Magnificence is within the eye of the beholder, proper? So, any checklist containing a author’s best-looking vehicles is certain to set off the wrath of the plenty with pitchforks, hungry for revenge for omitting their very own favorites. So this checklist takes under consideration each fashionable opinion, private style, and the views of assorted world-renowned automobile designers. Even so, it’s unattainable to decide on simply ten, so we embody just a few honorable mentions.
Whether or not a automobile is gorgeous or not has as a lot to do with a stability of proportions, evocative traces, useful and aerodynamic effectivity, and pure class of execution. The subjective measures are down to private choice, and all of us have our favorites. Our selections do appear to recommend that design reached a excessive level between the ’30s and ’70s, which is actually a slight on fashionable designed-by-committee vehicles. Both means, we expect you’ll discover that lots of your favorites made this checklist of best-looking vehicles ever.
For this checklist, we’ve centered on mid-Twentieth-century vehicles which were lauded for his or her attractiveness by most within the public area. We rank them from least to most lovely. Look out for our observe up on the best-looking fashionable vehicles.
10 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB
Years: 1959-1962
Designer
Pininfarina
Engine
3.0L Colombo V12
Horsepower
237-276 hp
Prime Pace
152 mph
Quantity Constructed
178
Because the identify implies, the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB sat on a brief 94.5-inch wheelbase to enhance dealing with, however that additionally gave it extra compact proportions and a decrease weight. The forward-leaning nostril, spherical headlights, petite chrome nook bumpers, gracefully receding tail, and wire-spoke wheels Pininfarina gave it mix to kind a really timeless form. With one of the vital highly effective iterations of the three.0-liter Colombo V12 engine below the hood, disc brakes, and suspension tuned for dealing with, the SWB was one of the vital thrilling GTs of the time. Including to the attract is the truth that solely 178 of them have been in-built each highway and racing variations, with our bodies manufactured from both metal or aluminum. Final 12 months, Gooding & Co. offered an unrestored 1962 mannequin at Pebble Seashore for over $9.4 million.
9 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Years: 1967-1969
Designer
Franco Scaglione
Engine
2.0L V8
Horsepower
225 hp
Prime Pace
Est. 162 mph
Quantity Constructed
18
The road-going model of Alfa Romeo’s Tipo 33 race automobile was the 33 Stradale, and it was an unique mid-engined Italian sportster with a 2.0-liter V8 that revved to 10,000 rpm. The beautiful aluminum physique differs from automobile to automobile, because it was hand-built, and it has spectacular butterfly doorways and delicate Campagnolo magnesium-alloy wheels that measure solely 13 inches. With a weight of just one,543 kilos, it was one of many quickest sports activities vehicles of its time over a dash. The manufacturing facility prototype has double stacked spherical headlights, however the manufacturing model has single headlights. Solely 18 vehicles have been made – and it is this magnificence that impressed the rebirth of the 2024 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.
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8 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe
Years: 1954-1957
Designer
Friedrich Geiger
Engine
2.0-liter Inline-4
Horsepower
3.0L M198 I6
Prime Pace
135-163 mph
Quantity Constructed
1,400
The evolution of Mercedes-Benz’s 1951 W194 race automobile was the road-going 1954 300 SL, so it has its ft firmly rooted in motorsport, all the way down to its tubular metal spaceframe chassis. It debuted on the 1954 New York Worldwide Auto Present to rapturous applause for its gorgeous proportions, blistered wheel arches, and lengthy aerodynamic tail. Probably the most talked-about function was the gullwing doorways, which made the automobile an instantaneous legend within the minds of dreamers. And at almost $7,000 at launch, it remained a dream for many. The extremely tuned M198 inline six-cylinder engine and favorable aerodynamics made it a speedy aspirational halo sports activities automobile within the in any other case slightly restrained Mercedes secure.
7 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Cut up-Window Coupe
Years: 1963
Designer
Invoice Mitchell
Engine
5.4L Small Block V8
Horsepower
250-360 hp
Torque
152-160 mph
Quantity Constructed
21,513
There are such a lot of lovely and superb Corvettes that it feels nearly unsuitable to select only one, however we’ve settled on the 1963 C2 Sting Ray coupe. Its appears to be like are remodeled when these hidden headlights deploy, and the boat tail is one thing out of this world. Designer Invoice Mitchell mentioned the gorgeous break up rear window was impressed by one other automobile on this checklist – the Bugatti 57 SC Atlantique. Sadly, this ‘Vette was dropped the next 12 months as a consequence of visibility and security considerations, so its rarity makes it much more particular. Energy got here from previous Small Block V8 with as much as 360 hp, and there was a convertible physique too.
6 Aston Martin DB7
Years: 1993-2004
Designers
Ian Callum & Keith Helfet
Engines
3.2L supercharged AJ I6 5.9L NA Aston Martin V12
Horsepower
335-435 hp
Prime Pace
155-186 mph
Quantity Constructed
>7,000
Some followers will hate us for this not being the DB5, however at the very least that Bond automobile is an honorable point out afterward. We love the DB7 for doing a lot with so little and nonetheless being lovely on the identical time. Money-strapped Aston Martin modified the XJ-S platform for the DB7, and cost-cutting meant borrowed elements throughout – the taillights of a Mazda 323F, the aspect mirrors of a Citroën CX, and the door handles from the NA Mazda Miata. But, Ian Callum and Keith Helfet created a murals, growing a wonderfully proportioned physique on the previous bones and brief wheelbase, however with shorter overhangs, so that you couldn’t even inform. Typically, necessity is the mom of invention. There was a convertible, too.
Associated
There was a time when Aston Martin was in deep trouble. However because of Ford taking issues over within the Nineties, fashions just like the DB7 got here to fruition.
5 Jaguar XK120
Years: 1948-1954
Designer
Sir William Lyons
Engine
3.4L XK I6
Horsepower
160-220 hp
Prime Pace
As much as 135 mph
Quantity Constructed
12,061
Some of the lovely Jaguar vehicles, the XK120, exists by happenstance. Designed in simply three months by Sir William Lyons himself as a check mattress for the brand new XK twin-cam six-cylinder engine, the primary prototype brought about such a sensation that Lyons put it into manufacturing. The curvaceous kind with ponton-like styling and coated rear wheels at first hid a wood ash body below its aluminum physique, however solely 242 vehicles have been constructed this fashion and at the moment are sought-after collectibles. The 1950 vehicles moved to all-steel development. The brand new six-cylinder engine added the ‘tempo’ to the ‘grace’ and turned it right into a genuinely succesful sports activities, race, and rally automobile.
4 Talbot-Lago T150C SS
Years: 1937-1939
Designer
Figoni & Falaschi
Engine
3.0L I6
Horsepower
140 hp
Prime Pace
115 mph
Quantity Constructed
17
Designed and coachbuilt by Figoni & Falaschi, the 1937 Talbot-Lago T150C SS might be essentially the most dramatic of all of the Talbot-Lagos of the time. The Goutte d’Eau (teardrop) physique form and the contrasting wheel arches have been impossibly curvaceous. With entrance and rear wheel covers fitted, the three oval entrance grilles (additionally protecting the headlights), the vents on the edges of the hood, and the swept-back break up windshield, it seemed like a spaceship from the longer term, and the final word expression of the artwork deco model of the Nineteen Twenties and Nineteen Thirties in automotive kind. Its extraordinarily aerodynamic kind additionally made it a profitable race automobile.
3 Bugatti Sort 57 S/SC Atlantique Coupe
Years: 1936-1938
Designers
Jean Bugatti & Joseph Walter
Engine
3.3L supercharged I8
Horsepower
210 hp
Prime Pace
Est. 124 mph
Quantity Constructed
4
Phrases don’t do justice to the mesmerizing Bugatti Sort 57 S/SC Atlantique, whether or not it’s the long-lasting Bugatti horseshoe grille that first captures your consideration, the sweeping traces, the form of the glasshouse and bubble roof, or that unmistakable dorsal seam the place the light-weight Elektron bodyshell of the prototype is riveted collectively (Elektron is very flamable when heated, so it could’t be welded). Manufacturing vehicles have been manufactured from aluminum, however retained the seam. Lots of the styling cues survive in fashionable Bugattis. The Atlantique’s magnificence is barely eclipsed by its rarity – solely 4 have been constructed. Chassis quantity 57374 – the Rothschilds automobile – fetched a worth of $36 million within the 2010s.
2 Lamborghini Miura
Years: 1966-1973
Designer
Marcello Gandini
Engine
3.9L L406 V12
Horsepower
345-385 hp
Prime Pace
163-174 mph
Quantity Constructed
Est. 764
Impossibly low and large as a consequence of a mid-mounted V12 engine put in transversely, and with these iconic swept-up B-pillar, hood vents, and eyelashes, the Miura makes no apologies for making each “most lovely vehicles” checklist. It’s credited for being the primary supercar, and its secretive skunkworks growth by the engineering crew with out the data of Ferruccio is the stuff of legends. It brought about a sensation as a rolling chassis and not using a physique on it, and when the prototype was proven on the 1966 Geneva Motor Present, the engineers had not but discovered find out how to match the engine into the automobile. A 1972 P400 SV was auctioned by RM Sothebys in Toronto for $4.9 million this 12 months.
1 Jaguar E-Sort Coupe
Years: 1961-1974
Designer
Malcolm Sayer
Engine
3.8L/4.2 XK I6, 5.3L V12
Horsepower
265-272 hp
Prime Pace
150 mph
Quantity Constructed
72,528
The E-Sort made the jaws drop when it debuted in 1961 and the rumor persists that Enzo Ferrari known as it essentially the most lovely automobile ever made. The voluptuous curves are breathtaking even at this time, and the truth that this elegant and smooth sports activities automobile was provided for what was a really affordable worth on the time added to the attract, even earlier than consumers knew concerning the automobile’s specs. And what specs they have been! Developed from the D-Sort race automobile, the E-Sort hosted advances like disc brakes, unibody development, all-independent suspension, and even a V12 engine. Far, excess of only a fairly face, then, and worthy of the highest podium step.
Honorable Mentions
These beauties simply missed out on this checklist – inform us what you suppose must be added within the feedback under:
1967-1974 Dino 206/246 GT 1959-1966 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Dash Speciale 1937-1939 & 1941 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider 1969-1970 Ferrari 312P Berlinetta 1962-1964 Ferrari 250 GTO 1928-1932 Mercedes-Benz SSK 1963-1965 Aston Martin DB5 1956-1959 BMW 507 1974-1978 Lamborghini Countach LP400
Dishonorable Mentions
Are these classics uglier than these on our ugliest vehicles checklist?
1992 Buick Skylark 1953-1961 Isetta 1973 Reliant Robin Aston Martin Lagonda Capturing Brake 1932 Stout Scarab 1958 Lincoln Continental 1965 Rambler/AMC Marlin 1970 Marcos Mantis M70 1974 AMC Matador
Sources:
MotorTrend, AutoZine, OutMotorSports, Gooding & Co., Goodwood.