What Is a 60-Year-Old Car Called?

A 60-year-old car is generally considered an “antique” and is also commonly referred to as a “classic,” but it is not typically called “vintage” under strict historical definitions. The exact label can vary by country, car club, insurer, and local motor-vehicle regulations, but at 60 years of age a car qualifies for most “historic/antique” categories worldwide.

How Different Groups Define Older Cars

Terminology for older vehicles isn’t universal. Car clubs, government agencies, and insurers use overlapping but distinct age thresholds. Understanding these helps clarify why a 60-year-old car is usually “antique,” often “classic,” and rarely “vintage.”

• Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA): Considers vehicles 25 years and older as “antique.”
• Many U.S. state DMVs: Offer “antique” or “historic” plates typically starting at 25–30 years old (some states set higher thresholds or add use restrictions).
• Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA): Classifies 30+ year-old vehicles as “historic” if preserved in original or period-correct condition.
• United Kingdom (DVLA): “Historic vehicle” tax class applies at 40+ years from first registration (rolling), which often brings vehicle tax and MOT test exemptions if the car hasn’t been substantially modified.
• Classic Car Club of America (CCCA): “Full Classic” is a specific, limited set of high-end vehicles built from 1915–1948; this is not an age-based catchall.
• “Vintage,” “Edwardian,” “Veteran” (traditional British use): Veteran (pre-1905), Edwardian (1905–1918), Vintage (1919–1930). A 60-year-old car from the mid-1960s does not fit these categories.

Taken together, these definitions show broad agreement that vehicles over several decades old qualify for special status, but they also reveal why “vintage” is typically reserved for much earlier eras.

What That Means for a 60-Year-Old Car in 2025

A car that is 60 years old in 2025 would be a 1965 model-year vehicle. Under most U.S. and international frameworks, it is comfortably within “antique” and “historic” territory and is colloquially a “classic.” However, by the strict historical usage prevalent in the U.K. and among many historians, it would not be called “vintage.”

Registration, Insurance, and Practical Implications

In many U.S. states, a 60-year-old car can qualify for antique or historic plates, which may come with reduced fees and mileage or usage restrictions (e.g., limited to exhibitions, parades, or occasional leisure driving). Insurers often offer specialty policies for antique/classic cars with agreed-value coverage and limited-use terms. In the U.K., a 60-year-old vehicle typically falls into the DVLA’s historic class (40+ years), making it eligible for vehicle tax exemption and MOT exemption if unmodified; some low-emission zones also grant exemptions to vehicles in the historic class. Always check your local regulations and insurer definitions, as the details and benefits can vary.

Terminology Recap for a 60-Year-Old Car

Here’s how the most common labels apply to a 60-year-old vehicle today:

1. Antique: Yes — widely recognized as antique by clubs and many jurisdictions.
2. Classic: Yes — commonly used for cars several decades old; definitions vary.
3. Historic: Yes — meets age thresholds for “historic” classification in many regions.
4. Vintage: No — traditionally reserved for cars built roughly 1919–1930.

This breakdown reflects both formal definitions and common usage, highlighting why “antique” and “classic” are the safest, most accurate terms for a 60-year-old car.

Summary

A 60-year-old car is best described as an antique and, in everyday language, a classic. It typically qualifies for historic status under many regulatory and club frameworks. It is not, however, considered vintage in the strict historical sense, which generally applies to vehicles from the early 20th century (circa 1919–1930). For practical matters like registration, taxation, and insurance, consult local rules, as eligibility and benefits can differ by jurisdiction and provider.

What is a 60 year old car considered?

Antique Cars
An antique car is a vehicle that’s 45 years or older. So, if you’re looking at a car that’s 50 years old or more, then it’s considered an antique car. Some most popular Antique Cars include: Ford Model A (1903-1904)

What is another word for old car?

North American English
In North American slang, jalopy, clunker, heap, rust bucket, bucket of bolts, and simply bucket are also used. So too are beater—a term especially favored in Canada—and the American urban hooptie, which gained some popularity from the humorous song “My Hooptie” by Sir Mix-a-Lot.

What are the classifications of cars by age?

Usually, the classic car moniker applies to vehicles over 20 years old. Antique cars are over 45 years old, and vintage cars are built between 1919 and 1930. But as with many subjects in the motoring world, not everyone can agree on a single definition.

What is an older car called?

Old car names include brands like Chevrolet, Ford, Cadillac, Volkswagen Beetle, Morris, and Alfa Romeo, as well as iconic models such as the Dodge Charger, Ford Mustang, and Chevrolet Camaro. Other examples of vintage car names from various countries are Tatra, Jaguar, Triumph, and Rolls-Royce. 
Iconic Classic Models: 

• 1969 Dodge Charger
• 1967 Ford Mustang
• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
• Ford Galaxie
• Volkswagen Beetle
• Chevrolet Corvette
• Austin Seven
• Sunbeam Alpine

Classic Brands: 
Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Austin, Bentley, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Jaguar, Jeep, Morris, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Triumph, Tatra, Tatra, Tatra, Tatra, Tatra, Tatra, and TVR.