I’m in my 20s and own a Triumph Spitfire, writes FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL – here’s why more women are driving classic cars

A shift toward female classic car ownership has been quietly happening across Britain.

Admiral says almost a quarter of classic cars in Britain are now owned by women, while insurance specialists Hagerty and Footman James have both reported significant increases in female policy holders in the last few years.

As the proud owner of a 1967 Triumph Spitfire, I’m part of this growing demographic of women taking to the wheel of vintage motors.

Classic car specialists Rimmer Bros have used their expertise to explore this trend more for This is Money, speaking to keen female collectors and taking a deep dive into the reasons behind the change…

Rita Hayworth was a collector of her day, and a car enthusiast. She collected cars of her time, but now these are classic cars which are inspiring a whole new generation of women

The 2022 Goodwood Revival saw Katarina Kyvalova and Simona de Silvestro team up as the first full-female team at the Freddie March Memorial Trophy that marked the IndyCar racer’s first ever classic car race

How women are changing classic car landscape

There are said to be roughly 3million classic cars on our roads.

The Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA) puts the classic car sector’s contribution to the British economy at over £18.5billion as of 2019.

It is a major contributor to the British economy generating around £3billion in tax revenue for the exchequer to as well as being responsible for 115,000 jobs.

Now a growing percentage of the people powering this contribution are women.

As of March 2022,  Footman James’ client profile of 83,082 had nearly 1 in 10 policy holders being women.

While this doesn’t sound like a huge number, it’s enough to show that the trend is going in the right direction, and there are a growing number of women who love, own and drive classic cars.

Kate Moss is one of many female celebrities with a love of classic cars, seen here with here beloved MG 

Hate or love the Kardashians, but Kendall Jenner is well known for her classic car collection with numerous makes and models from her Cadillac Eldorado to G500 Cabriolet 

Chris Wrigley, commercial manager at Rimmer Bros, says: ‘If 1 in 10 drivers of classics are women, then we can safely say that the market needs to acknowledge that it’s not just older men in their garages tinkering, it’s people from all walks of life realising their passion.’

In the last five years Hagerty has seen a massive 187 per cent increase in female policy holders across all ages, up from 7.9 per cent to 12.1 per cent.

Women in Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) taking out a Hagerty classic car policy has increased 81 per cent.

In 2014, a quarter of 2,000 women surveyed by Footman James said that they would consider buying a classic car, whether for investment (17 per cent) or simply for nostalgic reasons (21 per cent).

Chris adds: ‘It’s been interesting to see that classics are also being picked up by millennials too, which means that through younger owners, we’re also seeing less vintage cars being picked up as nostalgia reasons, which a lot of car collectors tend to do rather than focusing on value.’

The Goodwood Revival every year sees girls as young as four-years-old take part in a pedal car race – the world’s cutest race’ which gets budding female car enthusiasts interested from a young age

I’m 21 and own a car from 1928…

In line with the idea that younger women are getting into classic car ownership, Millie Hutton says: ‘I’ve been into motoring since I was very small and my interest in vintage cars comes from my dad. 

‘From the age of two or three, he always had something for us to ride or play with, we had toy cars that were motorised, including a Barbie car that had a 2-stroke engine installed.’

’21-year-old classic car owner Milie Hutton says: ‘I’m really into the restoration side, my partner makes gears and I love welding so we have loads of fun with it. It’s a really rewarding hobby and young women in particular shouldn’t be put off’

She adds: ‘It’s only been the last two or three years that I’ve really got into classics as my partner likes to take them apart and rebuild. 

‘We’ve got a Singer Junior from 1928 which we actually race and we have both a Flatnose and a Bullnose Morris, the latter of which we built from the ground up. 

‘The flatnose was a restoration piece and is nearing 100 years old.

‘I’d say the attraction of being into classics for me is that we get to meet so many people and it’s a really welcoming community.’

‘I’d say the attraction of being into classics for me is that we get to meet so many people and it’s a really welcoming community. 

‘However, as a woman in a very male-dominated pastime, you can sometimes feel very isolated and there are instances of flat out sexism.

‘The idea that I’m a woman alone means that for some people I simply can’t do it or I won’t know anything. 

‘Working in the motoring industry too means that I see this every day. 

‘In some people’s eyes it’s just wrong, but it might also be my age. 

‘People often ask for a sales manager and I have to stand my ground.

‘Being part of a club is excellent, my partner and I are part of the Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC) which means we are around people who support us and are great fun.

‘I’m really into the restoration side, my partner makes gears and I love welding so we have loads of fun with it. 

‘It’s a really rewarding hobby and young women in particular shouldn’t be put off.’

Vicky is a collector with multiple classics to her name and is the Worcester organiser for the Triumph SPports Six Club

I’m in the Triumph Sports Six Club

Vicky Dredge, a collector from the Worcester area, has owned an MGB for 34 years, a TR7, an MGF and up until recently a Stag.

Vicky’s experience differs slightly from Millie’s, she explains: ‘I’ve not come across any prejudice for being a woman in the hobby, but I’m not in the least bit technical with the cars. 

‘My first ever car was an MGB and being a child of the 80s, it seemed a natural choice. 

‘I’ve always managed to hold onto it, it’s been rebuilt twice but has always been with me.

‘When I’ve bought a classic, it’s been for the way it looks, sometimes the sound and for certain memories. 

‘For example, I bought the Stag because it was bright yellow, a colour I love, a V8-engined car for the sound, but mainly because I’ve always liked American cars having been to America as a child and this was the closest I could get.

‘Among other things, I’m the Worcester area organiser for the Triumph Sports Six Club and whilst we have a few women members, only one or two in my area are technically minded. 

‘For me and the majority of women I know within the community, I’d say we have all got into it for the social side. 

‘We often complete European and UK road trips and love the camaraderie that being in a group brings.’

I drove from London to Somerset to bag my 1967 Triumph

This is Money’s Motoring Report Freda Lewis-Stempel is the proud owner of a 1967 Triumph Spitfire 

 I decided aged 25 that I wanted a classic car, writes Freda Lewis-Stempel.

Although my background and expertise is in electric cars, I have worked in the classic world and wanted to make sure I kept a mechanical edge. Plus both of my grandfathers had classics. 

The reason I bought a Triumph Spitfire was part impulse and part sense.

The impulse was that I kept running past a cream Spitfire on a road near me, with a burgundy hood and fell in love.

I left a note asking the owner to call me if they wanted to sell. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t and I never heard back. But from then on it was a Spitfire as my first classic or nothing. 

I found an almost identical 1967 Spitfire for sale in Somerset and off I went from London, with my brother and a mechanic friend to buy it.

Owning it has been an adventure but I’ve learnt so much. 

I took a weekend classic car mechanics course at Bicester Heritage which helped and all the friends I’ve made in the industry are oracles of knowledge. 

Considering my age, I’m glad I bought a classic where parts are easy to get and cheap. This was the sense part.

The reaction you get driving is brilliant. And I love jumping between the latest models for work and my Spitfire for leisure…