Classic car scene: veterans are cultural assets
OLDIES BUT GOLDIES At last we know what is really going on in the classic car scene in Switzerland. Bernhard Täschler, President of the Swiss Classic Car Association SHVF, recorded the current situation with a study. Selected public representatives (420), owners (3600 completed questionnaires), classic car club presidents (62) and industry representatives (57 companies) were surveyed in the second half of 2019 into the spring of 2020. Veteran vehicles are [...]
Selected members of the public (420), owners (3600 completed questionnaires), classic car club presidents (62) and industry representatives (57 companies) were surveyed during the second half of 2019 into the spring of 2020.
Veteran vehicles are especially
The most important results of the surveys:
- 92 percent of Swiss people over the age of 18 think that veteran cars are something special.
- 89 percent think that these veteran vehicles are cultural assets and should therefore be preserved.
- 53,000 Swiss (96 percent men) own 179,000 veteran vehicles (cars, bikes, tractors or commercial vehicles at least 30 years old (classic cars) or 20 years old (youngtimers) that are not in daily use).
- each veteran lover owns on average 3.2 vehicles
- on average, a veteran car is worth 63,000 francs.
- a veteran car incurs direct costs of around 5000 francs per year.
- on average, 790 kilometers per veteran vehicle are driven annually, which represents around 0.1 percent of total mileage
No resting place for the industry
In the public survey, however, there were also eight percent who thought old vehicles belonged in the scrap yard. And depending on the perspective, there are 38 percent who would like to see veteran vehicles continue to drive on the roads and 44 percent who are happy to see such a vehicle pull up, not a comfortable resting place on which the industry can rest.
Total value of 7.7 billion Swiss francs
The value of veteran vehicles is high at around 7.7 billion Swiss francs, as is the economic output of 836 million Swiss francs per year, especially as most of this is generated in the country itself.
And because classic car drivers are eager to travel and consume, they are an interesting target group for the tourism industry in their own country. After all, veteran drivers often spend the night away from home during events.
Value of youngtimers among veterans
Youngtimer owners, referred to as New Classics in the study, were evaluated separately. Surprisingly, the owners of these vehicles are hardly younger than the usual owner of a classic car, who is between 51 and 70 years old.
Only just 23 percent of New Classic owners are under 50 years old, while 64 percent own such a vehicle. And the average is well below the average veteran car, at 37,000 versus 61,000.
