Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership
Celebrating classic cars and their owners, this fantastic display gathers together enthusiasts with the best stories about the rarest, most unusual and cherished vehicles.
We have seen cars found as a wreck and restored to its former glory, those that have been owned over decades from new by the same owner, some extremely rare examples and many with wonderful stories of how they hold significant sentimental value to a loved one.
The winner is chosen by you, the visitors, voted for throughout the show giving owners the opportunity to tell you their story and why you should pick their car.
The awards presentation takes place among the competing cars on Sunday afternoon.
Entries for this year's competition are now closed.
The 2023 finalists
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This isn’t Martin’s first Capri as he owned an identical model back in 1988, but after finding another more than twenty five years later it was sadly written off in a serious accident. Its replacement was the stunning example you see here. “I retained the badly damaged car and stripped it down so I ... -
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The Quattro has been the dream car for many an enthusiast, not least because of its legendary rallying exploits. It also made an appearance in a popular television show, further cementing it in the minds of car fans. This one, though, has a rather interesting story… “Back in 1989 when I was in my tw ... -
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Bought with an inheritance, this cherished ‘Pagoda’ SL has been through a ground-up restoration that took seven years. The owner is rightly proud of the effort she put in, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. It’s now being cherished and enjoyed just as her beloved Aunt Edna wanted it to ... -
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Paul remembers the 944 from when it was launched, and after seeing the cars featured in motoring magazines of the day he vowed he would own one. That’s exactly what he’s done, buying the example you see here twelve months ago. “I’d been looking for a while and finally found this on for sale online. ... -
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These stylish Austins don’t only look wonderful but they are rare, too, with only 4000 convertibles made and just a fraction of that number still on the road. Proud owner, David, has had this one since 2013 having spent almost thirty years trying to get his hands on it. “I’ve been after it since the ... -
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Paul is rather a fan of sporting Toyota’s and already owns five Celicas, but the Paseo holds fond memories as it was a model his wife owned when they met. Many years later it was time to find another one, and that’s the car we have here. “A Paseo was our first choice when we first wanted a classic, ... -
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Obsessed with cars from a young age, and with his father having owned one of these rare and desirable Fords, it’s no surprise that Ben wanted his own Racing Puma. He became the proud owner of this one at the age of thirteen. As Ben explains, plans for a light restoration were thwarted when poor repa ... -
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When the Metro was launched way back in 1980 it was accompanied by headlines of the ‘British car to beat the world’. Unfortunately, few early cars survive so we’re certainly excited to see Neil’s cracking example at this year’s show. “The previous owner planned to turn it into a replica of the 6R4 r ... -
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The owner purchased this car back in 1983 and it’s been cherished ever since. In largely original condition apart from a respray carried out in 2004, this remarkable hot hatchback has received numerous awards as well as appearing in car magazines and on television. It’s one very special GTI. -
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When this proud owner was ready to buy ‘the car he always promised himself’ back in 2013 he knew it had to be this particular model. It was potentially a light restoration, but then grew into a full nut-and-bolt restoration with a twist. It started by stripping the body back to bare metal by soda bl ... -
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When this proud owner was ready to buy ‘the car he always promised himself’ back in 2013 he knew it had to be this particular model. It was potentially a light restoration, but then grew into a full nut-and-bolt restoration with a twist. It started by stripping the body back to bare metal by soda bl ... -
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When this proud owner was ready to buy ‘the car he always promised himself’ back in 2013 he knew it had to be this particular model. It was potentially a light restoration, but then grew into a full nut-and-bolt restoration with a twist. It started by stripping the body back to bare metal by soda bl ... -
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When this proud owner was ready to buy ‘the car he always promised himself’ back in 2013 he knew it had to be this particular model. It was potentially a light restoration, but then grew into a full nut-and-bolt restoration with a twist. It started by stripping the body back to bare metal by soda bl ... -
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Growing up in the 1980s, Dave always had a passion for the hot hatchbacks made famous in that era, and the Golf GTI is considered by many to be the car that kick-started the genre. So the opportunity to own one as nice as this wasn’t something he could turn down. “I used to work with the previous o ... -
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Mark has owned this gorgeous Mercedes for fifteen years, and it has strong childhood memories. “I remember the tall grille and pointed star rising up like a cathedral, and the memory of reaching up and putting my arms around the headlight never went away.” He discovered this one at the back of a dea ... -
When this proud owner was ready to buy ‘the car he always promised himself’ back in 2013 he knew it had to be this particular model. It was potentially a light restoration, but then grew into a full nut-and-bolt restoration with a twist. It started by stripping the body back to bare metal by soda bl ... -
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Bought online from the US, the owner admits to having ended up with a wreck. But a comprehensive restoration has turned this cool Swedish classic into a car that was presented to his girlfriend as a gift for Valentine’s Day. A great story and a great example of the stylish coupe. -
It’s more than six decades since the Mini was launched, and in that time it’s become one of the world’s favourite classics. This sixteen-year old owner certainly loves his, and it’s one he got his hands on five years ago after Dad, Ian, got first refusal should it come up for sale. “It was local to ... -
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Mercedes’ compact 190 saloon was a sales success, but what we have here is the model that captured the imagination of enthusiasts everywhere. Featuring a body kit and an engine fettled by Cosworth, it is rightly sought-after today and Jaswant has owned his superb example since 2015. “I’d owned one b ... -
A fan of Escorts and their rally heritage, Nathan has been the proud owner of this terrific example for seven years. Bought at a car show in North Wales, it’s no surprise to discover that it’s won numerous awards. “I already knew about the car but the owner at the time wasn’t keen to sell, but when ...
How to enter
Vehicles manufactured before 31 December 2000 were invited to enter into the Pride of Ownership competitions for consideration.
Entries for this year's competition are now closed.
The full Terms & Conditions are available on our T&Cs page.
Competition Rules
Unlike other competitions, this is not a concours event. Whilst the standard of the car is still paramount, it’s the story the owner and the car have shared that will be taken into consideration when deciding who makes it onto the final centrepiece display. Modified and replica cars will be considered alongside their original counterparts.
A vehicle can only be entered once in a three-year period for the physical competition. Any online versions are open to previous entrants and finalists. An owner can enter one vehicle per year but it must be a different one each year.
Clarion Events will not contribute to any transportation or accommodation costs for entrants.
The competition is presented in the spirit of like-minded enthusiasts coming together to celebrate their vehicles. Entrants are asked to keep this in mind when submitting their application.
Voting
Visitors can vote for their favourite car having had chance to not only inspect the cars at close proximity but also chat to the owners and hear their stories.
While the owners can engage and campaign with other entrants and visitors, any form of intimidation, cheating, derogatory remarks or bad mouthing is not tolerated and those involved will be disqualified and asked to leave.
Votes must be completed at the event within the competition display area. Votes will be counted and verified by Clarion Events Ltd and the organiser's decision is final.
The car with the most visitor votes wins with trophies awarded for first, second and third place. The first place winner will be invited to display their car at the next edition of the show.
Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager of Lancaster Insurance, sponsors of the Pride of Ownership, said: “This competition is an integral part of the show and a real highlight of the weekend for many visitors. There have been some outstanding winners and participants over the years and we know there’s still some real gems out there waiting for their time to shine."
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