% attendance rate each. The first two brands – with the same predominance of 7 percent for each – are also protagonists in the collecting scene outside Europe.
See you at the club. The Fiva research also traced the portrait of the typical collector, again highlighting substantial surprises. Above all, there is a marked difference between the uses and customs of the Boot compared to the rest of the planet. The Italian enthusiast seems to be younger, he has 56 years old: three less than his “colleagues” in the world. He also appears richer: the average of his annual earnings is 60 thousand euros against 57 thousand of all the others. He is almost always a member of a club (96 percent) while the membership is less obvious elsewhere with an average of 81 percent of subjects. Also with regard to the events, he remains fond of associations and takes them as a reference, while in the rest of the world events of national significance are more popular.
Tours and regularity? For many but not for everyone. Italians do not attend many rallies, however: only 61 percent apparently do. In contrast to all the other countries averages of 79 and 78 percent respectively of the world and the European area. Talking about museums, the data drops even further, with only 37 percent of Italians visiting them. The rest of the globe is also doing little better, with an average of 40 per cent of interested people. On the other hand, as far as Social Networks are concerned, Italians are masters: 68 percent of lovers of historic motoring enthusiasts in Italy use them. Much more than how they do in Europe, where 61 percent of fans use them. And also in all other continents the general average of those who post their beauties on four wheels is lower than in Italy: 62 percent.
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