My First Car: from a humble Fiesta to a love for classic cars. Charlotte Vowden tells her story

Classic car motoring journalist Charlotte Vowden’s first car was called Flora but she came to a sticky end.

Flora was a Fiesta, a 1.1 litre Fresco version, and she was a hand-me-down car from her auntie.

“I was so very grateful to get a car,” said Charlotte, who studied at Essex University in Colchester. “I remember I went to Argos to get some mats in pink and some seat covers.

“I had passed my test first time and I remember going to college with the car packed to the rafters. We used to go for days out to Clacton-on-Sea.”

The Ford Fiesta which was Charlotte Vowden's first car. It is pictured after it had been stolen

But the car was sadly stolen and written off. “A lot of cars were being stolen in the area and it seemed like it would only be a matter of time, and sadly it was.

“The car was smashed to smithereens which was so sad.

She replaced it with a newer, more sophisticated Fiesta.”

Now she has a classier car, a 1960 MGA. Charlotte, the Classic Car Writer of the Year for 2022, said: “I do drive it a lot but not so much in winter when there is salt on the road. This car changed my life and certainly changed my lifestyle. I feel now like I am involved in the classic car community.”

Charlotte is associated with Hagerty International, a classic vehicle insurer and one of the world’s largest automotive lifestyle brands.

Charlotte is already a regular on Hagerty’s fast-growing UK media site and has presented to the crowds at the 2022 Festival of the Unexceptional, appearing on the Hagerty live stage with the likes of Mike Brewer and fellow Hagerty ambassador, Paul Cowland.

The daughter of a mechanic, she spent over 15 years as a national newspaper journalist and editor before inheriting her first classic car.

Throughout 2023 she will attend every Hagerty UK event, including RADwood, the Hagerty Hillclimb and the Festival of the Unexceptional. In addition, she will make regular appearances at the Hagerty Clubhouse, due to open at Bicester Heritage this summer, and will continue to write her selection of regular editorial features for Hagerty’s Media site.

Speaking of the ambassador role at Hagerty, Vowden said, “I see it as a privilege to tell people's stories, everyone has one, and I’m proud to champion women in the industry by showcasing what they're doing.”

Mark Roper, Managing Director for Hagerty International, added “Charlotte has already established herself with Hagerty readers, through a series of great features that get under the skin of the classic car industry, and the people who contribute to its success. Charlotte’s own classic car journey is a great story, and we hope she continues to inspire more newcomers to the industry, particularly through her passion of championing women within the industry.”

Hagerty’s purpose is to save driving and car culture for future generations and its mission is to build a global business to fund that purpose. Hagerty is an automotive enthusiast brand offering integrated membership products and programs as well as a specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market.