Although it's true that production of the 33 and 44 stopped when Volvo took over, DAF had had two generations of successors for both cars on sale for several years. I'm not aware that DAF was in trouble when Volvo took over...simply that Volvo wanted to move into that market, and they had the financial muscle to make it happen.
Defining 'classic' is a tricky one. For some, a classic is something like a Lamborghini Muira, a Ferrari 250 GTO or an Aston DB5. For others, it's a Moggie, an mk1 Escort or a Beetle. I think DAFs deserve to sit alongside these 'practical classics' as a very normal car, with their unique drivetrain and considerable (yet almost unknown) success in Motorsport.
I have no problem is calling any car over 25 years old which has survived that far a classic (or at least a 'retro' car, until it reaches perhaps 35?)...but I do rank certain vehicles on a higher level...although they're usually so valuable that I'm never going to own one...
cheers
James
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