A van that once ruled the cul-de-sacs and corners of Britain is about to enjoy a very unexceptional moment in the spotlight. The humble Bedford Rascal has been named as one of the 50 finalists for the 2025 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional Concours de l’Ordinaire, a concours event that proudly celebrates the kind of everyday workhorses that were once more common than potholes on British roads.

Bedford Rascal will appear at the Festival of the Unexceptional

Now in its 11th year, the Festival of the Unexceptional returns to Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire on Saturday 26 July, bringing together a gloriously grey buffet of motoring mediocrity. From the Austin Allegro to the Perodua Nippa, the 2025 shortlist reads like the car park outside your local Kwik Save in the early 90s. But among the faded metallic paint and bargain-bin badgework, it’s the inclusion of a 1986 Bedford Rascal that has us smiling the widest.

As many van fans will remember, the Rascal was barely more than a shoebox with wheels, and a surprisingly noisy one at that. With a 970cc engine mounted under the driver’s seat, it whined its way through the late 80s and early 90s, becoming a mainstay for florists, electricians, takeaway delivery drivers and, occasionally, thrill-seekers testing the limits of roundabout physics.

This particular Rascal, finished in unexceptional ‘White Van Man’ gloss and kitted out with a brown plastic dashboard and matching seats, has covered just 18,000 miles. That’s not much for a van built to do it all, albeit very slowly. Its survival is a minor miracle, given how many were run into the ground or vanished from our roads — although you can still buy a new one in Uzbekistan for 93,156,000 soums (or about £5,400), where it’s known as the Chevrolet Damas.

It’s not the first time a commercial vehicle has made waves at FOTU. Last year’s overall winner was a Toyota Hilux, proving that practicality, utility, and dogged unpretentiousness can win hearts (and trophies).

Toyota Hilux won last year's Festival of the Unexceptional

The Bedford Rascal joins a strong lineup of unremarkable contenders, including a 1982 Austin Allegro, a 1998 Perodua Nippa EX, and a wonderfully ordinary 1984 Ford Escort 1.1. Together, they form the Concours de l’Ordinaire, a handpicked group of the most fantastically forgettable vehicles ever to grace Britain’s roads.

“Selecting fifty finalists from the long list of entries has been harder than ever. While many of the cars might have been unexceptional in their day, today they have a lifetime of memories that make each one exceptional in its own way,” said Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International. “We are immensely excited to see this celebration of motoring history assembled on the lawns at Grimsthorpe Castle in what again promises to be a wonderful family day out.”

Alongside the display of 50 concours finalists, the festival will feature live music, motoring celebrities, food trucks and a live recording of the Smith and Sniff podcast, making it a proper day out for the whole family, even those who usually couldn’t care less about camshafts or carburettors.

Tickets are available now, starting from £26, so if you’re the proud owner of a car or van that nobody’s looked twice at since 1993, this might just be your moment.

Phil Huff
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