Already in some countries in Europe a classic is prohibited from motorways and is limited to a few thousand km a year. This could happen hers, in the guise of "road safety and pollution".
Peter can you be more specific on this? I know about some cities restricting old cars from the city centre but if there is a country prohibiting my Morgan from motorways I would like to know which it is before I get in to trouble. As for restricting the number of miles driven in a year, I think that depends on whether you choose to register it as historic or pay for normal registration. In Austria for example my Morgan (and most cars over 30 years old) can be registered as "historic." This gives you cheap insurance and limits you to driving on 52 days in the year. But this is voluntary, not compulsory. One can choose normal registration and suffer no restrictions.
Auster,
I was under the impression, having lived there through the 1990s, that in Germany cars over a certain age had to be registered as historic, and then were restricted
as discussed. But it only applies to cars registered in Germany. Not sure about France.
In the UK cars over 40 years old don't pay road tax, don't require a TUV, but are not restricted in where and how often they can drive. That said, most such cars are pampered pets, and are not driven excessively.
Peter I can't speak with any confidence for Germany but maybe one of our TM members there can jump in with first hand knowledge. I suspect it's like Austria i.e. voluntary. If you register as historic there are certain restrictions but if you don't, and pay your taxes, then there aren't any restrictions except for those that apply to all cars. Just in case anyone is thinking Europe is restrictive and that you will have problems touring: Since 1915 my Austrian registered 1968 Morgan has been to central London (make sure you log on and pay the congestion tax) central Paris (no special requirements because I'm on the Austrian historic register) crossed Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Corsica, Hungary and Slovenia and I'm confident I was legal in all cases. It might change. It might not. Best to get out there and do it.
in Germany it is not compulsory to register a car older than 30 years as historic. But if you don't do it that way, you are subject to all restrictions just as much as other cars are. Since the old cars do not have a catalytic converter, they are not allowed into an environmental zone. In addition the taxes are often very high because of the large cubic capacity and/or the high CO2 emission.
That's why almost all cars older than 30 years are specially registered in Germany. They have to be in very good condition and they have to be very original. There are subjective interpretations e.g. from federal state to federal state. For some, a good condition is sufficient, others refuse the certificate if only another radio is installed.
But the historical registration is advantageous because you can drive everywhere and because the tax is independent of the car only 195 € per year. The number plate has an H at the end for "historical".
Today you can drive without restrictions. There are no limits to the number of days or the milage etc.
But that may change soon. On the one hand we have the problem that now cars become historical like a Mercedes W124. And there are still many dirty Diesel, which suddenly appear with historical number plates and are driven e.g. by students cheaply. Diesel is somehow therefore not so good for the scene. Suddenly old stinking motorhomes are historically allowed. It may drive everywhere and the neighbour has a valuable only 5 years new mobile home with Euro 5 standard and he may not drive any more in environmental zones not even at his doorstep to be loaded. These two examples show that the historic permit can be abused in our country and that I believe it will become more restrictive in order to preserve social peace. Perhaps they go to 40 years minimum age or we get a restriction of days per year, just my guess.
In addition, there is the general mood against internal combustion engines anyway so the scene will react before they get more restricted than to be want.
