25 big classic car birthdays in 2023

That’s a lot of candles

A new year sees a whole host of new automotive anniversaries to look forward to – and 2023 is more special than most.

We’ve only space for 25 entries on this list, which means there are plenty of notable motoring moments we’ve had to skip. These include the Dodge Series 116, the first steel-bodied car, which celebrates its 100th year, while the first six-cylinder BMW, the 303, turns 90.

We’ve also decided to limit ourselves to one notable anniversary per marque, otherwise this list would stretch to 100 entries! But, because we can’t resist, some of those that fell by the wayside do receive honourable mentions, so you’ve got some bonus birthdays, too.

So enjoy some of the more notable and some of the most important automotive anniversaries of 2023, in chronological order. What’s your motoring milestone for 2023? Let us know.

1. Triumph (100 years)


It’s 100 years since Triumph Motor Company launched its first car, though the firm’s history stretches back to 1885.

That’s when Siegried Bettmann formed S Bettman & Co to import bicycles to the UK; a year later it was changed to Triumph and in 1889 he set up shop in Coventry.

The first car was the 10/20, but Triumph largely became known for its zesty drop-tops, from the TRs to the Stag, though tin-top delights such as the 2000 (pictured), which celebrates its 60th birthday in 2023, and the GT6 also made the brand very popular.

The Triumph name died in 1984 with the Acclaim, but the rights are still active – the name is owned by BMW. The Triumph TR2 celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2023, too.

2. Bentley 3½-litre (90 years)

This car marks a huge turning point in the history of Bentley. It was the first new Bentley since Rolls-Royce acquired the marque, and is the first of the Derby Bentleys, those built at the Rolls-Royce factory in the Midlands.

Rather than appeal to a purely sporting clientele, the Bentley was luxury focused and shared many components with contemporary Rolls-Royces.

While this would be a disappointment to ardent Bentley enthusiasts, WO Bentley himself went on record as saying he preferred the 3½-litre to any other Bentleys.

A similarly game-changing, but rather younger, Bentley also celebrates an anniversary in 2023 – where would the company be now without 2003’s Continental GT?

3. Austin-Healey 100 (70 years)

The 100 was a convenient meeting of minds: Austin’s Leonard Lord needed a sporty number to replace the ailing A90, while Donald Healey fancied a slice of the high-volume sports-car market.

The result was the 100, the first of the Big Healeys and so-named for its ability to crack 100mph.

The Austin A90 Atlantic provided much of the underpinnings, and Jensen built the chassis and body, before Austin trimmed and painted the car at its Longbridge factory.

4. Nash Metropolitan (70 years)

The American automobile industry has largely been known for bigger is better, and that more is always more.

But in the post-war period, the Nash Motor Company saw a gap in the market for petrol- and money-savvy consumers, and the growth in female drivers.

Nash worked with Austin Motor Company to produce a car that was cheap to buy and inexpensive to run; the masterstroke was to launch with a glamorous convertible to feed aspiration.

Blending design inspiration from Pinin Farina and Nash’s own sketches, it should have been a success, but despite customer clinics indicating people wanted an economy car, the Nash wasn’t it. Although it was one of the best-selling imported cars to the US, and prompted GM, Ford and Chrysler to look at economy cars, it was blown away by the VW Beetle in the economy class.

5. Isetta (70 years)

The Isetta was a shock to the automotive world when it appeared in 1953 – this car, originally built by Iso, was truly tiny compared to anything on the road.

Its 236cc two-stroke engine may have taken an enormous 30 secs to reach 31mph, before topping out at 47mph, but that wasn’t what this model was about – it could achieve between 50mpg and 70mpg, which was important in a Europe still feeling the after-effects of the Second World War.

Iso stopped building the car in Italy 1955, and in Spain in 1958; however, BMW started building it in 1955. The engine was changed to a BMW four-stroke, with 161,728 built over the next seven years. 

Iso would move on to something completely at the other end of the automotive scale – the thunderous Grifo, which has its 60th birthday in 2023.

And here are some more bonus birthdays for you at BMW. The mighty M635CSi celebrates its 40th birthday in 2023, while the E60 5 Series and E63 6 Series pass the 20-year mark. And keeping to the microcar theme, the Messerschmitt is also 60 in 2023.

6. Ford Anglia/Prefect 100E (70 years)

The Ford Anglia name has been around since before the Second World War, but the 100E is notable for bringing modern three-box car design to the masses.

Although very much a budget car (though not quite as cheap as the Ford Popular), it mimicked the styling of much larger cars in the Blue Oval’s repertoire, such as the Consul.

The engine wasn’t quite as fresh as the exterior, but it was significantly reworked for the new car, with power up 20%. Two-door models were called Anglias, while Prefects were the four-door version – an estate car, the Squire, followed in 1955.

Further Blue Oval anniversaries in 2023 include the Orion (40 years), Mk2 Fiesta (40 years), GT (20 years) and, for our Australian readers, the thunderous Falcon XB (50 years). 

7. Sunbeam Alpine (70 years)

The Sunbeam Alpine began life as a one-off rally car for a Sunbeam-Talbot dealer, based on a Sunbeam-Talbot drophead coupé.

However, with Sunbeam-Talbot saloons performing well in Alpine rallying in the early 1950s, the hilly part of Europe donated its name to the new car, which continued its winning ways immediately.

In July 1953, a four-car team with drivers Sheila van Damm, John Fitch, G Murray-Frame and Stirling Moss won the Coupe des Alpes.

The Sunbeam Alpine also starred in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film To Catch a Thief, with Grace Kelly behind the wheel.

It was the beginning of a nameplate that would eventually spawn the V8-powered Tiger, and provided the first wheels for a certain British secret agent known for his automotive choices…

8. Chevrolet Corvette C1 (70 years)

For 70 years, the Chevrolet Corvette has offered serious performance motoring at a price that severely undercuts the European opposition.

Originally merely a styling exercise, such was the clamour for the concept car that Chevrolet rushed the model into production, building 300 examples in 1953 in an old truck factory.

Early cars were plagued with issues such as water leaks and doors that opened while in motion, but the ’Vette was improved by moving production to a purpose-built facility and later cars helped form an automotive legend.

Despite the quality shortfalls of those year-one Corvettes, it’s believed that around 200 from the 300 still exist. The Chevrolet Bel-Air also marks its 70th birthday in 2023.

9. Buick Riviera (60 years)

General Motors hadn’t dipped its toe in the ‘personal luxury car’ market segment prior to the Riviera, and seeing the success of Ford’s Thunderbird, fancied a slice of the all-American pie, but with European seasoning.

Said to be inspired by GM styling chief Bill Mitchell’s trip to London and subsequent exposure to bespoke Rolls-Royces, Ned Nickles was tasked with penning a ‘knife-edge’ design.

What resulted was a car that, while following similar ‘coke-bottle’ design cues to the Studebaker Avanti, was seen to be a high watermark in American design, drawing favourable responses from Jaguar’s Sir William Lyons and Sergio Pininfarina.

10. Mercedes-Benz W113 SL Pagoda (60 years)

For those of a sporting persuasion with a fondness for the three-pointed star, in 1955 you were stuck between the almighty expense of a 300SL, or the somewhat tepid performance of the 190SL.

Mercedes-Benz’s engineers understood this and were working on the project for five years before developments in body-manufacturing technology forced a fresh approach for 1960. What appeared three years later was a masterpiece in refined class from stylist Paul Bracq and Friedrich Geiger.

The straight-six engines provided plenty of rasp, while the Pagoda’s glamorous looks proved to be catnip for the rich and famous.

Other notable Mercedes-Benz anniversaries in 2023 include 60 years of the W100 600, 70 years of the Ponton, and 30 years of the C-Class.

11. Alfa Romeo 105/115 Series (60 years)

The Giulia saloon of 1962 had provided zesty performance and genuine sports-car handling, despite being a two-door saloon. For 1963, however, Alfa Romeo brought those components to a two-door coupé styled by designer-of-the-moment Giorgetto Giugiaro, then working for Bertone.

The first Giulia Sprint GT of 1963 was powered by a 1.6-litre twin-cam four-cylinder, with a fairly novel (for the time) five-speed manual gearbox and Brembo disc brakes.

Performance was sensational for the era, and the chassis spawned a legion of variants that kept Alfa Romeo competitive in Touring Car and endurance racing across the world for around a decade.

Other Alfa Romeo anniversaries in 2023 include the Bertone GT (2003), 33 and Arna (1983), the 6C (1933) and the RM (1923).

12. Porsche 901/911 (60 years)

Though the Porsche 911 first went on sale in 1964, the world first caught sight of the car’s legendary silhouette in late 1963.

At the time it was known as the 901, its project number within Porsche, but Peugeot still had exclusive rights to cars with a ‘0’ in the middle, so Porsche changed it to 911.

The original design, a collaborative effort between Ferdinand ‘Butzi’ Porsche and Erwin Komenda, would continue with minor changes until 1989, with the biggest departure being the introduction of impact bumpers in 1974. 

Other notable Porsche anniversaries in 2023 include 20 years of the Carrera GT, 30 years of the 993-era 911 and 70 years of the 550.

13. Alpine A110 (60 years)

The Alpine A110 was an ingenious use of the Renault parts bin, using elements of the R8 but in a rakish Giovanni Michelotti-penned shape.

Although the four-cylinder engines weren’t massively powerful, the cars proved competitive in French rallying in the late 1960s.

A switch from the cast-iron Cléon-Fonte engines to aluminium Cléon-Alu Renault 16 units contributed to making an already light car even lighter.

Alpine A110s locked out the podium at the Rallye Monte-Carlo, the first round in the World Rally Championship’s inaugural season, and took five more wins en route to the 1973 manufacturers’ title.

14. Aston Martin DB5 (60 years)

The car that launched a million or more espionage dreams? Aston Martin’s DB5 is actually a styling evolution of the DB4 Series V, but the DB5 rolls off the tongue much better, doesn’t it?

The car has merits other than just being James Bond’s wheels, of course, such as the Touring Superleggera styling, the 4.0-litre straight-six and the 8-sec 0-60mph time.

Other Aston Martin anniversaries to savour in 2023 include 30 years of the DB7 and 70 years of the DB2/4.

15. Rover P6 (60 years)

The P6 was an example of true break-the-mould thinking at Rover.

Designed to appeal to a younger, affluent, professional clientele, the P6’s sharp lines were a break from Rover’s norm.

It offered nimble handling thanks to advanced suspension developments, luxury and nippy performance, but at a lower cost than Jaguar – both to buy and to run.

It was a success, with two four-cylinder engines and eventually a V8 option to choose from. Although the later cars were marred by quality-control problems, the model proved popular, with more than 320,000 sold over 14 years.

16. Lancia Fulvia (60 years)

Designed to replace the Appia, the Fulvia took front-wheel drive to a small sports coupé and saloon, and made it fun.

It was powered by a neatly packaged V4 engine, while its independent front suspension made it nimble.

The result was a car that handled with the aplomb of a rear-drive Alfa, yet was sure-footed enough to push harder.

This helped to make it a superb rally car in coupé form, which appeared in 1965. It went on to win the Italian Rally Championship every year until 1973, apart from 1970, and won the International Championship for Manufacturers in 1972.

17. Honda (60 years)

Though Honda can trace its history back to 1946, it was only from 1963 that company founder Soichiro Honda saw his name on automobiles.

The first was a small truck, the T360, built for the Japanese market. The same year saw the S500 appear, which featured a 531cc four-cylinder engine that revved to a heady 9500rpm, delivering peak power at 8000rpm. Produced for just one year, 1363 were built before it was replaced by the S600.

However, the trademark Honda features had been set: small dimensions and a high rev limit, which could be seen in many cars throughout the firm’s proud history. One example is the CRX (pictured), which celebrates its 40th birthday in 2023.

18. Lotus Cortina (60 years)

We’ve become used to Formula One firms affixing their names to roadgoing cars to provide them with a little extra flair. While some are mere badging operations, others offer true performance credibility – and the Lotus Cortina certainly falls into the latter category.

Colin Chapman developed a twin-cam version of Ford’s Kent engine with help from Harry Mundy and Keith Duckworth of Cosworth, just in time for Ford’s Walter Hayes to ask Chapman to build 1000 Cortinas with the engine to help Group 2 Touring Car homologation.

The engine was blended with the Elan’s short-ratio gearbox to produce a sports saloon that, despite some technical problems, drew rave reviews from those who drove it.

It proved to be a formidable racing car, winning the British Saloon Car Championship with Jim Clark, the Belgian Saloon Car Championship with Jacky Ickx and the European Touring Car Championship with Sir John Whitmore.

19. Lamborghini (60 years)

Lamborghini burst onto the scene with the 350GTV in 1963. Displeased with Enzo Ferrari’s customer relations with regards to the integrity of the clutches on his Ferrari 250s, Ferruccio Lamborghini set about making his own.

This then grew into making his own touring car, because he believed no-one would build one to his tastes, being high performance, but usable, and luxurious.

The 350GTV was the first fruit of that labour, and featured a Who’s who of former Ferrari staffers and contractors. Franco Scaglione penned the body, while Gianpaolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzini and Bob Wallace engineered the car, and Giotto Bizzarrini designed the V12, which would survive in much-modified form right up to the Murciélago.

The only problem was that the body panels would not fit around the engine, so the car never worked – when shown, it was ballasted down with bricks. However, the 350GT (pictured) of 1964 would follow many of the car’s styling cues to production.

In addition, the Gallardo turns 20 in 2023.

20. Ferrari 365GT4 BB (50 years)

We have another Lamborghini to thank for this wedge-shaped wonder.

For many years, Enzo Ferrari rebuffed his staff’s desire to fit a 12-cylinder powerplant in a mid-engined car. However, the rapturous response to the Miura forced the idea back to the top of the in-tray, as did F1’s move to mid-engined racers.

The new car would be a step change – the front-engined layout of the Ferrari flagship would not return until the 1990s.

The resulting shape, penned by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti, was a stunner, while the F102 flat-12 engine became the fastest road car Road & Track had ever tested.

It’s a busy year for Maranello celebrations: the 330 hits 60 and the Dino 308GT4 marks its half-century in 2023.

21. Maserati Khamsin (50 years)

Though the Bora was a stunning car and a surprisingly useful grand tourer, Maserati’s owners demanded a front-engined 2+2 in the Ghibli vein. Something a little traditional, perhaps? What appeared was anything but.

Bertone’s Marcello Gandini crafted a shape that was pure concept car theatre, full of interesting quirks, such as the full-width rear glass panel.

Under the skin lay double-wishbone suspension front and rear, and a 316bhp 4.9-litre Maserati V8 carried over from the Ghibli SS with four double-barrel 42 DCNF 41 Weber carburettors.

It also used the Citroën SM’s speed-sensitive steering and hydraulically assisted clutch and brakes – useful for a car that could hit 170mph.

Other Maserati milestones in 2023 include the Quattroporte and Mistral (60 years).

22. Peugeot 205 (40 years)

Peugeot knew it needed to do something dynamic to perk up its image. While cars like the 504 and 505 were well loved for their rigidity, they were regarded as somewhat conservative.

The recent adoption of Simca and the Rootes group (such as the Hillman Imp, which celebrates its 60th birthday in 2023) allowed it to tap into a knowledge base with a track record for building small, exciting cars for a younger audience.

Enter the 205. Gerard Welter’s perky design covered fully independent suspension all round, which gave even the most tediously engined cars sparkling handling.

The GTI powered the 205 to glory, with hot-hatch class-leading handling and, in 1.9 form, eye-popping thrust in such a small, light car. Indeed, it’s often referred to as the greatest hot hatch ever made.

23. Toyota Corolla AE86 (40 years)

This is the car that helped make drifting the cultural phenomenon it is now. But the Toyota AE86 deserves to be recognised for far more than that facet of its life.

The winning combination of a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive set-up, light weight and a high-revving engine made it a worthy follow-up to the Mk2 Escort in Group A, N and showroom-stock motorsport, whether in rallying or on the race tracks.

Chris Hodgetts won the European Touring Car and British Touring Car Championships in the mid-1980s in one.

The Toyota Corolla AE86’s inherent reliability and robustness, as well as the fact that it was affordable to buy and maintain, made it the perfect basis for modifying.

Immortalised in anime and manga Initial D, the model played a formative role in popularising drifting, opening the world of cars to a fresh audience.

24. Land Rover 90/110 (40 years)

Okay, so the Series Land-Rovers had created and fostered the legend of the Green Oval throughout the world, but the reality was that they were pretty hardcore for everyday usage.

In the face of increasing Japanese movements into its territory, the 90/110 was introduced to make it more palatable.

Out went the leaf springs, replaced by coil springs, a lockable centre diff added to the transfer case provided permanent on-road four-wheel-drive capability, plus the interior was made somewhat more comfortable, too (well, all things being relative).

Originally these cars were known as the 90/110 (depending on size), though this changed to Defender from the ’90s.

Now marketed as a lifestyle car, and not just a farm hack, the 90/110, and then the Defender, helped to boost sales, and remained on sale until 2016.

25. Fiat Coupé (30 years)

This was a true passion project for Paolo Cantarella. He pitched the idea when he was climbing up the Fiat management hierarchy, and when he reached the top he was able to approve the idea.

The Chris Bangle design was a seductive shocker, managing to evoke the past while looking to the future with his now-trademark flame-surfacing style.

However, it wasn’t all looks – it was actually usable, with four seats to fit humans (unlike the other great Italian coupé of the era, the Alfa GTV), plus a zesty range of engines based around the famed Fiat twin-cam.

Top billing went to the five-cylinder 20v Turbo, which pumped out nearly 220bhp. That was a lot for a front-wheel-drive car at the time, but the Viscodrive limited-slip differential reined in the worst excesses of torque steer and understeer. It was hugely popular, but now few survive, with prices starting to get tasty.

Other Fiats to celebrate anniversaries in 2023 include the Punto (30 years), the Oggi, Regata and Uno (40 years), the 1100 (70 years), the 518 (90 years), the 502 (100 years) and the Idea (20 years).