- Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional to celebrate one of the most unexceptional vehicles of the 1980s, the Sinclair C5
- A number of C5 examples will be on display including a pre-production prototype
- Launched in 1985, the Sinclair C5 was a sales failure but 40 years on has a strong following
- Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional takes place at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire on 26th July 2025
- Motoring celebrities, Smith and Sniff will return with interactive live stage show
- Festival of the Unexceptional tickets on sale now
Bicester: 2nd July 2025
The Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates the mundane motors of the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Returning to the spectacular Grimsthorpe Castle estate in Lincolnshire on 26th July, this year the Festival will honour a vehicle that is unexceptional to many and exceptional to others, the Sinclair C5.
The vision of eccentric entrepreneur, Sir Clive Sinclair, the C5 marked a radical departure for the wealthy businessman that made such an impact on the personal computer scene with his Sinclair ZX Spectrum and other products.
The idea behind the C5 was to create an electric vehicle that was cleaner and safer than a moped for young people and urban commuters. Sinclair brought in some big names to turn his vision into reality, including Ogle Design, which had designed the famous Bond Bug, Lotus to build prototypes and conduct testing and Hoover to manufacture the C5.
It was a very simple piece of design and engineering, with two identical pressings to create the chassis and two injection-moulded polypropylene shells for the bodywork. An Italian company supplied the motor which came from the cooling fan of a heavy goods vehicle and the gearbox and rear axle were from Lotus. Due to it being very low to the ground, another simple solution was a high-visibility pole that was attached to the back to ensure it could be seen in traffic.
The C5 was limited to a top speed of 15mph and it had a claimed range of 20 miles. Very few ever achieved that, but engineers also fitted pedalo-style pedals to the C5 so the driver could keep going using pedal power.
In terms of sales the C5 was a spectacular failure, with estimates that only 5,000 of the 14,000 manufactured being sold before production ended, just eight months after it began. This was despite some famous names owning one, including Elton John, the science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, magician Paul Daniels and Princes William and Harry, who drove a C5 around the royal estates when they were still too young to drive.
Today the Sinclair C5 has earned a very special place in motoring history and has become a popular collectors’ item with some selling for thousands. Social media groups, forums and specialists all provide advice and spare parts to the C5’s loyal army of owners and enthusiasts. Many C5s have been modified with upgraded electric motors and bigger wheels and one has even been fitted with a small jet engine.
Sam Rowell runs the C5 Depot, a specialist in Sinclair C5s, as well as the Facebook community. “In May 2016, I rode a C5 for the first time,” he says. “Once you sit in one, it all makes sense. I really enjoy working on C5s. It’s manageable, they don’t take up much space and you can modify them to go a bit faster. It’s perfect tinkering. Take them to a car show and you’ll get more attention than a Ferrari.”
FOTU is the perfect place for the Sinclair C5 to enjoy all the attention it deserves. The special display will feature up to 20 examples of this quirky electric vehicle, including a pre-production prototype and a pristine original.
The Sinclair C5 will join thousands of other unexceptional vehicles and their owners at Grimsthorpe Castle on 26th July. Gates open at 7.30am so that owners of unexceptional and classic vehicles can make the most of a day packed with events for all the family that will continue until 5pm. Now in its 11th year, the Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional again promises to be an exceptional day out. Tickets on sale now.