Gregor's Diamond Underdogs
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Gregor's Diamond Underdogs |
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Classic Status for the Skoda Favorit? Should the Skoda Favorit ever be considered as a classic car? To answer that, we have to consider the criteria for judging something to be classic. For some people, age is enough. Look at the number of Marinas, Allegros and Cortinas that are beginning to turn up at shows. They had no special merits when they were current, other than being everyday transport for hundreds of thousands of people. Now they are becoming well-loved again as the "I remember having one of those!" factor kicks in. This will happen to the Favorit sooner or later, so by this criteria, it will be a classic car. For some people, this will not be enough. A classic car has to be something more than simply old. If it is "run-of-the-mill" then it has to be "run-of-the-mill-with-some-special-significance", like the Triumph Herald (independent suspension all round). I would argue that the Favorit fits this criteria too. To my mind, it was the first car from what used to be the Eastern Bloc that was a serious, uncompromising alternative to Western and Japanese cars. Not everyone liked the angular, Bertone styling. So what? If car styling is to be anything other than bland, it must polarise opinion. True, the engine was an old, ohv design but it was a good design and served the car well. Early Favorits had a gloriously dreadful interior and slightly iffy build quality. Post VW ones were superb. I did over 55000 miles in one in all weathers over three years. When I sold it I had a lump in my throat. In twenty years' time, I sincerely hope to come across one or two at shows. I'll stop and tell the owners: "I had a couple of those... some of the best cars I ever owned." Meantime, I've got a Felicia estate. The silence from would-be comedians is deafening.... |
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