CLUBS
New figures reveal a lack of young enthusiasts engaging with car clubs – but work is underway to address the problem
New figures from one of Britain’s biggest classic clubs reveal the challenges behind getting younger enthusiasts on board – but experts are already working hard to bring in the next generation of enthusiasts.
A recent survey by the MG Car Club (MGCC), revealed that less than ten per cent of its membership who engaged with the survey is below the age of 50. This ties in with another survey conducted by The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) and published in 2021, which found that the average age of a classic owner had increased from 61 in 2016 to 63 in a five-year period.
Club spokesman Wayne Scott said: ‘The MGCC survey shows that enthusiasts engaging with car clubs are getting older but that might not suggest that classic car owners generally are getting older. The MGCC is doing much to evolve and change its offering to suit new and younger audiences.
‘There are a number of factors that make attracting young people to clubs a challenge and almost all of them are a result of changing attitudes, habits, time and work pressures within wider society.
‘However the MGCC is continuing to support the Young Members Branch and encourages owners of new MGs to join the club to enjoy its various benefits and engage in the brand’s rich heritage and history. It’s also about to introduce a digital-only membership, which both reduces membership costs and recognises the preference of different ways to interact with classic car clubs and consume the information that they offer.’
Bob Wilkinson of the Classic Car Loan Project (classiccarloanproject. co.uk), which puts younger enthusiasts in the driving seat of classics told Classic Car Weekly: ‘Surveys and anecdotal evidence show that classic car clubs are facing an important issue in terms of demography. Clubs representing older classic cars appear to have a greater percentage of older members, making their problems even more acute. Ignoring the issue will not make it go away and doing nothing is not an option.
‘(We should) encourage club members
