Discuss The Most Beautiful Cars Ever Made

[Deleted member 1071]

Just engaged in an entertaining journey through the photo gallery:

The most beautiful cars ever made | Autocar

A summer reminder of the cars that Autocar rates as the prettiest ever made

www.autocar.co.uk

I can think of numerous possible additions.

 

[J.E]

Just engaged in an entertaining journey through the photo gallery

I don't agree with most of the cars in their list, but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I mean, every journalist and car designer say the Jaguar E-type is beautiful and yet I find the E-type to be absolutely revolting.

 

[tieftaucher]

Most of those cars wouldn't be on the list if they looked exactly the same but be from a less popular brand.

 

[Matski]

I'd have to say, I disagree with most of the list, I mean, the BMW iX isn't even on there. Must have been written by a boomer.

Seriously though, I do think most of the cars there don't deserve the title of most beautiful ever made. Sure, they may have been something else for the time, and in that respect more contemporary designs might appear to lack originality by comparison, but that doesn't make them any less beautiful. Case in point the 507, I'm a BMW fan - so I get why the car has somewhat of a cult status, but - all day everyday, the Z8 is better looking, IMHO. Same with the E9, it is a beautiful car, but not in a way that puts it ahead of more contemporary designs from the company... I think in both these cases the cars chosen weren't chosen purely on aesthetics, but also what they represent - and that's not what's implied by the articles title.

Stuff like the E-Type and the Bugatti, I don't even know why they'd make the top 100 frankly... and the Mac F1? It's a special car, with a special place, but really... is it that much more beautiful than a plethora of other mid-engined cars? I'd suggest not, IMHO, the XJ220 is a better looking 200mph mid-engined super car than the Mac F1, and the XJ220 is also a better looking Jag than the E-Type.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

I'd have to say, I disagree with most of the list, I mean, the BMW iX isn't even on there. Must have been written by a boomer.

Seriously though, I do think most of the cars there don't deserve the title of most beautiful ever made. Sure, they may have been something else for the time, and in that respect more contemporary designs might appear to lack originality by comparison, but that doesn't make them any less beautiful. Case in point the 507, I'm a BMW fan - so I get why the car has somewhat of a cult status, but - all day everyday, the Z8 is better looking, IMHO. Same with the E9, it is a beautiful car, but not in a way that puts it ahead of more contemporary designs from the company... I think in both these cases the cars chosen weren't chosen purely on aesthetics, but also what they represent - and that's not what's implied by the articles title.

Stuff like the E-Type and the Bugatti, I don't even know why they'd make the top 100 frankly... and the Mac F1? It's a special car, with a special place, but really... is it that much more beautiful than a plethora of other mid-engined cars? I'd suggest not, IMHO, the XJ220 is a better looking 200mph mid-engined super car than the Mac F1, and the XJ220 is also a better looking Jag than the E-Type.

Autoeroticism:

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Autoeroticism:

Madre del Dios! That Maser

 

[PanterroR]

And that Chrysler Thomas Special... Damn, that car looks boss...

 

[Gianclaudio]

Just engaged in an entertaining journey through the photo gallery

Jaguar E type is a very, very pretty car. But most beautiful? Not a single chance. And before "beauty is subjective" argument, I've quite solid and objective ones.
From lesser to more important:
-The oval grill and lights make it look a bit catfish-y. Doesn't happen with similary designed contemporaries: 250 GTO, Alfa TZ2, Aston DP212/4/5, Shelby Daytona Coupè.
-Wheels tucked into wells/arches. Ruins stance and a good reason why most sports cars have avoided that look.
-Windshield too upright; and massive glass-to-metal (side panels) relation. Again, something that has been avoided ever since.
-The rear is a disaster. Did they forget to design it? The hatchback door, the ever rising lower part and exposed pipes....

Jag E Type...

Versus the mentioned cars from its era and style:

McLaren 570, Aventador, Gallardo, Ford Capri, most of the american cars and half of the british, current Range Rover, Evoque, all Bentley, specially 2002 Continental. What a joke!

Massive omissions, IMHO: many Delage and Delahaye, along the most beautiful pre WWII cars, and much prettier than all those damm Bentleys or the Morgan 3 wheeler, FFS.
Alfa 2500 SS coupe or 2900B, again, way nicer than the pre war Alfas they selected (1750, 2500 ss spider, 2900 spider)
Thunderbird 56, instead of 61 Continental, Charger or Buick Riviera.
No Mercedes W111, 190 SL, Peugeot 504.
BMW M1: Giugiaro's masterpiece; a pure geometry, "architecture details" filled design which could easily had come from the minds of Louis Kahn, Mario Botta or Carlo Scarpa.
Where are first gen Corvette, Opel GT, Toyota 2000GT? And yet Lotus Elan is there....
They included Aston DB3s, DB4, DB4 cabrio, DB4 Zagato, DB5, Jaguar XK120 and XKKS and not Maserati's 3500 GT/5000 GT or Sebring? Lancia Fulvia coupè or Flaminia Zagato?

Ahhh, the british chauvinism

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

I felt for quite some time that the 2000GT is a better looking E Type than the E Type.


Also, generally I try to keep political discussions on here, but today, damn, I am definitely feeling tested and will do my level-best not to break that rule for myself.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Included on the Autocar list...and I wholeheartedly agree:

Still one of the most beautiful 4 door automobiles ever in my book.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

List is ok, but clearly done by Brits Design is subjective but I would add a new car to this list: Polestar 1

 

[Deleted member 1071]

List is ok, but clearly done by Brits Design is subjective but I would add a new car to this list: Polestar 1

Very, very high on my shortlist of the most beautiful automobiles currently in production. A masterpiece by Thomas Ingenlath and his team.

 

[PanterroR]

For me, still no. 1:

 

[TheNewBATMAN]

In the modern era, only two cars ever struck me as the most beautiful automobiles. Coincidentally one is a coupe and one is a convertible roadster.

The most beautiful coupe ever : Aston Martin V8 Vantage by Ian Callum and Henrik Fisker

The most beautiful convertible/roadster : the BMW Z8

 

[Deleted member 1071]

For me, still no. 1:

Oh yes ! The DB9/DBS/Virage of the 00s' and early 2010s' are absolutely EPIC. It's hard to believe that the Virage was presented 10 years ago:

 

[Gianclaudio]

I couldn't edit, but other huge omissions:
-Karmann Ghia
-BMW E24 and E31
-Any Voisin, Talbot Lago T150
-Mercedes R129 and perhaps R230
-Maserati 3200 GT
-Chevrolet Corvair
-Ferrari 250 Lusso (the 250 LM included in the list is clumsy looking as is the 250 Testarossa with half exposed arches)

 

[A.P.]

They had Miura in top 2, so I forgive them for the rest.

Edit: I can't forgive them, not when they don't put Murcielago on the list. And who in their right mind thinks Evoque is a beautiful car? Also 2005 A5 instead of 2011&2012 A7 or A6? Ahhh, there are so many more to disagree with.

 

[martinbo]

This thread is just fabulous. So many of my friends contributing in one thread. Epic. I'm a frikken genius for spinning off this topic into its own thread.
Now that I'm done blowing smoke up my own arse - now, on to the topic itself...

I found many of the cars in the Autocar list to be well before my time. I'll be 50 this year which should say something about that statement.
This discussion is as much about context and relativity as it is about actual design. The much vaunted Jag E-Type - I am a fan it must be said - has contextual issues which preclude it from being in, let's say, my top 10 or even top 20 most beautiful cars of all time.

It's not like I don't have an appreciation for classic cars but for me a classic can be much younger than a 60's standout, for instance, an E30 325iS or 993 Turbo are both classics in my eyes and would sure cop a mention in my top 100.

I'd be ditching half of those old Astons and Jags in favour of some of my 80's and 90's heroes.
Now, I may have not absorbed the entire list but I didn't miss the W124 did I? If not, then why on earth is it not in there?
Why no Ferrari F355? The 288 GTO (gorgeous!) and 308 GTB are so close in design language that I'd have forced myself to omit one.

Where? Where dammit is the F82 BMW M4?!? FFS - it's a goddess of a car!

The silhouette, the prestige gap, the proportions, the beltline, the ratio of wheel and DLO to sheetmetal, the haunches...

 

[martinbo]

And, I can go on... [and will ]

How could this little belter be omitted?

The 981 Cayman - especially in GTS guise above - is an absolute corker of a Porker. It looks even better in the metal, with such a great stance and put paid to the rather gawky looks of the 987.
I actually think 981 is slightly better looking than 982 - especially from the rear 3/4 where the small spoiler's lip arcs so deftly into the taillight crease.

For me, it's perfect to the point that I can't fault it. I'm on the lookout for one. Big time.

 

[Matski]

This thread is just fabulous. So many of my friends contributing in one thread. Epic. I'm a frikken genius for spinning off this topic into its own thread.

I will also deploy my tobacco smoke enema kit... you are indeed wonderful.

I felt for quite some time that the 2000GT is a better looking E Type than the E Type.

Agreed, I really don't like the E-Type but the Toyota manages to nail the look.

Oh yes ! The DB9/DBS/Virage of the 00s' and early 2010s' are absolutely EPIC. It's hard to believe that the Virage was presented 10 years ago:

The Virage looks beautifully clean, the more aggressive tweaks they made for the DBS ruins it for me, similar story with the older Vanquish S, beautiful car - but I don't like the stick on bits. Having said that, the the most recent Vanquish looks fantastic, depsite looking a bit body-kit-y.



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Don't know if it's still headed for production or not but the De Tomaso P72 was something to behold in the flesh. I don't normally like this kind of thing... but, yup... works for me...