Only a handful of classic 1990s cars are still on Britain’s roads, with millennials and ‘misty-eyed’ older drivers aiding their survival.
Analysis of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) records by The Telegraph found their numbers have dwindled – in some cases to double-digit figures.
Only 900 Vauxhall Cavaliers remain compared to their heyday in the mid-1990s, when 1.2 million were registered on the roads.
It was once the country’s third most popular car and was seen as one of the most important cars in the UK’s motoring history.
The Cavalier has previously been cited, along with the Chevette, for turning the British motoring firm’s fortunes around.
It replaced the Vauxhall Victor, and was designed to compete with the Ford Cortina. The Cavalier went on to be one of the most successful Vauxhall cars ever launched, with British racing driving John Cleland winning the British Touring Car Championship in 1995 in the model.
His championship-winning car was sold at auction last year for £94,500.
Kevin Bricknall, a member of the Vauxhall Cavalier and Chevette Club, told the BBC in 2015 ‘they were the cars that when people looked around and saw them they said “yes, I want one of those”‘.
Jane Miller, the vice-chairman of the Cavalier and Chevette owners’ club, told The Telegraph there was ‘not much kudos in owning a 15-year-old vehicle that is mainly remembered for being in every firm’s car park and on every street corner’.
Meanwhile, there are only 243 Austin Metros in Britain now compared to more than half-a-million in 1994.
Produced from 1980 to 1997, the classic motor was the car of choice for comedian Michael McIntyre before he found fame.
It was withdrawn from sale after receiving a dismal one-star rating in Euro NCAP crash safety testing.
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Likewise, the number of Ford Orions has dwindled, with 272 today compared to almost 450,000 registered in 1994.
Rod Dennis, the senior policy officer at the RAC, said: ‘Alongside the Ford Sierra, Vauxhall’s Mk3 Cavalier was one of the most popular family cars of its time but is an incredibly rare sight today – as is Rover’s Metro.’
He added: ‘In spite of the costs of keeping older cars running, it will be with misty-eyed affection that some drivers are keeping these 1990s stalwarts on Britain’s roads.’
Dale Keller, the chief executive of the Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance, added that millennials are keeping classic motors on the roads as they are looking for ‘authentic driving experiences’.
‘But these 1990s underdogs were the first decade of truly modern constructed vehicles that offered economy, performance, and durability if well serviced, and are now affordable to purchase, maintain and insure,’ he said.
