The 2025 Lancaster Insurance Classic Car show has been hailed as one of the best in recent years by visitors, clubs, traders and the organisers.
Run at the traditional NEC, Birmingham venue from 7-9 November, the show saw 72,738 visitors across the three days, up from 71,520 in 2024.
There were 338 car clubs represented and more than 430 trade stands, making the halls very busy even from first thing on the Friday when the show as often been quieter in previous years.
Yvonne Gosney, Senior Trading Manager at Lancaster Insurance said: ‘The Classic Motor Show remains a highlight in our calendar, and we’re thrilled to have welcomed over 72,000 visitors this year – thank you all for making it such a success. We’d also like to extend a special congratulations to our 2025 Pride of Ownership winners, David Wootton and Colin Fidler, our ‘Best of the Best’ champion. It’s the passion of this incredible community that makes the show so special, and we’re already looking forward to seeing you all in 2026!’
The Iconic Auctioneers sale saw £11 million worth of cars, motorcycles and memorabilia sold, with an 83% sale rate to buck recent trends at auction. There were also 12 new record prices achieved for cars sold by Iconics, including for a Jaguar XJC Coupé and Ford Cortina Mk1 1500.
A 1956 Austin A35 affectionately known as ‘Rusty’ was awarded Best of the Best in the Lancaster Pride of Ownership competition and owner Colin Fidler was delighted with his trophy.
The Sporting Bears Motor Club raised £44,000 from its popular Dream Rides. The ‘Bears’ gave ten-mile passenger rides to visitors in exchange for a charitable donation. The charities benefiting from this year’s show include Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, Libby Mae’s Little Angels, Caudwell Children, and Jasmine’s Legacy of Dream.
There were some comments from showgoers about congestion in the walkways during the busiest periods of the event, but traders report doing good business throughout the weekend.
The Classic Car Show’s director Lee Masters said: ‘The atmosphere, the quality of the display stands, and the passion for classics was exceptional. It was also fantastic to see so many younger enthusiasts at the show. Our thanks go to all of the sponsors, traders, clubs, individual owners, and visitors for all their support.’
The 2026 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show will be held at Birmingham’s NEC from 6-8 November.
